Tightness and Trainers

Well, what a disaster this week. Having been so pleased about my new trainers, within a short while of trying them out my achilles tendon started hurting and my calf tightened up. Out came the ice and the ibuprofen gel. I obviously do not get on with Mizuno trainers. They were the ones I had when I had the bursar in my achilles a few years ago that put me out of action for about eighteen months and caused no end of pain. I had wondered whether the trainers were partly to blame for my string of injuries, but I couldn't see how when they had been fitted at a running shop etc.

I was so miserable on Saturday night worrying that I wouldn't be able to run again for months. Sunday I iced it again, but it was still painful and I kept getting shooting pains when I walked. I took the trainers back to the shop and after a while got fitted with another pair. This time Asics. They were very comfy and felt lovely to run in on the treadmill. Little madam thought it was hilarious though because they had quite a bit of pink on them and I am so not a pink person. But when you are choosing trainers it's not the colour that matters. Not that she understood that!

Sunday we went up to the track and I did just a short run around the track to check that they felt okay and they did. Woohoo! My calf was still tight, but there wasn't any pain in my achilles so all well and good...

Monday I just went out and ran with no real target, just to get out and run. Did 7 miles with nice thick socks on (concentrate - that bit is important!)

Tuesday morning I went out and did a few miles (3.83) not particularly fast though. Tuesday evening was running club again. As I got to the gym I noticed that my right trainer was rubbing a bit on the top of my foot. I shoved a bit of toilet paper in to protect it thinking it was just a settling in thing. Two groups this week so I went with the fast group again. We ran up to Carnegie. On the way up Otley Road there were dressed up students off to the pub. "He went that way!" one of them shouted. Oh ha ha ha. Up at Carnegie we had to run the Green Mile which was three times round the grassy bit. Handicapped race and I went off 5th out of 8. Mispaced myself completely as I thought he meant 3 miles and paced myself for that. Oops. Still, did okay with a sprint finish. Missed the bus as we were back late and although club finished at 8, I didn't get home until nearly 10. Going to have to make sure I catch that bus from now onwards.

Wednesday when I went out it was absolutely tipping it down. I was so so so drenched. Came home and bought a jacket from ebay! My calf was still really bothering me and no matter how much stretching I did it wasn't making any difference. I kept icing and ibuprofen gelling it, but was getting more than a bit concerned. Advice on Runners World was to have a sports massage.

So Thursday I found a person who did sports massage and luckily managed to get an appointment. Turns out she knows loads of people at running club! Massage was agony.

On the way my trainers were digging in again and on closer inspection I found the seam was sticking out miles on the right foot. So took them back to the shop and the only other pair had exactly the same problem. Back to the drawing board (or treadmill) again... Tried on so many pairs. I even tried a pair of neutral trainers on and although she said I could possibly get away with them because I didn't overpronate too much, with my knee history I really should stick with mild/moderate support. Although next time I might be able to have neutrals. Eventually came away with a different pair of Asics. Was very close between them and Brooks. The Brooks had good gel in the front to push off from, but the Asics were most comfortable. They are Asics 2130GT.

Did a hard interval session in them on Thursday. Forgot water and it was very hot so I managed 8 out of 12 400m intervals. The heat showed. Average pace: 6:12, 6:13, 6:19, 6:11, 6:18, 6:20, 6:31, 6:42. Times: 1:32, 1:33, 1:34, 1:32, 1:32, 1:35, 1:37, 1:40. The trainers were comfy and my achilles was okay. My calf was still tight, but bearable - just!

Friday I went out in the evening. It seemed like ages since I had done a fast(ish) run rather than intervals or long slow runs. So I set off not to run very quickly, but reasonably. Friday night is not the best time to run - loads of stupid comments from the idiots around. I knew I was going fairly quickly but didn't want to push it, so slowed the pace a bit for a while. Up the hill through Austhorpe in 1:19. I hate that hill! When I was fairly close to home I looked at my watch and realised I was on 44 mins with 5.5 miles - so I pushed it! I did 6 miles in 47 mins and that was just a training run. My pb for 10k being 47:08 in a race I was extremely pleased with this time.

Saturday I had intended to go for 10 miles plus on 75% MHR, but I soon realised there was no way I was up to it. My legs were tired and I hadn't really eaten enough the day before so I had no energy left. I cut it short at 4 miles, but at least I got out.

Mileage for this week: approx 46 miles (forgot to set watch going at run club for a while!)