Day 27: A sunny day in the park

RUN: 2.3 miles

I went to the gym this morning to do some cycling and lift some weights with my legs.

Then this afternoon we went over to Roundhay Park to find some grass to run on.

It was a busy day in the park because the weather is lovely today - for a change!

We ran over to the lake, did a lap - dodging prams and wheelchairs and dogs and toddlers - which came to 2.3 miles.



There was a big hill on the way back to the car, which was hard enough to go down at the beginning, but even tougher to go up at the end. Someone beat me to the top (It's my boyfriend, Andy).

Here's our route around the park. It's a bit of a drive from home, but it's a very nice place to run, so worth the trip out.



Day 26: In the pink, all taped up

Run: 2.6 miles

Thinking I'm more than a bit sick of the usual one-mile route, I thought I'd just set off in a different direction and see how it went. So I headed towards Guiseley, down Back Lane, through Morrisons car park and back along the main road. It was 1.6 miles altogether, so I'm quite pleased with that.
With the shin splints still making a nuisance of themselves, I thought I'd try yet another type of support - kinesiology tape. So this morning I put the tape on and this evening I tried it out on my run. Here are my legs all jazzy with the pink tape on:

The tape is supposed to stay on for five days, but it's already starting to come off a bit. I think that might be because I'm not very good at putting it on yet though. I looked on YouTube and followed the taping instructions for both shin and knee support.
Every time I say my legs are having a good day, or even feel slightly ok, I seem to curse myself and they get worse... so I won't say that.
I might go to the gym this weekend to do some swimming or cycling and other leg-strengthening things.
Here's my map for today

Day 25: GPS test - MapMyRun vs Garmin Forerunner

RUN: 1.0 miles

This evening my boyfriend Andy came to keep me company on my one-mile route. He brought his new toy - his Garmin Forerunner watch, so I set my MapMyRun app going too and we compared results.
My app doesn't have all the bells and whistles that his watch does, but I was curious to see whether they would record the same time and distance.
Here are the results:

The Forerunner says 1.02 miles, MapMyRun says 1.04 miles - that's close enough for me. I think I took the inside line for most of the route, so the result is pretty fair. My confidence in my unsophisticated GPS is restored.

Cramped up a bit on my run today - I think it was because I didn't take off my tubigrips before I went out. Stupid idea.

Here's our route details for tonight

Day 24: Not so nice and easy does it

RUN: 1.0 miles

My shins have been bothering me today.
I'm not sure how much of it is me being neurotic and how much is actual injury.
It aches down my shins, and they feel bruised to touch in a certain place. There is sometimes a bit of a shooting pain and sort of a graze-type feeling every so often. Sometimes I can't feel anything at all.
It's not terrible pain or anything, I'm just concerned not to make it any worse and trying to make it better while still running each day.
So I've been stretching and moving my legs under my desk at work all day. I'm still doing the RICE - Rest (only a short run), Ice, Compression (tubigrips), Elevation - and putting on ibuprofen gel.
I'm hopeful that it will get better. So fingers firmly crossed!
Today's map is here, click click.

Day 23: I spoke too soon - shin splints are back

RUN: 1.0 miles

Ow ow ow! My shins are in a bad way again.
Perhaps I was getting a bit carried away and doing too much too soon when they started to feel much better. So I just did a mile today again.
A few people have advised me to try to run on grass (not concrete) surfaces to help reduce the impact on my joints. My shortest routes from home take me round the Tranmere Park estate, where there are no pavements - just grass verges kept nice and well-manicured. So I might stick to that for the next few days. Grass is good.
Considering I only went a mile, I felt shattered. Legs felt bad, lungs felt bad. I am by no means fit just yet. This is hard work. But it wouldn't be a challenge if it was easy - must work on my positive mental attitude.

Here's the map and stats for that old familiar one-mile circuit

Day 22: Thanks for all the support

After I sent out an e-mail last night about sponsorship, I've had some lovely e-mails, messages and very generous donations that all brought a tear to my eye. I didn't bank on how lovely and supportive people would be and it really means a lot. So a huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far, it's great motivation and all for a brilliant cause.

RUN: 3.5 miles

Today I did one of my longest runs for a while (it must have been all that new motivation!) and ran on the canal from Baildon to Shipley and back. A lovely, peaceful place to run. Here it is:



My legs are nagging me slightly today, so I'm icing them as I type (with cool packs, not sugar frosting!)

I remembered to keep the GPS going too, at last. Here's the map and details.

Day 21: Legs are still working, brain is STILL not working!

RUN: 1.1 miles

Just a quick one today, but another slip-up with the GPS.

I forgot to start it. Grr! Is it possible to sweat away brain cells?

I realised halfway round my route that it hadn't started, so only recorded half, as you can see >>

I need to sort this out - I think I was too busy trying to start my music rather than the timer. Not a good couple of days with the technology!

Here's the map of the run I actually did