Ouch...

Massively boring post where I'm just going to whinge about being injured really...

So I decided to really try and concentrate on training over the past couple of weeks. Managed the start of last week and then had about 4 days off over the bank hols weekend. So I hit it hard again on Tues with a 3 mile run swiftly followed by a 45 min spin class (after which my arms hurt - clearly!). Then on Weds I decided I should do a 9 and a half mile run. O.M.G...

How am I going to run 13 miles in 2 and a half weeks? Yesterday I felt like I had been hit by a truck.

I think I may have pulled or torn a muscle in my thigh when spinning, it was niggling a bit then and I could feel it as I set off on my long run. But by the end of the run I was kind of limp running and definitely feeling done in. My shins and calves were sore and tight (in that order). On top of all of this I had trapped a nerve or something in my neck on the shower on Weds morning (whilst vigourously shampooing it seems) and so I probably wasn't in the best of shapes to go out and run that distance and by the end of the run I knew this was definitely the case. After doing some stretches and taking off my trainers and bloody sock (oh yeah I got a blister too) and icing my leg for 10 minutes I had to walk to Sainsburys and buy protein and deep heat spray. Magic spray as it should be called.

So I ate, "sprayed up" and went to bed. And yesterday every bit of me was aching, I really have never felt that bad I'm sure.

However it is usually so much worse the day after that, i.e today. But... magic spray appears to have worked and I'm alright. Ok I still ache a little but nothing like I was expecting.

The upside of this is I can probably get out for a 4 mile run tomorrow morning... and try out my new trainers (hoping they will sort out the shins and the blisters etc...). The downside of this is I can probably get out for a 4 mile run again tomorrow and I'm going to have to attempt another long run over the weekend too. (I should by now be comfortably running 8 miles apparently!) Ha ha ha. Well it's that or cry. Or give up... I don't think so.

Wrong trainers...

... I got home last night after going out for a lovely meal with my Mum and sister to belatedly celebrate my Mum's birthday and my flat smelled of really fusty, crusty, nasty, trainers. It was a warm evening and the flat was hot which just made the smell worse. It wasn't until that point that I realised why my knees hurt so much and my hips and shins were so sore after my 3 mile run. I'd worn my old trainers.

Now they are a good looking pair of trainers. This is why I couldn't throw them out, they are retro Nike ones. I love them. I love them so much I go spinning in them and I do weights in the gym in them. But they have no bounce left in them, they're old. They clearly smell (although until yesterday's run which must have shaken the smell up a bit I did not know this). They are going in the wash later.

So the moral of this story as I hobbled up the hill to work today with 1 swollen ankle, 2 sore knees and hips and some sore shins... don't go out running in a rush Siobhan, it's bound to go wrong. And if you do start to hurt mid run tkae a moment to wonder why, perhaps even look at your feet, the answer will probably be staring you right in the face.

Rebellion already...

Oh dear, I appear to have rebelled already. Not good. Last week mainly I didn't go to the gym, didn't go spinning, didn't run. I did however drink lots of alcohol, consume a lot of bad food, catch up on lost sleep and walk a dog twice. So I've exercised right? Erm I mean it's no marathon or half marathon training and it was more of a stroll than a walk but it meant that I wasn't busy drinking, eating or sleeping at the time!

So this week I have renewed vigour and I'm determined to sort out my training and the state of my diet (which is all over the shop it would appear). First things first I've thrown money at it (well I've ordered my subscription to Runner's World mag and become a member on their website), spending money should definitely motivate me. Secondly I've mapped a 6 mile run for tonight (which I can't not do as I'm picking my sister up 2 miles in... and I have to pick her up as she is feeding me fish pie afterwards).

So next I need to work out what parts of my diet I should keep and what really needs to be got rid of. Alcohol... prob needs to be got rid of, but entirely?? No I don't think so, I have a wedding to go to soon and a birthday coming up. So maybe a break for a couple of weeks. Lager should be out though, it's pretty shocking how much of this I am able to consume. I'll stick to gin and then 2 or 3 is all I need for fun and no hangover.

Food wise, I am starving all the time at the moment. My Mum informs me that it's unlikely that I have a tapeworm (as I have suggested) because "I'd be skinny". So I think I need to eat stuff that will fill me up for longer and I definitely need to consume less sugar.

Well since I've written this down I feel better already, almost healed...

...Somebody pass me the packet of Rich Teas. Well I can't be expected to start on this diet lark if there's an open packet of biscuits around can I?

Got to start somewhere...

Well given that I have just decided to run another 1/2 marathon within a couple of weeks of having run the Great North Run, I figure I should start fundraising and capitalise on my 'marathon month'.

So for people reading this who haven't sponsored me, please feel free to sponsor me here: http://www.justgiving.com/SiobhanSmith78, you can also text SSMM78 to 70070 and donate £4 to my cause. Simples.

Now my cause is the National Autistic Society. Given that I work there, I know what a fabulous job this charity does for individuals and families affected by this lifelong disorde; from befriending families to provide support, to running schools and residential units and running a free helpline, the NAS supports over 100,000 individuals each year, but they need money to do this. Only 60% of people calling the helpline get through when they ring. Imagine how awful this will be for someone calling in distress, they are at their wits end trying to cope, or have just found out that their child has autism but has no idea what this means and where they go from there. The NAS would love to be able to answer all calls first time but this won't happen without donations from kind people like yourselves, so I am running a marathon in a month to raise funds and you can give me money yeah? Deal.

Now on an other note, although fundraising will obviously support this great charity (awesome), it will also ensure that I get out and train properly (I definitely need to) it is also great because it gets me out of my rat infested flat. Well I say infested. I mean I caught one rat. But I'm pretty sure there's another hiding here. Yeah alright drama, drama, drama, surely I should leave that to my little sister the clown but seriously every little noise is making me jump this evening. It sounds like the rat is running around upstairs. I mean granted, it's probably not 10 stone and there are several girls living upstairs who are more likely to be the noise culprits but anyway, rationalising is not happening tonight. The rat is in this flat, is 10 stone, with massive teeth and is waiting for me to go to sleep so that it can creep round and piss its weils disease urine all over my flat.

On that note I'm going to hide under my duvet. Night.