Mad About Running... and prepared to prove it!
As from 1st June I intend to blog all of my training sessions and race reports here, but first a bit of background...
My Running History...
Was always a keen runner during my school years (it ran in the family!) and I was known for being "the sporty one" amongst my friends. But by my early 20's running was strictly something I did once or twice a week during winter, as part of my training for netball. Instead I was right into swimming! Even went overseas in '95 & '96 to work as a swim instructor and lifeguard at USA summer camps!
In 1999 an unplanned but much wanted pregnancy resulted from a 2 year relationship. However my precious "love child" was born 12 weeks earlier than expected and by emergency C-section, when I unexpectedly and rapidly developed Pre-Eclampsia. Weighing in at just 920 grams (2lb) she battled for survival, while I developed H.E.L.L.P Syndrome, my organs shut down one by one and when she was 3 days old, I went into a coma for several days. It was a total nightmare, especially for my family, who thought they were losing both of us. Somehow, we both defied the odds and pulled through, but I had lost a lot of confidence in my health and body. It's hard to explain, but it took time to "trust" that it would stay strong and well. After 8 months maternity leave I returned to work full time and put my baby into daycare. I was a single mother and I had a child to support. I also missed my career and the outside stimulation that it provided - as selfish as that sounds. I loved my baby and it was hard to leave her all day, but for the sake of my sanity I did it. She thrived and I needn't have worried.
By 2001 I felt I had my life "under control" again and was desperate for some "me time", looking for a much needed challenge and wanted to get fit again. Running seemed like the natural thing to do - it was familiar, didn't require much gear and most importantly, could be done when it suited me. Fitting it into my already busy life was always going to be difficult - but I'm pretty determined and made it happen, even when it meant pushing a toddler in a buggy in front of me! Great resistance training!
By 2003 just being a "regular runner" and doing the odd "fun run" was no longer enough, so I started swimming and cycling as cross training and this lead me to try some short-course triathlons, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was on a roll and got the idea into my head that I was going to run a half marathon. In Oct that year, I ran the Auckland (half) Marathon in 97 mins and loved it! It was a major achievement and the natural "high" lasted weeks!
In 2004 I ran 3 more half marathons in a two month period, including a PB of 92:55 mins. I achieved PB's in 8km and 10km events also and had never felt better! The natural progression was to attempt a full marathon and I chose the Auckland Marathon which was to be in Nov '04.
I took it very seriously, followed a customised training plan and was running 6 days a week, under the guidance of an "on line coach". I'd got up to a distance of 31kms for my long run in training and was feeling fantastic, when I started having problems with what I thought was a quad muscle. Just 5 weeks out from the big day I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my right femur, by a sports physician. He told me that if I continued to run on it as I had been, it could break. He also thought my training plan was fine, that I'd just been "unlucky". Needless to say, I was totally gutted, but after a couple of weeks off I joined a gym so I could resume non impact exercise and attempt to retain my fitness. In the end I ran in the 10km event of the Auck Marathon on the day I should have been running the full, with a very heavy heart.
2005 was to be the year I "tried again" but I spent over half the year battling shin splints, something I'd never had trouble with before. I'd tried to do "too much, too soon" despite thinking I had already "learned my lesson." Lots of physio, then a podiatrist and orthotics followed, but it was still trial and error to see what worked and what didn't and in the process I twice experienced hamstring strains/tears and had some longish periods of enforced "no running". Along with a bout of the flu, I was limited to only completing two events for the entire year and I never came near running even a half marathon distance, let alone the full. Like a lot of runners my age, I have been told that I am actually very inflexible and need to do a lot more stretching. I have also disccovered the importance of a proper warm up and cool down, all things I'd never bothered much with before. I think when you have been running well over a period of time, you almost start to think you are "bullet proof"...
My goal for 2006 is to stay injury free and to run another half marathon. I would desperately love to get back into the form I was in during 2004 and know I can do even better. Getting my half marathon time under 90mins is a goal that may not come this year, but will come... To that end I have already entered the Auckland (half) Marathon on 29/10/06. I have deliberately kept my milage very low for the past 6 months, that is, frequent running but only short distances, the furtherest being 14kms, the majority a lot less. The two events I have done this year so far have been on a lot less training than previously, but the results have been OK. I now feel ready to do more and hope this is a turning point.... Perhaps this blog will be part of the "new phase"... Wish me luck!
My Running History...
