8km

So today was the end of the cross country season, which I have enjoyed immensely. The Mid north cross country mob are a good bunch of people very friendly and encouraging.

Today there was a relay race. Six runners per team. The team I was in was mostly oldies but with tiny little girl. I was fifth runner out of sixth. Did the 2km in 7:53. Happy with the fact that I ran two, 2ks under four minutes. Now if I could run 5ks like that I could go under 20 minutes. I’d like to be able to do that by the Sawtell fun run.

After the race I decided to do a slow easy 8km run, which I did on my ear. It was slow so I won’t put the time in here. Anytime over the last almost 3 years of knee pain, if I had told myself you would run 8km again, I would have laughed in my face. The last time I ran this far would’ve been 1985. How good is that?

On Saturday I did the 5.8k in 26:24 (13:02; 13:22). I was unable to push the second half. On the the first half of the race, I was forced off the trail by a bunch of rude bird watchers. I said excuse me several times, but a number of the bird watchers hogged the whole trail and wouldn’t budge. This really slowed me down, probably at least ten seconds. The on the way back I was again forced off the trail to run around this selfish bunch.

Extraordinary

Having just looked over my blog from May onwards, I think it is extraordinary what I have achieved with the running and exercise I am doing.

Could I even be one of those backs to the wall, inspiring stories of recovery from debilatating injury and sickness, against all the odds?

I reckon I am.

I have wrestled with the black dog

I have shown panic attacks where to get off

I have declared war on a maltracking patella and sent it packing

I have taken on the bronzed diabetes

Message to all my would be critics.

I have ticker, and I am  a winner.

Faster Fitter Stronger

Another run. I think I have run 160km since June.

Faster I did the 5.8 km in 25:48 (12:53; 12:55). A 23 second improvement on my best. My Garmin measures the course as most commonly 5.78km or rarely 5:68km. So I’m calling the course 5.8km. When I run faster it seems the Garmin measures the 5km as about 100 metres longer. I did the 5km this morning in 22:47 according to the Garmin, but that time was probably at 5.1km.

Fitter. The last few ks of the run didn’t have me puffing as much. I recover after the run more quickly.

Stronger. Yesterday afternoon and in the evening my leg felt smooth. The VMO was completely activated there was no pain not even the infernal nerve pain. The VMO seems to be functioning as a muscle not bunch of individual fibres. The VL is losing its dominance

Happy Sad

The last couple of runs I have done have been a little disappointing. Firstly on Satrurday I did the 6km in 26:23 (13:05; 13:18). For the first time since I started running again I was slower.

…..but I am still running.

Today I ran a race, that according to my Garmin was 6.6km! I have not run that far since my twenties in race or training. What disappointed me about the race was that I  missed a turn twice and lost possibly 40 seconds.

…..but I am still running, and there was no pain.

The first kilometre I did in 4:02, the second 4:23, and due to my lack of fitness and getting lost my km times slowed down after that.

….. but I am still running, and there will be other opportunities to run and race after today. I know that if I can get fit I can compete against the people that finished ahead of me today.

I’m going to go for it.

You’ve to be kidding right? Is this real?

What a great response from Sally McClennan after winning the Olympic 110 metre hurdle sliver medal. What a great run.

I feel the same way as Sally just being able to run. I ran 6km this morning in 26:11 (3k 13:02; 13:09). Is it a dream? I’ll take it as far as I can.

Worth the Battle

This is the best thing that has ever happened to me

These are the colours that I always wanted to see.

The Best Thing Boom Crash Opera

 

I am relishing this battle against my knee. As I walked around the park at lunchtime I thought this is worth the battle. I’m going to fight harder.

I am running again, this is a dream come true.

Another top day

I did a run at Woolgloolga Creek Flora Reserve. The time wasn’t fast 24m 24, but I finished fourth and was closer to those that won. One bloke was 4 minutes ahead in the first race I ran a few weeks ago. He was less than two minutes ahead to day. My knee recovers quicker after each run. At the moment it is the outside of my foot that gets sore. I was able to do a 1km warm down today.

I also went to watch the Woolgoolga Seahorses beat the Dungutti Broncos 38-26.

26:30

26 minutes 30 My new best time for the Coffs Creek trail.

13:15; 13:15

No negative split today. The outside of my foot was sore today. I can deal with that sort of pain. Might get a massage next week.

When the cross country season ends after next weekend I might try a few longer slower runs. If I can handle a 6km hard run I should be able to do 8km easy.

Give myself a wrap

I’ve been thinking what I have achieved in the face of a chronic knee problem has taken patience, guts, hard work and a lot of courage. So I’m going to give myself a pat on the back.

This morning I did 6km in 26:43 (3km 13:29; 3km 13:14)

A miracle day

Today was a day out of a dream. Beautiful blue skies, golden sands, blue oceans. I ran in a 5km race at Emerald Beach. I ran better than I have for twenty years, there was hardly any pain in my knee. My time was recorded as 20:02, but I suspect the course was a little short. I think I finhsed about sixth or seventh.

The race started on sand, and I strode out nice and comfortably. The leading group were away ahead, but they weren’t getting too far away. I went fairly conservatively on the hills,and opened up on the downhills. There were two runners who worked the hills hard. I picked them up on the downhills and got ahead of them around the southern side of Look at me now Headland. I saved myself on the uphill path and road. Then finished quite strongly down the hill onto the beach.

To think it has been a battle to walk for so long, and today I raced 5km almost pain free. I finished on top of the world, and have spent the whole day excited and happy. I went through sensory overload this afternoon. I could smell the smoke from recent burn offs, the freshly mown grass at Advocate Park.

McConnell taping works, the physio I saw in Sydney is a genius.

A golden day, one of the best of my 45 years.