Disclaimer: This post will NOT contain pictures of my toenails, I promise.
It would be fair to say that running is my meditation. I tend to be someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time idle so for me going for a run is when I can mentally chill out. I know a lot of people don’t understand this thinking how on earth can sweating, puffing, burning lungs and screaming muscles be relaxing? I think it is the point at which you realise you are hooked. When I fractured my right foot in two places earlier in the year my boyfriend was worried about what the forced inactivity would do to my mental state. Would he be dealing with a rage filled lunatic climbing the walls? Luckily the exertion of hauling myself around on crutches proved to be a saviour – my upper body strength is appalling so it was quite the workout! However, I was filled with relief when I was given the all clear to run again. Five months on I can’t say the foot is completely back to normal but I can run!
My plan is to build on my speed and strength a little up until Christmas and start the long runs in earnest after that. It has been recommended that I cross-train for this marathon just to make sure that poor little foot doesn’t experience too much stress. The last few weeks I’ve managed to get out for a decent bike ride, a swim and 3-4 runs per week. The swimming whilst also meditative tends to bore me a little (I seem to be only able to swim at one speed regardless of how much I train) and I’m still a little tentative on the bike (my foot was fractured when I was hit by a car on my bike). This morning I competed in my first triathlon of the season and it was another big milestone for me to A. Be able to run competitively and B. Ride to race rather than slowly and nervously. An event held by the Alice Springs Triathlon Club, it was called a ‘tag-a-long’ and competitors were ranked and paired according to ranking – lowest was with highest, second lowest with second highest and so on – with the aim of creating a more even field. Being the lower ranked of my team I completed my triathlon first – a 300m swim, 10km ride and 2km run before handing my timing chip to my team mate for her to do the same. I’m not sure of my time yet but we finished middle of the field (2nd all female pair). I loved being back out there!
Bike leg of the Tag-a-long Triathlon, Alice Springs November 2012
I won’t go into detail about my toenails but considering their current state let’s just say I have no hope of holding onto them during this marathon! No sandals or open-toed shoes for me this summer.
nooshlikesrunning 