What I've learnt today...

Erm...

1. that twisting your ankle hurts.
2. Continuing to run after twisting your ankle is a bad idea.
3. Lying on the sofa with ice on your ankle makes you feel like a fool for continuing to run after you twisted your god dam ankle.

Its time like these that I feel like karma, (I don't believe in karma but for the sake of this) catches up with you for getting ahead of yourself and saying your going to run a marathon...

So there I was on the way back from a 6mile-ish run, coming back through St James Park in the beautiful morning sunshine when I got distracted, looked over my shoulder and lost my footing. i.e. I placed my foot onto a small log, it obviously rolled over and ouch: twisted ankle pain. One hell of a lot of fff's later the immediate pain of it went and I tentatively started to put a bit of weight on the ankle and slowly picked up speed. For the mile and a half or so home I was vaguely conscious of my ankle but it felt ok.

But as soon as I got in the door and took off my trainers it was likes limpsvilletennessee. I hopped into an ice bath (for my sore shins, which I had pre twist, and for ankle.) I know I am very causally declaring that I 'hopped into an ice bath' - it was not a causal occurrence and was pretty mind blowing and my first ever ice bath but seemed a bit necessary. So hopefully that helped but excruciating pain followed this as I continued to ice swollen ankle, so much pain that I was un able to make it to fridge for snack!

It has eased now, I am just desperately hoping it was a mild sprain and won't stop me running for more than a few days. But I do feel like an idiot and wish I could turn back time and not have inflicted this onto myself. Not being able to run again for any length of time would destroy my soul somewhat.

Spring running

So it seems that without really meaning to this blog has become all about running...but running has been taking up alot of my life lately and it is also not something that your friends, work colleagues, boyfriend, family want to hear about ALL the time - they generally don't really care about your latest minute per mile rate.

But a bit of an update: i've become suddenly really quite serious about this running business. Im planning my training sessions in advance, i'm doing a fair bit of speed work and steadily increasing my mileage and i'm actually planning to run a marathon next year. This is madness. How can I actually be considering this? But I know, that if I train my heart out I can do it. I'm also suddenly obsessed with running forums and what other runners are doing...I've been buying running magazine for a while now but something has happened and everything is a bit more serious now. I have even joined a women's running club, which by the way, i'd highly recommend - its seriously motivating to run a bit faster when you are actually chasing people who are disappearing into the distance... Reading this back I sound a bit like a smug a-hole and my sisters would certainly agree with that but I don't even care because I love it.

Have had a few hard runs this week, a fast paced, (well for me, I may be serious about running but that does not been I have any natural ability to stride out effortlessly, but at least i'm keen). So anyway a fast 10k run (8.10 min miles) on thursday in the un-seasonally warm march midday sun was tough. As I was nearing the end, pounding along the South Bank I thought it would be socially acceptable to approach some innocent school kids and ask for water - not cool it turns out. They just think your mental, dripping with sweat, panting, bright red asking for some of their water. Needless to say they weren't so keen on sharing. Anyway this was followed by an interval session on Friday and it really took it out of me, so today I decided not to worry about pace at all and just have a gentle recovery run. Heading over the bridge to St James Park at 8am on a Sunday morning is delightful - so peaceful an lovely in the spring morning sunshine. I did an easy 6 miles and feel like it really renewed by love for running - sometimes you have to just enjoy yourself and not worry about times and paces. A sneaky look at my run tracker once I was home also showed that I still had a reasonable 8.48 min mile pace - secretly more smug eating my muesli now.

So thats why i'm in love with running and planning to run an actual marathon. What has happened to me?

Running progress

I'm well and truly getting my running mojo (sorry that I just willingly said mojo) back and its so liberating. I think thats what I love about running, that it makes you feel so free, and also kind of like a hero. I say that with the least smugness intended but its true. 

One of my regular running loops goes from my house to Lambeth Bridge and along the river to Waterloo Bridge, where I cross back over to the south side. There is something about Waterloo Bridge which gives me such a buzz. I think its because you have to run up some steps first then straight onto a bit of an incline over the hump of the bridge so your pretty out of breath. But you feel like your in the middle of the city and as I usually run about 8am, i'm hitting rush hour and running against the people and let me tell you there is something epic about this. Its tough but you feel like your winning, (it doesn't really matter who your beating - you just are.)

The more I run the more I want to improve, and get faster, better, run for longer. But I don't want to push it as another injury would be a nightmare. I've also set my sights on my next half marathon at some point this year and the full 26.2 miles next year. 

Another good thing about running is that it makes me care less about my weight. While I wasn't running (due to injury) I went down by about 5 pounds, in hindsight this was clearly because I was losing muscle but at the time I was secretly pleased. But equally I wasn't happy and felt totally down about not being able to run. But as i've been increasing my runs in length and frequency those 5 pounds have come back but I look in better shape and my 9 stone stable weight is back.

 This is the weight my body clearly wants to be (it really wont shut up about it) and I am not going to jeopardise anything about my running progress and ability to be the 8 1/2 stone I think is my 'ideal weight' because its not. I've decided to stop hopping on the scales now, apart from every once in a while - to check - but the every morning habit I was in last year is long gone. I still speak to women who weigh themselves every day and some twice a day and its so unhealthy and so pointless! It makes me sad though because I know how that number on the scales can totally dictate your mood and self esteem for that day. 

I've also got a rant to have about some of the diet fads going round at the moments, the Dukan being one of them, but i'll save that for another day. For now its time for an interval run and park workout eeek. Then for lunch: homemade falafel, pitta and haloumi and salad - horay.