Been a while since I last wrote some
rambles.
Since the Jedburgh Ultra it has been a
continuation of what went before in 2012. I was happy with my run, felt I going
in the right direction. Took a few days rest, I was planning a few leisurely
runs just to keep myself ticking over for the Brecon Ultra a couple of weeks
away.
Then I caught a cold. Sniffled for a week missed
the Kilmarnock X country race, one of my favourite races, but unlike the last
cold which turned into Sinusitis and laid me off for 6 weeks I was determined
this was not going to happen again and headed straight to the docs. Too late,
another course of antibiotics and another steroid nasal spray.. geeze what am I doing
wrong?? Doc told me to wait till last minute before deciding whether to run the
race. So I did. On the Friday I spent most of the morning weighing up my
options. Turns out I really didn’t want to drive for 6 hours arrive at 2 in the
morning get very little sleep then run 40 miles round the Brecon Beacons with a
cold. So I pulled out. Maybe another time.
My training went to pot but as the
ultra season was now finished I wasn’t much bothered. I was visiting the gym,
taking Munro out 3 mile runs and not much else till the Glee run. This was the
first time I had managed along to a Glee run but was apprehensive about my
fitness and hoping I wasn’t going to hold everyone up. Turned out just fine.
But poor Munro doesn’t run well with too many people around. He was way too
excited and darting around folks’ feet. As usual I was well off the pace at the
start, even a slow fun jog I couldn’t keep up. As the run went on I coped
better and started to enjoy it. Then fell. A dull one landing right on my front,
arms out it was my chest that took the fall and it hurt… it really bloody hurt.
Sooo, for the next week and a half I could
do nothing but slow walk/jogs with Munro. Ribs were sore but sneezing was
making me scream with pain. As with these things, time heals all ills, just as
well for some of us!
The Marcothon had begun and I again signed
up for the yearly month of madness. Would be rude not to.
I tried to get back running, doing the minimum
distance and my ribs were slowly getting better.
But, and for me there usually is a BUT. I
toddled off to the gym, planning 5k on the TM and 30 minutes on the spin bike.
Usually at the gym I wear my barefoot minimal shoes and stupidly didn’t take
another pair for my TM run but hey I wasn’t too bothered, I’d been wearing
these wee babies for a couple of months and felt 5k would be ok.
Big mistake! Normally when you feel pain
you stop, don’t you? I wonder how many of you are sitting there saying.. well,
no. Me too. Acht it’s just a wee ache. On I run, my calfs feel like they are
about to explode like in cartoon fashion .. bang.. blood and yuck all over the
place, and did I stop? No, cos I’m doing a 5k and I will finish.
Glad to say a couple of weeks have passed
incident free. I have managed a couple of mid distance runs. Been to the gym,
made a complete fool of myself trying squats with a bar for the first time. I
spent a week practicing my ‘move’ at home without an audience. Second attempt
went well and I have to admit I have been offered nothing but help and encouragement
from the big scarey guys in the weights area.
So as we head towards another birthday and
a New Year I’m looking forward to the challenges I have set myself for 2013. I
hope never to have such an injury ravaged year ever again but 2012 was pretty character
building to say the least.
Here’s to 2013 : Hardmoors 55 : Cateran : WHW
race : Glenmore 24
Safe running
Karen & Munro
