This weekend marked the start of my changing plans for running in 2013. In fact, it has probably altered my running full stop - but its this year that I have my mind on. It all started with my trip to the Physio on Saturday morning. Now, I already knew this was a 'make or break' visit in terms of my Brighton Marathon plans - at my last visit, my very nice physio had, rather firmly, given me two options on this front: 1) she could try to get my knee 'Ok' enough to walk-run the 26.2 miles in April, provided I was prepared to not run/ swim/ cycle/ ride or basically MOVE in any way shape or form for 6 months after, or 2) she could fix my knee. Having my heart set on the marathon - and desperately not wanting to let down either the charity I was running for or the people who had sponsored me, I barely let the poor women finish speaking before grabbing the walk-run option! And so, armed with some carefully planned exercises, a rather large ice pack and some words of caution from the physio, we started trialling the new, take-it-slow marathon plan.
It's at this point that I should probably admit that the plan was just a 'maybe' chance, and that I was meant to be spending the week assessing how my knee was coping with the exercise. In which case, when I woke up on Saturday morning with a knee twice the size that it had been the week before, or even the night before for that matter, I probably should have accepted that the 'maybe' was rapidly becoming an 'unlikely'... but no. As I hopped unsteadily into the treatment room that day, not quite able to weight bear on my left leg, I was mentally calculating just how many 'hops' I could fit into 26.2 miles - and whether a hop-walk plan would be slower or faster than the walk-run one that we had previously discussed. In fact, it took a full 45 minutes for my brain to cotton on to what I was being (repeatedly!) told.. that the Brighton marathon was out.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I did not take this news well - in fact, I spent the majority of the remaining day sulking and grumbling to anyone who would listen (as none of my friends paid any attention to my grumbles at all, that was basically just me...!).But, Sunday brought around Mothers Day - and you can't grumble and sulk whilst trying to make a special day for your mum! So, giving myself a rather stern talking to, I decided to 'Get Over It'! In fact, I was not only going to get over it, but, I decided as I nibbled on some rather amazing chocolate at the Brighton Chocolate Festival (will write about that in the next post as it was far too good not to be told!) that it was going to be a positive!
All well and good.. but how do I turn being injured, unable to do ANYTHING even remotely active and missing out on the one event I had set my heart on... into a good thing?! Well, I made a list! Admittedly, it is currently quite a short list - but I am working on it :-) feel free to add anything ...
So, my list so far:
1. I have a tailored plan to address all of my imbalances, tight muscles, areas of weakness, potential posture problems, which even my mix of pilates/ yoga/ body pump and conditioning gym workouts didn't pick up or correct! I may be broken now, but when I do get back to running, I will be better than I was before. And you never know - a better posture may just make me faster - bring on the soon-to-be supercharged me!! (well... maybe not soon.. or that super... but you know what I mean!!).
2. I have an opportunity to be involved in running - from the other side of the fence! I may not be able to run in events for the next few months, but that doesn't mean I can't take part at all! All races require marshalls and volunteers to help on the day - so I have now applyed to volunteer at the marathon, and will be looking to get involved in anyway I can at events in my local area. A good way to put something back into the sport, and meet new people - never a bad thing :-)
3. .... oh OK so I only have 2 things on my list so far - I did say it was short! Give me time though as I'm sure there are more...
If anyone else has had to pull out of a race - let me know how you are getting on with NOT running! and good luck to the rest of you still racing and running injury free... I am only mildly envious.. honest..!!
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