So, I’m running again.
Last year in January I started training for my very first race, which is a 10km (by the way, not barefoot running like the image might imply…just regular ol’ running). I’ve been in love with running for a few years now (especially the way it clears my head) and had been doing a weekly clinic at a local running store. My clinic leader, a fabulous woman in her 70’s, lovingly informed me that it was time for me to move beyond the ‘Learn to Run’ clinic I’d been attending for a few years and that it was time for me to push myself further.
So I did.
I signed up for the clinic that seemed to be what I needed at that point, which was the ‘Learn to Run Faster’ training group for the Sun Run (a race here in Vancouver). I fit the description (in writing) of who the clinic was for…those who already ran 3x a week at least 30 min, which was where I was at at that point. So I signed up and started the clinic.
What I found was that in reality I didn’t at all fit into this group. It seemed like it was an ‘I can already run fast but want to run faster group’ and it wasn’t right for me. I stayed, as I felt I should push myself. I had a downright miserable time in this clinic (and I’m a bit of an optimist so it takes a lot to say that). Miserable, as in crying after many sessions.
But, no pain, no gain, right?
Wrong.
About halfway into the 13 week clinic I decided I could no longer take that group and moved to a ‘Learn to Run’ group. It was a great group and I was far less miserable, and kept training.
Only 3 weeks until the race I ended up in extreme pain during a run with the clinic. I hobbled home but it so happened that I was due to head to the states less than 12 hours later to help Liz out with the incredible Joy Retreat in Manzanita.
I had never experienced an injured bone before and thought it was just a bad pulled muscle, so headed out to the states (which meant I wasn’t going to get any medical care until I got back to Canada if at all possible). I spent the next week in amazing company in one of my favourite places, the Oregon Coast, but also in pretty extreme pain at all times.
Once I got back home I finally got it checked out and found out that it was actually a stress fracture in my Tibia.
So, running had to be set aside as I healed.
I then moved, which brought me to a new neighbourhood far away from my beloved original running clinic (which I would have happily gone back to).
My new hood is fabulous and refreshingly absent of most chain or big box stores, full of lots of independant stores. That rocks, but it also has no running stores (which also tend to have amazing clinics run there).
I wanted to start running again, so hesitantly headed back to the Sun Run clinic (it is run at most community centres in the city). This time I was in luck. This clinic is amazing.
I had to start from the beginning (as in run 1 minute, walk 1 minute) again as I hadn’t been running much since the spring at all.
But starting from the beginning was a blessing.
We’ve been working up slowly, eventually getting to the distance that we could run 10km (which for me will be over an hour). I have no time goals at all this year, just to make it to the race injury free and enjoy it.
Thats the thing that is so different this time.
I am downright happy, thoroughly enjoying it.
Last night we got to the point after 7 weeks of easing towards it, that the clinic takes a jump. We now run 10 min stretches with a 1 minute break (x4) and then in the coming weeks we go further and further times until we can run the whole thing.
Something about running a 10 minute stretch at a time (rather than 1 or 2 or 3 or 5 min at a time) has me feeling like a runner again, mainly because when you are counting down the shorter lengths of time I find it is hard to get lost in the momentum and energy of running as I’m so conscious of the time. Once we get past 5 minutes of any run, I just get into the groove and run run run.
I want running to be this. Happy, energizing, head clearing, positive.
Not painful, stressful, pressure filled and miserable.
I’m grateful my leg healed up and I’m injury free again. Grateful that this 34 year old body gets energized by running and is able to.
Grateful these two feet are on the move again.