Tapering? For a 10k? Is that really necessary?
Well, no. No, it isn’t. But that hasn’t stopped me from inadvertently experimenting with it as a tactic. Because, as previous blog posts have shown, I’m a proper science type person an’ that.
Either that, or I just generally haven’t been running much recently and now that 10k I signed up for ages ago has come around.
It’s known as a ‘pudding run’. Intended to have connotations of Christmas and because you get a Christmas pudding instead of a medal at the end.
It is NOT called that because it is run by puddings. Except for me, that is.
I feel like a right pudding, currently. Caught in a bit of a cycle of being a bit overweight, making running harder, not enjoying running as much, not running as much (/eating all the food), being a bit overweight, etc. I decided to hit the gym a bit for some variety.
Don’t worry, I shall not bore you with tales of my reps and weights and sessions and motivational quotes and the like (yawn). Suffice to say I do a variety of things and do a few circuits of said variety. I was feeling stronger and generally quite good… until I attempted something a little beyond me…
…That ‘something’ was getting out of the car on Thursday last week.
Yes…I don’t know why I thought I was capable of exiting a vehicle on my own without anyone to spot me. Doing so without a warm-up was clearly just sheer recklessness. The result was an initially mild ‘mmm…That twinges a bit’ that gradually intensified into a ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to paint my toenails put my own socks on again!’.
I don’t really know what I’ve done exactly but it’s somewhere between having my spine ripped out (like on the retro computer game Mortal Combat) and maybe pulling a bit of a muscle.
So here I am three days post-injury, and able to walk at least, but really not sure about tomorrow’s 10k. I still have hope… Especially since immediately following that, I have a tennis match to play. That is ‘immediately after’ as in I have warned my tennis partner to expect to see mud-splattered legs when she’s serving.
If I’m honest, and I had to choose between the run and playing tennis, I’d choose tennis. But:
1) I’m greedy and I want to do both.
2) I’m tight and I’ve paid for the run already.
3) If I do do the run and then find I cannot play tennis/walk/breathe properly, my son (aged 10) would likely do a good job of standing in for me in the tennis and I’d enjoy watching him.
I shall no doubt write a blog post next week about how it’s ALWAYS the right thing to rest an injury.
I’ll keep you posted.
Am sure you will be fine, although only if you managed to paint those toe nails, you cant under estimate the power of painted toes!
I should have painted the toes
…awaiting official time but I think I missed my 50 minute target by just a few seconds.
Well that’s a great time, next time you know what to do!