There's not been much to report of significance, but there has been some activity...or sorts! I've had to go back to Wayne and fes up that over Christmas I may have over done it. He said rather than fully rest, I should do a little running, 20 mins at a time so my shin could recover. But the Club handicap was 6 miles, and another 6 to get up Shuttlingsloe and back, 8 with James, more with Chris. And so I hobbled back to Wayne at the Leisure Centre on Saturday, shin screaming, expecting him to ground me. Guilty.
But no, he didn't. More stretching, gentle running. 5 miles this time, but alas he said no to the Cheshire XC Championships. A shame, just a mile more, but he was concerned for the terrain and the racy nature of an event like this. I reluctantly went to watch. I'm not a good spectator of running, especially when I can't. Happier at home sulking. Wilmslow men came first in both the Seniors and Vets, Ladies first Vets. Not bad! Though poor Sharon ended up in the back of the ambulance. Another story.
I have missed running with my mates. Pete has some new Vibram 5 fingers for Christmas. He seems genuinely proud of them, though I can see the current Mrs Stock quietly chuckling in the background. They are strange looking and he seems up for trying them, indoors at first, but I look forward to sharing that first experience outdoors with him. I got to run with James on the worst day over Christmas, but I chose a stoppy starty route to curtail his elevated fitness and give me a chance.
It seems he's also struggling with a calf injury of an undisclosed nature. "Fucking kills" is all he can really offer! Chris too has an injury, calf again. I'm not sure what's happening to us all, but it hard to join in with ambitious, or even realistic fresh new start to 2013. And I've missed running for my health. I've put a kilo or two on over Christmas, but am unable to combat that with more exercise. I could moderate my food intake, obviously...but I can't, as evidenced by my duvet companion last night. As bedroom experiences go, it's right up there! More guilt.
Tonight was RunClub speed night, but I didn't go. I'm allowed to run tonight, anther 5 miles Wayne says, but I don't trust myself to hold back, so I went and did some reps of my own. The thing about RunClub training is that it takes you beyond the point where you'd have long given up if you were on your own. It's testing and rewarding...and painful. Replicating that alone requires discipline. But I tried and made a reasonable effort under the street lights of an otherwise miserable night. Feeling a little self satisfied!
