May 2014 Update

Human beings are a very subjective bunch, and our memories are particularly subjective. I’ve found this blog has been very helpful in allowing me to look back at the state of my health and fitness over the last two years and assess where I’ve improved and what elements I’ve let slip more objectively.

Therefore, it’s more important that I record how I’m feeling more often than I have been. I won’t be able to draw comparisons if I don’t. So, without further ado…

As I write this, the Edinburgh Half Marathon, which I’ve entered, is exactly 3 weeks away. While I’d like to be better prepared than I am, I think I’m doing okay. I’ve been running every Sunday for the last few weeks, steadily increasing the distance I’ve covered. Hopefully by the 18th, I’ll have reached 75% of the race day distance. I’m not too far off.

I’m playing 5-a-side football once a week, and feel that I’ve hit a reasonably consistent level of performance. That’s probably mostly due to my increased fitness and stamina, so it’s good that my hard work is having a result. I’m trying to fit in visits to the gym, and I’ve also started going back to Spin the last few weeks, in lieu of my bicycle having a puncture, again.

In terms of aches and pains, both knees like to moan, but they’re not able to hamper my activities much. I’ve got a bit of a tight muscle in my left arse cheek, which I actually had a few massages to try and address, but it’s still lingering a little. I’ve perhaps neglected my core in recent months, but it’s been almost impossible to get booked into the Pilates class I like. Perhaps I need to find a new one.

The shin splints have been acting up a bit this year, mainly when I try and run uphill. In order to address this, I’ve been avoiding hills. Thankfully, the Edinburgh Half is mostly downhill. I jest, and it’s something that concerns me, but it’s just something else I have to manage.

I have agreed to play football on Tuesday lunchtime at work. This could be interesting, and I’m interested to see how my body holds up. Shona always said that I have to have more confidence in my knee, but I guess I’m a worrier by nature. Next Sunday will be telling.

One of the reasons I started this blog was to track my progress as I slowly nursed my body towards and through my first 10k. I achieved that in August of last year, and so in the sprit of continuous improvement (which is the one thing humans do well), I decided to enter a half-marathon this year. As if to highlight my improvement, I’m now doing training runs that are slightly longer than 10k.

I’m confident about completing the half, if nothing else. So what’s my next target after that? Yup. I’ve entered the 2015 Paris Marathon. I could barely dream of even considering such a thing two years ago, and I have a year to go before it happens, but as the Japanese say, kaizen.