Saturday, December 28, 2013

Running

It has been a tough year for running. I came out of last year in Spain super strong and super fit and I felt great.  Got to Toronto and drove a desk and a car all summer, as usual, and knew I'd have work to do when I got back here.  Then I threw out my back in Aug, the end of Aug....and it's still a problem.

Seems I have either pinched the sciatic nerve or have a herniated disc.  Either way it is getting better very very slowly.  Very.

Between this and my insane schedule this year, I have not been running much, bicycle commuting a lot.  Running, no.  And I miss it.

I have also been walking a lot less, which is also an issue related to time, availability and my crazy schedule.

I went for a run yesterday and it was a sad pathetic mess.  My back was fairly sore, for no knowable reason, and I just didn't want to.  So, as you might imagine, I didn't really.

Today, another story.  Set off, thinking I would maybe go a long way, maybe do not much, but as I left Youngest got up looking for breakfast - I had said I'd make pancakes for her and her sister and her sister's friend who was here overnight.  That was actually perfect, my short route that I know by heart, and a bit of a time pressure to bring it home.

Know what?  It was great.

Towards the back part of the run, which is mostly slightly downhill, I had planned to be good and go carefully, but I felt great and I just ran it.  I didn't kill myself, but I didn't go carefully (I AM SO SICK of going CAREFULLY!).  I thought I'd pay, and pay and pay.

But no.

I got home, did the abdominal exercises I've been doing to maintain strength, but more importantly to support my back as I get older, and the stretching I've started doing when I realised I was losing flexibility with the whole back/sciatica thing, and know what?

I feel good.

No payback.

Sweet.

2 comments:

thecatalanway said...

Sorry about your back - I didn't know. Glad you were able to run and not have to payback later. I so know the frustration of not being able to do what you usually do. It was terrible when my foot was bad - remember the walk when you had to go and get the car? Now it is all better and I even forget it for days. I found the trigger point massage helped the most - as well as time of course. If you get any worse days try getting someone nice to massage your back - not where it hurts but further up - or down. anywhere that is possibly tight from the back pain and might be keeping it tense.

Sleep well again

Kate xx

oreneta said...

Thanks Kate! Glad to hear that your foot is so much better, it was pretty bad when we met in the fall.

Sleep well too!!!

O xx