As promised, here is my ongoing diary about my training programme and running schedule in preparation for the Great North Run!
April 2015
Only 5 months to go – aaaah!
Since my last diary entries, there have been a couple of hiccups. I honestly have begun to enjoy the training, though have been hit with a couple of minor injuries which were very disappointing and frustrating, to say the least.
February
A strained hip and then knee meant I needed to rest for a couple of weeks. I was running three times a week and had achieved three miles too; a real milestone for me! Fortunately I soon got back into training after tentatively trying again. Despite the obstacles, I am SO glad I am doing this. I do get a great deal of satisfaction and, would you believe, pleasure, and absolutely love running outside in the fresh air. I can now run a distance without having to stop at all – I’m going to do this!
One of the tricks, that helps me, is to visualise my run over and over again before I get to do it. I also vary the route to relieve the chance of boredom, and add a little distance each time. Whilst I live in an urban area I have the river within one hundred yards of my home so I can ‘road run’ or run in the countryside.
March
Being a wimp, or just being practical, I have bought a personal alarm. When I run in fields this gives me the security that, should something happen (injury or otherwise) my alarm would be heard from a fair distance.
Two things I would not do without now are my Sportex Magnetic Bracelet which improves my recovery rate and an APP on my phone that tracks every run I do using GPS, counts calories, and informs me of my minutes per mile. This encourages me to compete against myself and try to improve every time – my running buddy – non-judgemental and an unconditional pat on the back – I have a new ‘best friend’.
April 21st
Lighter mornings now so early morning jaunts are called for. I ran at 6.30am on Sunday and I’m going swimming at 6am tomorrow. I promise I am not fanatical, though I have found I like feeling fitter, and someone told me yesterday they want to be like me “when they get to my age” I can only take that as a compliment and that drives me on.
I’ll update you with my progress in the next issue, and hope this helps inspire you to keep going, challenges or not!
Chris Mutch
mutchhealthier.co.uk
If you’d like to sponsor Chris and the charity she is running for – The British Heart Foundation – then please follow this link
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