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.
