Sunday 17 February 2013

Could this be the key to my invincibility

The week did not start too great, the pain in my left leg was restricting my training. Last week I was disappointed not to hit my run targets, only 25 miles rather than my targeted 40.
People often ask how I manage to do what I do and avoid running injuries. The only injuries have had since I started running in 2007, have been linked to falls (whilst running) back in 2009 I fell and broke my little finger, couldn't run for 6 days whilst the swelling went down. 2010 , during the Brass Monkey half marathon, I hit a pothole badly at 8 miles, carried on and ended up with a week off with a sprained ankle. Nov 2012, a metal grate was raised and, I ran into it, injuring my right instep and big toe. I carried on running and it seemed to ease. January 2013 I hit a pothole badly and turned my left ankle. I carried on. (Bad move) over the last 3 weeks my right leg has become increasingly painful, hence last weeks reduced run mileage.
Now I feel that the secrecy to my injury free running is not one thing, but a combination. I take cod liver oil, glucosamine, chondroitin and a multivitamin daily. I increase my mileage, gently, I regularly run slowly (slower than normal) and now I swim and cycle too, I increase their mile ages gradually too, I have 1 lower mileage week a month, I eat well and I'm focused (pigheaded and bloody minded according to my dad) but the thing that I think helps the most is regular sports massages that I have been having since 2010. Initially theses were sporadic, but as my training increased they became more regular (monthly). When I started Ironman training last year these increased to fortnightly, agreed, this is not a cheap thing to do and I have reduced them to 3 weekly at the moment. On Wednesday, this week, Libby Hancocks http://puretreatmentrooms.com/libby-hancocks/ suggested that my leg pain was being caused because I was not running correctly, Possibly that since the accident in November, I possibly had not been using my big toe, but that the accident in January had forced me back to using it, but it had no strength and that other leg muscles were weakened. She gave me exercises to do, and dutifully I did them. Training on Thursday evening was no better, but on Friday I went for a run and it was great. Not totally pain free but the strength was coming back. I concentrated on planting my feet correctly. Saturday I cycled and walked. Today, I went for a 15 mile run, 2 miles to Studley, then up to the church and back 5 times and run home. The camber was starting to irritate my leg on the last lap, and on the run home the mud was not great. But I am very happy, again I feel like a runner.
So this week started awful and ended great.
Run 40.84 miles
Cycle 35.7 miles
Walk 14.25 miles
Strengthening exercises 1 hour

Total mileage for 2013 challenge 304.9 miles run so far this year, this places me running through the Channel Tunnel ( virtually) Still on target.


1 comment:

  1. Great news Lena! I too take the supps and swear by massages, it 's great feedback. My injury last year made me really look hard at how I run, Toes crossed this and the chi running will see me through. Not to your dizzy heights but my own personal mountain! :-)x

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