No Thunder Run for me

So for the last three years around this time you have been treated to a long and adventurous journey as I have embarked on the annual Adidas Thunder Run as part of a team which then decreased and decreased leaving me as solo runner last year. 

This year I have planned to go back, hoping for better weather and to beat my solo achievement of last year running 10 laps through thunder, lightening and mud slides. 

This has been my most bitter disappointment that has stemmed from my back injury, wanting so badly to attend the event which has become one my absolute favourites and a yearly staple in my running calendar. There was nothing that could console me as I spent the weekend grumping about..... Adamant that when the entires opening for next year I would be back and I would claim a solo PB.



October 2014: entries opened, filled and closed.
They did so at midnight, it was quite absurd and signing up was a laborious process of being kicked out and trying time and time again to finally be told I was on the waiting list. Yet more disappointment. Then I received an email a couple of weeks later telling me that all names from the waiting list that would have a place did and I had not been successful, we'll this sucks ass. So I am p!ssed and rightly so, mostly at the silly cow who wasn't paying attention and has screwed up running for me for 19months now..... I hope your premium is through the roof and your car is plagued with expensive glitches as this is the worst I can wish upon you.

Waterway to have a good time

After our mini break and racing last year in Chamonix it was time we had another break with the our good friends (and my oldest friend of over 30 years). This year we would be boating on the Norfolk Broads, just like Alan Partridge although without a cow landing on us I hoped. 

This trip was not about running or a race but we were all (with the exception of my good husband) keen to get a run in. So on a slight hangover, myself and the Bonds hit the canal path around Wroxham to get in a cheeky 5km run before breakfast. I was still easing myself back into running with my back injury so I opted for a run/walk technique. 

Quickly running out of canal path we headed inland and onto some lovely country roads, our out and back point as is often the way finishes at the top of a steep incline but at least we got to run back down! 

I was pleased to have got back up to 3miles again two weeks on the trot although my back was not convinced of this after such a long departure from running any kind of distance. It is slow going but I will get there I am sure, just frustrating it is taking so blooming long.

The park where Robbie Williams played!

Each year the DMU netball girls get together for a reunion... We see each other in the meantime but this is the weekend that has been in the diary for the last 9 years and boy how we have changed!!

In the early days it was pretty much carnage as we took various cities by storm in the way in which only the netball girls can. As the years have gone by we still hit the town, a force to be reckoned with but a few years something changed.

Two of us had become runners, then as the years passed another one started running and another. This year as we woke early the body clocks of working career women and not students 6 of us donned our kit and hit the park for some running. My goodness how we have all changed!!

As you can see from the picture this was no ordinary park either, the blue plaque told us that non other than Robbie Williams had lived on this road in his childhood, so we set off delighted to be running in the park where the Take That and solo artist had probably scraped his knees and squealed terrified at the hissing swans as he rounded a corner and came across them unexpectedly.... Or maybe that was just us!

I love that we have changed, I love that each year another one of us calls themselves a runner, here's to next year, the 10 year reunion and let's see if we can't get everyone out for the morning run!

Just what the Doctor ordered

My treatment has progressed and I am seeing my Physiotherapist and also my Chiropractor who between them are making great progress with me. I had been tasked with gradually building up what I can in terms of running and getting my body prepared to once again take impact. I have moved from the lazy bike at the gym (officially I believe it is called the recumbent).

Phase one was to do a 10 minute warm up, followed by 30 sec run and 2 minute walk, repeating and building gradually over the weeks. By the time I reached my last appointment with the Physio she was happy for me to continue to build on this with me reaching the prolific heights of 2 mins running with 30 sec walks in between, sandwiched between 10 min walking warm ups / warm downs.

It is great to be making progress but still frustrating that I am not able to run like I am used to. These runs are all taking place on the treadmill unfortunately. It would seem that my confidence to go out and run is a little damaged in case my back starts to hurt. I consider it altogether much safer to run on the treadmill where there is an emergency stop button. This is a sign of my annoying alter ego, Sensible Liz (also known as boring Liz).

My regular Chiropractor appointments have become less terrifying as my adjustments are not such loud crunching noises now as more satisfying little pops! In fact I look forward to them for the most part as I find my Dr most entertaining yet knowledgeable.

The Missing Runner

Every time I go to write my blog I get stuck, hard to know what to write about on a running blog when forbidden from running!

So, I am not running but I am doing everything I can to get back running. Arguably the biggest mistake runners make is to go back to soon after injury... I am was and still am determined not to do this.

In January 2013 I made the decision on a cold day to drive to the gym for some cross-training rather than run in the cold after fighting a pending cold it seemed the sensible decision. Choosing to go straight on at the lights rather than left and towards home could have been the biggest mistake I made when it comes to running.

A short while later I was sat in traffic, it was start stop, then a woman (distracted by a pedestrian running across the road behind her) drove straight into the back of me. I was jolted forwards and back again and somewhat shaken. I have had lower back problems ever since.

Jump forward almost two months I finally got an appointment with a doctor as recommended by my lawyers, weeks later again I got the report and was able to start treatment with a physiotherapist. The exercises were helping and complimented by attending my personal training sessions where we focussed on getting the strength back into my core.

I was unable to train and was having to pull out of and defer races left, right and centre, including the London Marathon. Towards the middle of summer I tried to run again, tackling races with little or no training including the Mont Blanc Marathon… well I had booked flights, accommodation and had my support crew in place. My time for this was more than double my usual marathon time, but who cares, it was an amazing experience.

I didn’t run much more after this as my back started to bother me again, coming in waves, I was learning what I could and could not do (this former much less than the latter).

In December I saw another doctor to review my lack of progress and whilst waiting for the report I started receiving chiropractic treatment which I am still receiving and my back finally, but very slowly seems to be improving.

I had to cancel my deferred place for the London Marathon – meaning this is lost for good. There are too many DNS's next to my name

L

I tried to do a parkrun (5km) during February at a very slow pace and was unable to move comfortably for about a week. Now I am restricted to swimming, the recumbent bike, slow walks and using the swiss ball. Quite a change to running and you certainly have to be more wary of your diet when you cannot just run it all off!!!

I am missing running a huge amount, having only come to it 5 years ago it became a huge part of my life. I miss running with my friends, working with the beginners groups and feeling healthy.

The next race that was in my plan was the Addidas Thunder Run where I planned to return as a solo runner and beat my 100km distance in the 24 hours (praying for no thunder storms). At this point it looks pretty unlikely that this will happen.

I will run again, FACT!