Keeping The Faith

This past year of running (or not running) has been unbelievably hard. I could probably put the number of comfortable runs I’ve had as being in just double figures. Over the year I’ve experienced probably all the emotions possible to associate with being injured:

• Denial at being injured, continuing to train over the top of niggles. Trying to cheat my body that things haven’t been that bad.
• Anger at not being able to run. Anger at everyone who is running. Anger that I was missing training and my source of release.
• Regret at missing out on runs I know I would enjoy. Regret at pulling out of races I know I would have been thrilled to run if I had been truly fit.
• Immense sadness as the length of time not running continues to slip by.

The last few months has seen me moping and probably making some really bad decisions regarding running. I tried to continue via another form of training which in hindsight has probably compounded my injuries and prevented me from healing properly. The problem was that the elation I get from this other form of training is similar to the elation I get from running, and so I continued, even though it was probably making things worse.

Now though I feel like I’ve turned a corner. I’ve switched off the cry baby running side of my brain and forced it to listen to the Physio side of my brain. I’ve gone back to the basics of healing times, tissue loading and rehabilitation. I am aiming to get myself pain free and comfortable and build a better base for my running.

I can’t say I’m not panicking, after all I have marathon to run in April. Reading social media has also been hard as I read that other runners get frustrated by other runners who they see as ‘less committed’ or not putting in the ‘hard graft’. I even read someone suggest that there should be an air miles type solution to places in the London Marathon. All I can say to this is that I earned my place with my time and I do deserve to be there. I haven’t been running as much but I am working hard to get myself fit enough to train for April.

So I am working hard to keep the faith. I am working to make sure I will be there at the start line in April. In my wobbly moments I have considered withdrawing but after starting my new ‘get back to running’ mission I feel slightly more hopeful. I have always been committed to running and London will be a dream come true. Never doubt the commitment, passion or graft of the injured runner. We have to work that extra bit harder, physically and emotionally to get back on those trails.

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Why I won’t be running on Christmas Day.

It’s been a while since I’ve been here but here’s a little Run With An Idea post from me. The two pronged debate sees running bloggers discuss why they will or will not be running on Christmas Day.

Well over here it’s a big fat no from me.

In the world of elite sport it could mean the difference between gold and silver either training or not training on Christmas Day. It is said that Daley Thompson trained twice on one Christmas Day because he knew his nearest rival would train once. I’m sure I’ve heard the same about Jonny Wilkinson. The difference for these sportsmen is that training is their job and they need that edge. I will be needing a different kind of edge for my Christmas Day to oversee the chaos that I predict will be occurring.

I see myself being woken at 4am by two extremely excited little boys. I foresee an epic present opening fest with me eating lots of fun things to get me through it. There will then be hours of putting things together and finding batteries to make things work. This will be happening at the same time as food preparation, phone calls to relatives and more playing. I would actually feel a bit bah humbug if I told my children, aged 5 and 3, that their mum was buggering off for a run. I can actually see their faces drop and I just don’t see the point in putting running before the day that they’ve been dreaming about for weeks.

Lately running hasn’t been going well for me (again) and I am fed up of the pressure I’ve been putting on myself because running isn’t going well. I intend to forget about running for a few days and just enjoy being with my family and with all the people who make me smile and laugh. Putting pressure on myself to run badly on Christmas Day would just ruin the day for me and my bad mood would probably spoil it for my family.

So if you feel a bit under pressure to run of Christmas Day then think about the reasons you have to run and the reasons that you have to give it a rest. If it makes you feel better then swap your training sessions around so a rest day falls on Christmas Day. And then join me for one, or two (or more) festive cocktails and a few games of monopoly. Why not? You run and work hard, you deserve it!