Sunday, November 26, 2006

I have a plan - it looks like a plan, sounds like a plan, it IS a plan!

My doctor has given me the all-clear to start running/exercising again....as long as I run/exercise within my comfort zone and don't push it (*sigh* there's always a catch isn't there!).

So, the plan is......to run within my comfort zone this week, and take it each day as it comes. If I don't feel up to it, I won't run. Now this may sound pretty basic and common sense but common sense has not my strong point in the past! So, baby steps it is.

Next, depending on how I go this week, I'll re-introduce the gym next week. I thought it might be just a bit too much to start running AND head back to the gym in my first week post-lurgies. I desperately need to get back to the gym soon because I'm metamorphosing into the marshmallow woman - my muscles are becoming soft and squishy. However, baby steps it is - the gym will happen next week.

Take 1 - first run post-lurgies



I loaded up my ipod with some new tunes and resurrected some oldies and this morning I ran! Oh yes, I was out that door, ready to follow that road wherever it took me, with the sun on my back, the wind on my face.....

Cut, cut, cut!

yeah, yeah, ok - it was more like......*cue heavy breathing* I hadn't even reached the end of the street and the legs were complaining about the sudden burst of activity after weeks of idleness, heart rate was maxing out, thoughts of calling it quits were flashing through my mind....I was dying.

And then I found my stride, the breathing settled down, the heart figured things weren't so bad and obligingly slowed down, and finally I could hear my music over my breathing. I was running....!!!!!

Distance: 12.2km (yeah, I was surprised too!)
Time: 71.23min
Av pace: 5.50min/km (baby steps remember)
AHR: 143; MHR: 162

Ok, it wasn't fast but I just continued with the 'one foot in front of the other' and look where it got me. So a slow 12km later and I was feeling pretty chuffed with myself!

The best music for running today:

Twisted Transistor - Korn
Right here, right now - Fatboy Slim
No way back - Foo Fighters
Welcome to the black parade - My Chemical Romance
On my way - Spiderbait
Stinkfist - Tool
We're not gonna to take it - Twisted Sister (did you hear that, body!)

....and my current favourite - an oldie but a goodie......

Enter Sandman - Metallica

And so what does one do to celebrate running post-lurgies? Make butterfly cakes! And the family loved them!

So, thank you everybody for your kind thoughts and positive vibes. Fingers crossed, the rest of the week will go just as well.

7 comments:

Ewen said...

Yes, that's a plan CJ.

You did a baby steps 12.2k at 5:50/km! Don't let Steve hear that or he'll be dragging you up Mt Majura next week ;)

Tesso said...

Good plan CJ. 5:50 pace is great, especially considering what you have been through.

Great music there, very inspiring. I love that Twisted Sister song :-)


PS I haven't seen or thought about butterfly cakes for years - yum!

2P said...

5.50 pace sounds good to me CJ - good to haveyou back mate :-)

I plan to be doing a lap of the lake on Wednesday morning - I'll be the fat guy with the CR cap on :-))))

Bernie G said...

Happy to hear your health is improving. You blog makes me very nervous when I look at the 6 Foot counter thingy.

Toasty said...

amazing how hard it can be to get back into running again .... well done ... glad to hear you are on the improve

Clairie said...

A good effort to get back out there starting with a 12km run CJ!!

Nice and easy now. Rest day today I hope before launching into some more runs.

I would highly recommend doing running for a week or even two before heading back into the gym.

The gym is the one place that seems to be full of germs and if you are immuno suppressed you will catch anything going around there. Best to live with the fresh open air for a while. That won't stop you strengthening those muscles though - head for the hills after this week and commence some hill work if you feel you are up for it...

....don't forget the baby steps!

Unknown said...

You think 5:50kms are slow! And youran 12km! A damned good come-back, CJ! Take it easy though; early days, baby steps!