2nd 10km of 50!

Treadmill again to practise the 2nd 10km of 50km :-

Run 3km @ 7:30 per km.
Walk 3mins 40secs.
..Repeat 3 times.

10km in 78:30 (i.e. 2:38:30 for 20km of 50km).....Nearly there!

Practise! Practise! Practise!

...so I practised the 1st 10km of 50, on the gym treadmill this morning. { Run 3k @7:40 per km / Walk 3mins 40secs (5.5k/ hr approx)} and Repeat Thrice! Tomorrow...practise the 2nd 10km of 50km......!

Last Long Run

25km this morning....went well!

Injection #2 & a 13km Run

....2nd cortisone injection with ultrasound on Wednesday. Rested yesterday, Thursday, & ran 13km today (Friday) without any pain in my left leg or butt! Next run on Sunday, somewhere between 21-28km doing Ewen's run/walk plan along the same flat 7km near the the airstrip as last Sunday. Strengthening exercises are definitely working & today's visit to the Physio confirmed this. Continue with increased resistance & light weight + 1 new exercise.

Starting to feel more confident about the Canberra 50km!

Short Run

Just 9km this morning & to vary running surface, I used the grass track at Chev....22.5 laps, reversing direction after each 1200m. Enjoyed it!

Almost the Last Long Run...1 to go.

Gosh, I appreciated those comments of encouragement on my last post when I got back this afternoon from my long run of 28km! Brought a tear or two to my weary eyes as I read them especially when I've been so slack to return them lately. I quite choked up today...why today? I think because I was so tired after such a short run, thinking : "I'll never make it to 50km at this rate!" & then saw words of encouragement to keep going.. ..& my thinking immediately lifted to : "Yes, I will!" So....there you go! We never know just how powerful a few words of timely cheer can be! Enough emotion for one day...on with business!


Stupidly, I didn't start till 9:00 a.m. & the morning was already hot; 4 times on the same 7km flattish stretch of road with no shade......out & back...run/walk : 20mins/4mins....3hours 44mins....both CG marathons didn't take much longer! Had water, sports drink, gel & energy bar in the car parked somewhere near the middle of 7km "sunset strip"...nearly forgot...& Panadol!

Home, showered & watched the tape of the marathons; I thought I must have fallen asleep because I saw the men start & then in the next shot they'd been running for over 30 minutes! Not enough energy to stamp & cheer for Kerryn McCann...I just shed another 2 or 3 or more tears willing her to win! Then I saw Kate Smyth finish...and I thought, "Now you know what toughing it out really is!" So....too much emotion for one day...I'm all "spent"!

....and another 'Easy' Run

The only flat road I can find is alongside the airstrip. Parked the car near the gates & ran 2km out from the car & then back = 4km & did this 3 times = 12km run/walk : 20mins/4mins. Does get a bit boring!

Another 'Easy' Run

9km Run/Walk : 20mins/4mins. The thinking is that this Run/Walk routine might be the way to do the 50km in Canberra, without putting too much stress on my legs. No leg pain at all today; the strengthening exercises seem to be working well, also the Pilates DVD...I can now do dozens of one-legged squats without toppling over!

A Rest Day

...............with butt strengthening exercises. A massage in the afternoon....that should be enjoyable!

'Easy' Run

Today 8km on flat road :- 25minutes jog/5minutes fast walk (repeat). Time 62 minutes & no leg pain; still some weakness in the left leg; continuing with lots of strengthening exercises......seems I spend more time lying on the floor than I do standing up!

4 Weeks Today!

...and Canberra marathon /50km! Since seeing the Sports Med. Doc. in Sydney last Wednesday, I've been able to do a bit of a jog Saturday (25 minutes) & today Sunday : 40 minutes & no pain at all. So carefully, carefully! The lost time cannot be made up for; I now need to spend time on feet without injury returning & get to the start line.....now that's not asking for too much!!

Update #3....& Looking Good!

5:00a.m. alarm! There was never a time I was "looking good" at that hour! But the news is good......."Glute Medius Tendonitis", same diagnosis as Physiotherapist; how encouraging is it when 2 out of 2 of your medical professionals agree!

The Sports Medicine Doctor, whom I've known for many years, knows me well enough now, that when I say: "Whatever it takes....", after telling me that I'm looking for a "quick fix" & explaining the problem & its causes etc..etc..& that it might hang around for 12 months, nevertheless knows better than to talk sense to this old dame! Instead, after having me stand on one leg at a time & then him twisting legs, hips & back in every direction & telling me my legs etc, were "in good shape!"... he very delicately stuck a very nice long needle in my butt for a cortisone injection which should settle down any inflammation in 2-3 days!! By which time, Hurrah! Hurrah! I can start back slowly but stay away from hills & run on the flat. Easier said than done, but I'll find something I hope. No need for any massage or hands on Physiotherapy, but important to keep up the strengthening exercises given by the Physio. After this 50km, take stock & be sensible!! Of course I will! After Canberra, training will be totally different from anything I've ever done before...or even since!!

This might be of interest : : I was telling him I recently sent away for the DVD "Pilates for Runners & Cyclists" from Studio Pilates Australia (I saw it in this month's Runners World, I think) & he said it's excellent; I've tried Pilates several times & have been bored to tears each time & given up! This concentrates just on core strengthening so I'm going to try to do it every other day. I had a look at it & every exercise is very well demonstrated, it's not at all boring & I know it's something I'd enjoy doing. (No financial interest at all in this product!)

Finally, almost.....I'll have another cortisone injection - under ultra-sound - in 2 weeks time; this one in Bowral! So watch out for the cortisone junkie on April 9!!

Really finally : thanks to all of you for your interest & especially your encouragement, which as much as any injection, will get me to the start line after all! (Let's not even think about the finish!). I can't imagine what my life would be like without all of you being part of it....so says Chickybabe from the heart!

Update #2

Seeing Sports Doctor in Sydney (Crows Nest) tomorrow, 9:00 a.m. Not looking good but not giving up either!

Day 6 - with injury.

Well, it's now 6 days since the pain in my left leg brought last Sunday's long run to a stop & I had to walk the last 5km of 38Km.

Right now, I can't see any improvement & I know I couldn't run even if I had to. Two sessions of Physio during the week & another on Monday; Physio says pain on the outside of the lower leg is referred pain from the damage (or whetever!) to the Gluteus Medius on that side. The strange thing is that the only real pain I feel is in this lower outside part of the leg - a dull throb all the time & more pain doing the lying down side leg raises & one-legged squats which are supposed to strengthen the leg.

I don't know what else to do but go along with the treatment for a few more days, I suppose. Anyhow, I thought I'd leave an update for anyone passing by! Any advice or shared views will be much appreciated...perhaps I should ask on the main message board, but I don't want to bore all of Cool Running with my woes!

Maybe I should ask CR Rudolf!

Another Season - another day off!