Another early run around the suburbs, and the day is off to a good start. Today was also a shorter run at 5k approximately. I am glad that I invested in new shoes, pink and shiny white as they are, and I really relished the extra bounce and support. My achilles are still slightly stiff, but not as much as on Tuesday. Rhetorician, you tell me that is just a symptom of old age? I try to remember to shorten my strides and over the weekend I will use some ice and heat packs too. They're not bad today, helped greatly by my demanding Yoga teacher on Tuesday evening and few Downward Dogs! This morning, as I strolled back to the car to pick up my gear and head to the shower, I could hear Nina Simone singing in my head "It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life and I'm feeling good."( I apologise for the cross-posting with Facebook.) Early morning running is quite exhilarating, although it requires a bit of organisation.
I thought that I might explain briefly to those that don't know us very well, that my sister lives in Arizona, although she and her family are currently packing up to move East. I live in Co. Kildare and work in South Dublin. Any fundraising from the marathon and the blog will go to Irish charities (more on that when it is fully operational). We are both heartened by the support and interest, although we are both a bit squeamish, I think, about putting ourselves out there. I can so understand Etty's dilemma (see below), but I think that Rhetorician has reassured you (Etty) that all you can do is tell it as it is. It is fair to say that your Sarcoidosis has not taken up all (even much) of our conversation over the years, that you have a good handle on it and rarely have I seen you overwhelmed by it. Writing at this time is also fortuitous because it offers you an opportunity to filter your health issues through the lens of an exciting time, if you have the time to write at all.
My anxiety lies in the possible insensitivity of writing about glowing energy and endorphin rushes, knowing that you might be feeling less than well. Mind you, as the runs begin to lengthen I suspect you will find me a much quieter girl! I'm already anxious about tomorrow's longer run - 8 miles. And no, I'm not doing it early in the morning.
"Well, you will never run a marathon." Etty suffers from ongoing Sarcoidosis which is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily involves the lungs. Niamh, her sister, likes to run and is going to run the Cork City Marathon on June 6th to raise funds for those suffering from chronic lung diseases. This blog will be a parallel account of their trials and tribulations in the coming months: the would-be marathoner; the mother-of-three moving home and struggling with serious, ongoing Sarcoidosis.
Please don't hold back...we want to hear it all, the highs, the lows, the rushes, the mind games you play to get you through that last mile or up that hill....
ReplyDeletesorry but creaky achilles ARE a symptom of middle age, Niamh! They are tendons (I know you know) and so their blood supply isn't that brilliant, and they are prone to get stiff and sore. Some leg strengthening might be good as it's often a symptom of a weakness somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteAn 8 miler? that's what, about 13k? Just do it really slowly - I've been running fairly slow times, but this is real easy running for me now - could probably sing a Nina Simone song while I was going along, and have dropped back to a pretty good heart rate (I don't monitor usually, but just from time to time) - last time was about 137 bpm average - before Christmas I was struggling to stay under 150. I'd say for marathon training you are aiming at endurance so you'd want to be running pretty slow for almost all of your weekly mileage? I'm going to do a fortnightly speed kilometre or 2 at the gyn just to see what I can manage, speedwise.
Are you using a plan? If so, which one? I must give you my book to have a look at - Brad Hudson's Run Faster
It's amazing how long you can go on about an activity that humans have been doing since the beginning of time, isn't it?
Go girl, go!
ReplyDeleteRhetorician, I am glad you reminded me of the heart monitor. It is a great way to slow down, particularly in the beginning when I am full of long-legged enthusiasm. I forgot to check the average, hope I can do that because it's a basic enough model. I have posted the plan now, but I have rearranged the days to suit my lifestyle. I also posted two book titles at the bottom of the page. The Bingham book I bought years ago (2004) and it gave me some good starting advice. I will dip into it again now. I am also keen to sort out my head on nutrition, but will blog on that at some stage. In the meantime, I have bought this book to get me started.
ReplyDelete