Apologies for my lack of blogging. It feels like it has been months since I last blogged, probably because it has been but so much has happened that to try to catch up with blogs would be a tough one. So I have decided to do a quick catch up post and then restart my blogging this week.
It was 4 weeks prior to what should have been the big day of the Manchester Marathon when I had my first Physio session and was diagnosed officially with ITT Band issues. The world was just starting to enter the first stages of the Corona Virus and the thought that the big day would be cancelled was still just a small thought at this point.
I went with a heavy heart expecting to be told there would be no way I’d make the start line, instead I was given ultrasound and deep tissue massage and told if I followed advice I could still be within a chance.
So that week I followed a strict routine of no running, who would have thought that not running for just 1 week would have driven me so crazy! But I kept my promise knowing that it would get me to that start line, I followed a daily set of strengthening exercises. My word I am not a fan of side planks and walking planks killed my stomach muscles for the first few days but I stuck with it alongside the routine 3 times a day icing of the knee area.
During this week I did a lot of research and reading up on the Jeffing method. I realised to get me to the finish I may have to change my approach. The more I read up on this idea the more I wanted to give it ago.
For anyone unfamiliar with the term Jeffing it’s a very effective method designed by an american gent Jeff Galloway where you mix intervals of running and walking from the very start. This allows better recovery of the muscles, runners to go further with less risk of injuries and more enjoyment.
If you ever get a chance to read his Jeffing a marathon book I really would recommend it, for me it was a real eye opener.
I re-visited the Physio the week after and received another ultrasound and deep tissue massage. I was then told I was able to re-start the introduction of running but light runs 15 minutes first then increasing this by another 15 minutes and including a walk break every 5 minutes.
After having considered the Jeffing system I had already decided I was going to give it a go and set out doing a 60:30 ratio, so 60 seconds running to 30 seconds walk. The first run took me longer to get dressed for than I actually ran but I had promised not to over do it and risk flaring up my knee. It was strange running then walking and I had to really commit to not just running the 15 minutes but by the end I found I was quiet enjoying it. I knew my ratio’s would take some getting used to and need playing around with but I was quite excited to be taking on a new challenge and the thought that this really may be the way to cross that finish line for me.
I made my third visit to the Physio the week after, this is were things were starting to get a little more scarier in the world and the thought that the organisers may have to make the decision to cancel the event was starting to feel more real. Happy with my progress we decided my appointment could move to fortnightly and I could continue to increase my mileage and running time gradually.
Little did I know that life would change from the next day.
Tuesday is really when things took a turn in my life, I had to close the doors that day to my Slimming World groups, never knowing if or when they would re open.It turns out three weeks later I made the decision to step down from role as a consultant making a decision I knew would change my life. I’d had five amazing years at building up my groups, being part of members’ amazing journeys, but up until trying to make this work from home I had never really worked out the hours I was putting in. Lets just say it was a lot and I decided I wanted to be able to switch off from my work in an evening and give my family the time they deserved from me.
I started on an emotional roller coaster ride, one I am still on and believe I will be on for a while as will most people. I never realised how much running would play a part in keeping me sane during this time.
That weekend the announcement came in everything I had been looking forward to planning and training for, was taken away. The marathon had been cancelled, Although I agreed with the reasons,I went through a series of feelings. First it was disappointment and upset. I had spent a year building up to this date, early mornings, running in all weathers. Then it turned into determination. Just because I was not crossing that line on April 5th 2020 didn’t mean I was never going to cross it. This extra time meant I could strengthen the training I had already put in crossing that line stronger!
By that weekend the Corona Virus had really started to up its pace in the world, taking thousands of life’s and it was decided as a country we would go into isolation with strict measures in place only being allowed out of our houses for exercise and essentials such as shopping whilst maintaining a social distancing at all times. Some countries at this point had banned things such as exercise at this point so just to be able to get out once a day was a blessing to me. The world was turning into an erie place full of uncertainty. So much had changed over the last couple of weeks things felt so unreal.
I’d already eyed up the garden and realised it would be too much of a krypton factor for me to run in. Dodging the slide, swing, dog child etc spelled disaster. So being able to have access to the trail and Rothervalley really was my saviour.
Jeffing gave me a new challenge to focus on, a new plan. When the new date 11th October 2020 was released for the Manchester Marathon I decided to re start my training with a brand new plan.
By this time I had spent a few weeks building back up to around the 5 mile mark by using a Jeffing ratio of 30:30 which I found to be quite comfortable, with no knee pain so decided to plan a whole new training plan based on Jeff Galloways marathon training plan.
Which leads me up to where I am today, My first week of my new marathon training plan!
I have decided to start a whole new blog category to follow for my new plan. I promise to blog every week as opposed to every run unless there’s anything extra exciting to share with you, all the way to that finish line in October.
