Slightly Further

Another run done and me knee is still a problem. I managed to get to 2.4km before it started to twinge this time, 800m further than the last time so there is some improvement. Not sure if I'll be ready for the half but I'm going to try.

I got a new pair of runners yesterday, Christmas present. I went to a shop called Amphibian King where they measure your running gait along a track with a camera and then recommend runners that would be suitable to your running gait. I tried on four different pairs and had these viewed through the camera while I ran in them.  The pair that gave me the best support were the New Balance 1064. 

It seems that I have a neutral running gait and runners designed for that gait suit me best.  I wore the NB 1064 yesterday for the run and they felt great.  Hopefully I get to try them on a longer run at some stage.  My other pair are Asics and I love them putting over 380km on them at this stage.  The new version Asics weren't a good fit for my feet as the sides cut into my ankles, hence the switch to the New Balance brand.

2km and a Slight Twinge

So today I thought I'd try to test the injury.  I had been doing stretches for the last few day and the knee was still feeling a bit on the tender side but it was time to see if it could withstand a light workout.

I went to the track today as it was flat and not as hard as the road and my aim was to do at least 1km and see.  I got to 2km and the knee began to twinge a little so I stopped, no point in overdoing it.  I'm happy that it wasn't too bad and the next test will be Saturday when I hope to run 2km without any ill effects.  From there I'll up my kilometres little by little... I hope.

Soundtrack: None again as I ran with a friend.

First Run of 2011 and Injured

What a great way to start the New Year.  It is my own fault for pushing myself too hard last week.  The knee pain that I had last year and was the reason I dropped out of a half marathon I had registered for in June is back.  I managed to get to a distance of 4km today and the knee gave in.  I had to walk the last kilometre back to the car.  Bad start to the year.  The pain is on the outside of the knee and hits it at some stage in the run.  All is fine and then bang.  When I start to walk all is OK but I can't get to run again.

This has put a real question mark on the Lisbon Half in March.  At least it is over 10 weeks away and last June the pain came two weeks before the race.  The only thing for it is to try and run low distances for a while and to rest.  Next run won-t be until Thursday as I'm going to rest the next two days.  I plan to run 3km on Thursday just to test it and there will be a lot of stretching in between to try and strengthen the problem area.

Here is the details of my run.  Started with a 1km warm up, some stretching then and that was to be followed by 4 more kilometres of which I managed just 3.  No soundtrack to today's run as I ran with a friend.

Goals for 2011

Happy New Year everyone.  It feels like it was just yesterday that I was waiting for the year 2000 to come along and thinking it never would and now it's 2011 already.  Where did all the time go???

As it is a new year I guess I should try to set myself some goals to complete by the end of the year.  So here they are.  I purposely kept them small, at 5 and hope that I'll have achieved all five before 2012 comes rolling around:

1. To run 1,500km in one year.
2. To run my first ever marathon by the end of the year.
3. To run a half marathon in under two hours.
4. To find time to read a bit more, maybe finish a few of the books that I bought that are collecting dust in the house.
5. Lastly to spend more time outdoors this year, whether it is just grabbing my camera and going for a walk or heading off somewhere witht he family.  The idea is to try to spend less time couped up in the house.

It seems simple on paper, who knows it just might work.