Cold Again

Lovely spring day in Carlow today.  The car was covered in a powdery frost this morning.  As the day wore on the temperatures rose to a nice spring temperature and we had the first beautiful day of 2011, blue sky and sun.  However I was working all day so it was night before I could go for my run and the temperatures had dropped back to -0.5ºC.  Even though it is not that cold it is still a negative figure so cool enough to run in.

Today I got a new piece of equipment that I hoped would aid in my recovery.   Here it is

With this in hand, or on leg, I went out for my run.  My aim was to run 20 minutes and see how I got on.  Previously I'd manage 18 minutes but had to pull up short with my right knee giving me a lot of trouble and pain.  I was wary at first wondering how tight I needed to have the strap and if it was on correctly but as I ran I felt good.  At 2km I still felt good, the first time this year.  I managed to make it to 20 minutes, continued for an extra 22 second to round up the distance to 3.5km and then stopped.  This was the first time this year that I stopped by choice as opposed to my knee stopping me.  It feels great to have a bit of control back. 

I've learned my lesson, I hope and it is this.  Firstly start back slowly and don't push yourself too hard, listen to your body and secondly don't take such a long break from running in the future as you will lose a lot of the fitness you gained.

I now feel that this is going to be a good year.  I know I've not found a miracle cure but an aid in my recovery.  I need to continue to take things slowly and stretch and strenthen the knee area.  Heres to 2011.