This was probably the very first time I have since starting approx. three years ago with this fitness ‘programme’ I had missed doing anything.
I NEVER EVER thought I would says this but when trying to do to a speed i.e. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) programme from my Tom Tom Spark 3 watch I had an injury niggle. I have done the programme a couple of times before. So why this time? Well I’m not young. In fact I am fifty years old……….50 years old. Half a century. OLD………or. Not really but I never forget when I went to the gym with my uncle and older brother and I was NOT 18 so couldn’t join them I thought 30+ was old, so 50 was ……… OK I’m older.
I have only just recently started having I suppose miner injuries such as achilles and hamstring. Having played volleyball and badminton I have had the occasional sprain but nothing than doing nothing a couple weeks could not relieve i.e. fix. And again whilst going to Clair who is just brilliant as a sports therapist they are really minor points. So when having a small sprain the usually 1) rest for a couple of days 2) ice to contract any swelling (heat before –> Ice afterwards!) and 3) ………..nothing really just 1) and 2). REST!!!! A yellow card to just calm down a little bit.
So I had a minor injury but the WhatsApp group suggested running tonight. I’m a solitary runner. Using Spotify and headphones. All fine but running with a group at least at the start is a major encouragement. Just someone who think more of you as you do something. Just turning up. I turned up. i could have come up with tons of excuses. But I turned up. If I had not probably no-one would have thought less of me. But I turned up. And good for me.
So we started together. Ran. Had an overall plan and was all aware that we are at different level. So what? We are all different and have different abilities. No one judges. Just getting out is the key. We split up in two group after perhaps 15 meters. But we got out and we did well. I was SUPER cautious as I had the niggling hamstring injury. However I had not done any sports for two days. TWO wholes days. NOT GOOD. So the group does work. We turned up!!!!
I did a slow run. Was just gonna…………
but did 11 km. I might just go an do the proper race of 10km on Sunday morning. Amazing how suddenly all is possible. And I’ll be last but so what? turn up!!!!!
update two weeks later
I did 5km this morning and after eating junk during the day I didn’t need to go out and always realised that I needed to do some more. So I did
Running shoes again, Asics running legging due to the wind and a Spotify running playlist and I was on the way. in the end just really enjoyed the run and did a further 10km.
JUST GO FOR IT.