Having been declared “technically injury free” last Tuesday – a whole ten days ago – and advised to give it about a week until I ran again, this morning was the morning.
Lovely morning, no more snow and slush on the roads and most of the fields, and a good chance to stretch the legs. And stretch them indeed I did. Before heading out, while running, and after I got back. No more of this allowing my calves to sort themselves out – oh no! When I’ve done that historically, they get knotted like a pound shop slinky thrown about by a drunken epileptic on a rollercoaster (with apologies to Steven Berkoff, Greek, for the second half of that sentence. Daylight larceny!).
Simple loop – past the Grange, to the station, round the Dripping Pan, to the Dump, along the bottom of Convent Fields, into the training part of the Stanley Turner, looped back and home. Not quite 4K, not quite 25 minutes. Taking it easy, sans Cadbury’s Caramel.
I could feel my left heel and right ankle throughout, but only – I think – because of legacy and memory and decreasingly so the more I ran. I can feel them half an hour afterwards, but having been exercised, not having been overexercised. Time will tell later in the day and again tomorrow. We’re walking past the White Windmill to the Juggs – “under new management TM” – with friends shortly, so tonight and tomorrow will be a truer test. And after my second, most probably third run, I’ll Really Know.
If things work out, my plans are run – rest – bike – run – rest – bike – run in a typical week. We’ll see how it goes …
firsttimerunner 