My big plans

 

Getting back from Tenerife my ribs were just getting better and big plans started to flourish in my small head. A tentative return to swimming didn't cause me any problems so that was back on the menu. Running was still sore with my ribs so I decided to try doing Jeff Galloway's run/walk thing and see if I could get some baseline miles in while also not hurting myself. A few preliminary jogs went okay.

I interspersed them with walks, which were getting a lot more pleasant now that spring has about sprung.

But the marathon is not faraway and it seemed like I might have to push a bit harder if I was going to get enough mileage in to realistically be able to do it. One very wet Sunday I set out with a head of steam - determinedly walking 1 minute and running 5. I was thinking I'd do 10 but ambition got the better of me. It was exciting being out. I met Roy Buchanan and then Aileen and then Paul Eunson. I had a proper blether with both Aileen and Paul and it was like being a club member again. It made me want to achieve great things....so I kept on going even though one of my knees was getting sore. I thought I might get away with it - carried on for 15 and it didn't seem so bad and I arrived home soggy but kind of triumphant. However after sitting down for half an hour I couldn't bend my sore knee leg. Ya wee monkey. So fortune doesn't always favour the bold.

A big fool setting out on a fool's errand.

So then it was back to walking around Edinburgh until I could run again - which would surely be soon wouldn't it?  Spoiler alert. No.

Here are some shots from around the capital. When I'm down I like to remember that it would be expensive to spend a city break in Edinburgh but I can do it all for free, whenever I like.

This has recently arrived at the Easter Road end of Albert Street. A bona fide case of wtaf.

The next good thing to happen was getting out on my bike again though. I went out one timid cycle where I was terrified of ice. It had been sub-zero the night before and there had been ice, but I waited until 11am and was cautious. I went out again the other day round Dalmeny and really enjoyed the ability to get somewhere under my own steam.

Meanwhile Peter and I have been out the odd run around Gullane, trying to see if I can manage some distance but I've still had knee problems; shifting, oddly, from one knee to the other. I had an exchange with a woman who puts up knee rehab exercises on the internet and she said knee problems are fairly common after a chest injury. I guess it's probably something to do with compensation.

So anyway, a girl needs a plan, and I have been formulating a new one in this last week. I'm hesitant to write it down as Fate has been laughing at my plans recently - but I've been VERY conservative in mileage for the last three runs I've done and although there's some knee discomfort it seems to be resolving quite quickly now. So maybe I do small runs on grass and let the rest of my fitness be cycling and swimming for a while. Maybe I can tinker with my form, since I'm not doing much. The plan for now, anyway, is to run around on the flat grass and see what happens next.

I went out to try this out at the Queen's Park today - doing 10 60second intervals on the grass with 2 minute jogs inbetween and it felt AMAZING to be running at any kind of speed again. My knees weren't perfect but it's hours later and there has been no big problems. I'm writing that while crossing my fingers and knocking on wood.