Orange Nightfall

Feeling much better, though still coughing a bit. Finished work at lunchtime so got myself out for a late afternoon run.  

Perfect day - still, cold and dry. As i finished and was warming down there was the most perfect sunset. Here and there the low red sun burst through the broken clouds, lighting up the sky a fiery orange-pink. But what was particularly spectacular was the way the sunlight caught the billowing steam from the distant power stations rising straight up in the still cool air; gleaming red against the darkening cloud behind.  

And then it was gone...

Have a perfect chrimbo everybody.

Viral Haze

Been sick all week with a tedious virus thing. Couldn't cut work either so just had to soldier through - rather have it now than xmus i s'pose. Head full of sawdust and lungs full of snot so fat chance of anything more than my nose running. Also led to panic shopping trip saturday through viral haze to try and regain lost ground. Pile of gifts on living-room floor looks impressive but not exactly sure who they're for... 

And the weather has gone mild - i hate 'mild'.  Bring back the crisp frosty sunny days.

Bereft...

First time i fell in love with a boy was on holiday in Ibiza, aged 10. He was a complete stranger who happened to be staying with his parents at the same hotel. He was a year older than me and we both knocked around together for the whole 2 weeks. 

When i got home i found myself totally bereft and trying to make sense of these unfamiliar feelings, cried my eyes out, in private of course, because something told me this wouldn't go down well with my parents.  So out of an act of self-discovery also came guilt and confusion.  

No Internet to hunt him down in those days, so i never saw him again...

An Injury Shared

Biceps is still tender but it's getting there i hope, and not nearly as bad as it was.  I got more concerned about my right knee.  I ran a half marathon last weekend, which i was really pleased about and in a pretty good time considering it was the furthest i had run for nearly 8 months.  Stupidly i then ran 5 miles 2 days later - i should have left it longer or at least not tried to push the 5 miles as much. I ended up with this really stiff and sore knee.  Trouble is every time i get something like that i go into a black gloom and assume that i will never walk/run/swim/climb again.  Just not very good at obeying my own rules i guess.  Anyway, its less sore today and i reckon i'll be back out by sunday, but not another 13 miles!

Sorry to hear about your shoulder Doug, I hope it starts to improve. My physio rarely recommends complete rest, but it's a case of knowing what's going to help and what's going to hinder.

A Multitude of Sins

I realise that my blog is becoming the 'diary of a long distance runner', which was not my original intention.  I think maybe that i was using the running as a topic to keep the blog alive whilst i thought long and hard about what i really wanted to say.  Truth is i think the running is an obsession behind which i am hiding a multitude of sins.  Oh, the running is for real, i am pounding the streets, i have been injured and i am enjoying the return to form - my great big endorphin fix, and for those that don't recognise the symptoms, as addictive as far nastier bad habits. 

It's just that there's a lot more besides...  and for some reason i felt the need to get up in the middle of the night and say all that.  That's blogging folks!

Small Victories

Knocked out the 13 miles i'd been looking for. Pretty knackered by the end but it was the small victory i'd been hoping for. Furthest i've run since May and not a bad time all things considered - hour 45 and there's more to squeeze out of that! Didn't push it as i am in no hurry to dip back into relapse hell. Its the fells i'm really after, but they can wait until after the New Year.

Perfect day for it - bright winter sun and hardly a breath of wind and bits of snow & ice still hanging about. Don't even think i'm gonna pay for it tomorrow with legs like barbledy-wire jelly.

There's a running story behind meeting up with an old BF, quite amusing really... but that can wait for another day.

Important Rule I Have Learnt

I thought i'd got biceps tendonitis.   I self diagnosed 'cos i thought that's exactly what i had after looking on the web - i'd been doing more upper body exercise than usual because of the problems running - so i mentioned it to my physio when i went about the leg and she got me to bend my arm while she pushed her fingers into the biceps until she found the spot near the base close to the tendon. She then told me to slowly straighten my arm, which was like teeth-clenching F@£$%^&G OUCH!!! but she said 'micro-tears in the muscle', not tendonitis, bit of massage, bit of ultrasound and its now almost gone after only two sessions, and she said continue with gentle exercise and stretching. Even better than that i'm running 5 miles a couple of times a week and on my way to a half marathon at the weekend, and the speed is going up, except at the moment we have snow and ice over here so the roads are a bit too icy for speed.  In the new year i hope to back up into the hills.  IMPORTANT RULE  I HAVE LEARNT: always respect an injury, doesnt mean you have to stop but you must do what's right for it - rest, ice, stretch, be gentle, whatever it takes to get back up again...