Was always a keen runner during my school years (it ran in the family!) and I was known for being "the sporty one" amongst my friends. But by my early 20's running was strictly something I did once or twice a week during winter, as part of my training for netball. Instead I was right into swimming! Even went overseas in '95 & '96 to work as a swim instructor and lifeguard at USA summer camps!
In 1999 an unplanned but much wanted pregnancy resulted from a 2 year relationship. However my precious "love child" was born 12 weeks earlier than expected and by emergency C-section, when I unexpectedly and rapidly developed Pre-Eclampsia. Weighing in at just 920 grams (2lb) she battled for survival, while I developed H.E.L.L.P Syndrome, my organs shut down one by one and when she was 3 days old, I went into a coma for several days. It was a total nightmare, especially for my family, who thought they were losing both of us. Somehow, we both defied the odds and pulled through, but I had lost a lot of confidence in my health and body. It's hard to explain, but it took time to "trust" that it would stay strong and well. After 8 months maternity leave I returned to work full time and put my baby into daycare. I was a single mother and I had a child to support. I also missed my career and the outside stimulation that it provided - as selfish as that sounds. I loved my baby and it was hard to leave her all day, but for the sake of my sanity I did it. She thrived and I needn't have worried.
By 2001 I felt I had my life "under control" again and was desperate for some "me time", looking for a much needed challenge and wanted to get fit again. Running seemed like the natural thing to do - it was familiar, didn't require much gear and most importantly, could be done when it suited me. Fitting it into my already busy life was always going to be difficult - but I'm pretty determined and made it happen, even when it meant pushing a toddler in a buggy in front of me! Great resistance training!
By 2003 just being a "regular runner" and doing the odd "fun run" was no longer enough, so I started swimming and cycling as cross training and this lead me to try some short-course triathlons, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was on a roll and got the idea into my head that I was going to run a half marathon. In Oct that year, I ran the Auckland (half) Marathon in 97 mins and loved it! It was a major achievement and the natural "high" lasted weeks!
In 2004 I ran 3 more half marathons in a two month period, including a PB of 92:55 mins. I achieved PB's in 8km and 10km events also and had never felt better! The natural progression was to attempt a full marathon and I chose the Auckland Marathon which was to be in Nov '04.
I took it very seriously, followed a customised training plan and was running 6 days a week, under the guidance of an "on line coach". I'd got up to a distance of 31kms for my long run in training and was feeling fantastic, when I started having problems with what I thought was a quad muscle. Just 5 weeks out from the big day I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my right femur, by a sports physician. He told me that if I continued to run on it as I had been, it could break. He also thought my training plan was fine, that I'd just been "unlucky". Needless to say, I was totally gutted, but after a couple of weeks off I joined a gym so I could resume non impact exercise and attempt to retain my fitness. In the end I ran in the 10km event of the Auck Marathon on the day I should have been running the full, with a very heavy heart.
2005 was to be the year I "tried again" but I spent over half the year battling shin splints, something I'd never had trouble with before. I'd tried to do "too much, too soon" despite thinking I had already "learned my lesson." Lots of physio, then a podiatrist and orthotics followed, but it was still trial and error to see what worked and what didn't and in the process I twice experienced hamstring strains/tears and had some longish periods of enforced "no running". Along with a bout of the flu, I was limited to only completing two events for the entire year and I never came near running even a half marathon distance, let alone the full. Like a lot of runners my age, I have been told that I am actually very inflexible and need to do a lot more stretching. I have also disccovered the importance of a proper warm up and cool down, all things I'd never bothered much with before. I think when you have been running well over a period of time, you almost start to think you are "bullet proof"...
My goal for 2006 is to stay injury free and to run another half marathon. I would desperately love to get back into the form I was in during 2004 and know I can do even better. Getting my half marathon time under 90mins is a goal that may not come this year, but will come... To that end I have already entered the Auckland (half) Marathon on 29/10/06. I have deliberately kept my milage very low for the past 6 months, that is, frequent running but only short distances, the furtherest being 14kms, the majority a lot less. The two events I have done this year so far have been on a lot less training than previously, but the results have been OK. I now feel ready to do more and hope this is a turning point.... Perhaps this blog will be part of the "new phase"... Wish me luck!
posted by Vicky @ 5/30/2006 04:03:00 pm
1 Comments:
At Fri Jun 02, 05:33:00 pm,
Chris said…
I was pretty grumpy about my hamstring injury, but reading this has given me a little perspective!
Good luck with the running program and I look forward to reading more here and on the forum.
Always good to see a fellow 'rat' doing good things!
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