I returned to running on Thursday morning. Blimey it’s been a while.
I make it seven weeks at least. I put aside six weeks after the latest PING incident on the treadmill with my calf, and then an extra week ate into that as I’m in tattoo recovery mode.
The PING thing is unfortunate. My left calf went PING way back in November of last year. No worries, I thought. I’ll soon run this off, ever so gently, and I’ll be back for full on ParkRun PBs come Christmas Day.
Nope.
Like a fool I played pickleball the following Monday after the PING and did some serious damage.
Christmas Day ParkRun came and went. So did New Year’s Day ParkRun.
Oh dear.
In fact my left calf didn’t really heal at all. I turned instead towards power walking.
You bloody idiot.
Around June time, when it was clear it wasn’t healing, I went to see the good Doc, who told me I was a bloody idiot for doing power walking with a damaged calf.
Six weeks was spent with no activity and then I gently, gently managed to return to running.
And then the treadmill came along. This time it was the right calf. I’ve not had much luck with my calf injuries in the past twelve months or so. Gosh I bloody missed running.
Which kind of takes us round to where we are now. I took six weeks more off after the treadmill incident and then, as mentioned, inking got in the way.
I decided to take it steady, with a really spectacularly dull and boring route on Thursday morning. It was basically up to the University and back, at the convenient turnaround point. If something went wrong I could just gently walk back and I wouldn’t be stuck out in the middle of nowhere.
I felt great as I started the first plods. I was going at a slower pace.
There were bright blue Estuary Wilds skies up above. This was indeed the calm before the storm. Something wicked this way comes over the next few days. Rowing has already been cancelled until next week.
Speaking of which it was good to see F from the rowing club going about his daily walk as I approached University. We’re both in a similar lifestyle position now, meaning a little more time, a little less money.
But you’ve got to get out and do things, yeah?
I reached the University and turned around. I thought, hey! This feels rather funky. Let’s lift the pace ever so slightly." I wasn’t on for any PBs but I did manage to increase my speed.
I had to, as some fella I almost overtook on the left hand side as he was walking, turned around and pulled a big greenie right in the middle of the road.
You dirty dog.
I arrived back at base pretty much shipshape. At least I managed to get around.
It feels good to be back but this is only temporary. Some extremely intensive INK action is booked in during the Christmas run in.
I very much doubt I’ll make Christmas Day or New Year’s Day ParkRun this year but this will all be self inflicted for vanity reasons rather than anything involving PINGS.
Hopefully.