Thirty-Two And A Spinster - Part Six

So I signed up for a 10K run with some friends, as I wrote in Thirty-Two And A Spinster - Part Three, with an aim to complete in under an hour. 

I'd been training with #LazyGirlRunning since the beginning of January. I signed up because I needed something to motivate me to go running on a regular basis and it was nice to run with other people, even though I'm a complete social retard and tend to stick to myself. 

Over the weeks I noticed that I had more power, I was faster and my level of endurance was higher. So in the end, I smashed the time I was aiming for and completed in under 50 minutes! 

So proud. 

My calves were tight as hell and my left ankle, which has been acting up recently, behaved itself and saw me through. I'm taking a little break to recover but I'm already on the look out for another 10K that I can sign up to.  

On the day we all met up at the registration desk, dropped in our bags and picked up our t-shirts. There was a nice mix of girls and guys and friendly acknowledgement of the times we all wanted to aim for. 

By the first corner, we'd pretty much split up. The boys dashed off, the girls hung back, and I set off at my own pace watching my breathing and trying not to twist my ankles on the verges. 

They - whoever 'they' are - were right when they said running is a mental exercise. I really struggled around 8K; I felt absolutely exhausted and all I could think of was that a half marathon was over twice the distance I was running! Urgh. 

Still, I was stoked with my race time. A few of the guys had finished ahead of me so it was great to have them cheering me on at the finish line, and welcomed the pulled pork sandwich and beer I ordered in a local pub afterwards with great appreciation. 

#LazyGirlRunning starts up again in 2 weeks. I'm looking forward to pushing myself a little harder for better results :)      

Keep on running peeps! 

Seven days (Day 6)

I wake up, exhausted. There's light shining through my curtains but it sounds like its raining. I was planning on going out for a run. I don't want to go anywhere in this weather but I have a schedule to keep. 

So he did message me after all. I read it once my eyes have adjusted to the world again. Why am I so tired? 

Even though its raining, I'm trying to think of ways I could go without getting too wet, or more to the point, without getting my new trainers and iPhone wet. 

I tidy my room as I wait for my housemate to get out of the bathroom. Once he is, I'm in and out like a shot, gym gear on and old trainers for the walk. It's not that warm out and there's a breeze that chills you to the core. 

I manage 5 miles on a random programme but I walk the last fifteen minutes and feel like a bit of a failure. I walk home, looking forward to my shower. The house is empty so I put on the radio, letting it play whilst I'm washing my hair. I put on a load of washing and paint my toenails as I wait for it to finish. 

I'm not going to make it to Camden and back in time for my wax appointment so I take the time to epilate my legs, paint my finger nails and relax. I'm not meeting him till five pm now anyway. 

I wear my new paisley dress with my blue converse (the ones I won in Bidding Wars) throwing a denim jacket over my shoulders as it's breezy out. The wax is painful and I end up with a lot less than I expected - can anyone say Hollywood?! A misunderstanding which I pay for in more ways than one. 

I'm waiting around forever because he's pushed the meeting time back half an hour and it's now that I realise I haven't eaten anything. I grab a portion of chips and walk around Brick Lane for a bit. It's getting cold so I decide to head towards the flat anyway, I still know the code to get in the building an if I need to I'll wait in the hallway for him. But as I near the block of flats he texts me that he's home.

Here we go...

We're drinking beer as he eats and already I want him. I'm sitting in the front room watching TV whilst he's in the shower. Now I need a wee. My left foot is aching, probably from all the exercise and running I'm doing now that I never did before. Shock to the body, I guess. He kindly performs some MAT on my foot and ankle, which makes a massive difference in the tightness I am feeling. Now the right needs some work :)

Turns out he's got the wrong date and the gig's in a month's time. I'm thinking I should go home but I don't, I stay because I miss him and this is an opportunity to not be alone. BUT, to get through tonight I've got to stop thinking about him as my ex and see him as my friend; we're just going out for drinks. It's hard.

Even as we're walking down the street towards a bar, I'm aware of the distance between us. We stop at traffic lights, waiting for them to change and we're literally people apart. A stranger looks at me and then him and I feel as though he knows... this is not an awkward first date, it's an awkward break-up get together.

When we get to the entrance of the bar, we're actually pretty hungry again. There's plenty of places to chose from but we end up in The Diner. It's here I let my guard slip. He lets on that he's been too busy this week to think about things - I don't say this but my mind is screaming:

I NEVER STOP THINKING ABOUT THINGS

Here's where we differ. Here's where I should pick up my big girl panties and move on, never to look back, but here's where the wounds of my heart start to weep because he's getting on just fine without me.

Dinner ends on a bum note but we walk back to the bar anyway. He asks me if I actually want to go in as we're waiting in the queue outside, and I'm torn between running home to cry or taking my friend's advice: Go out and have a fabulous time. It might be your last. 

We go in, have a couple of nice drinks, check out the dancefloor, have a laugh about him thinking a song was called "Niggas in France" when it was called "Better than Prince" and he puts his arm around me... it's a friendly gesture, it's a friendly gesture, it's a friendly gesture.

Drinks run low, the music isn't great, the night has come to an end.

He walks me to the nearest bus stop and waits with me for the bus to arrive. We hug goodbye. I don't want to cry, I just don't want to go. He's not the bad guy, he's just had a change of heart, which can't be helped.

I get back to an empty house again, which is fine because all I'm going to do is curl up and go to sleep. It's eleven thirty-four pm and I wish I was climbing into bed next to someone who loves me... one day I hope.

Running into trouble

Me again :)

As I was checking Facebook during my lunch half hour, I came across an event that could prove to be vital for me - no no, not a singles night - you cheeky lot!

So I've said in a previous post Gonna Run Till I Don't Jiggle I'm currently 'training' for this 12k mucky challenge on 6th October. Got my gym kit with me today ready to hit the treadmill for an attempt at 7k this evening - eek!

Consistently awarded one of Timeout London’s best gyms, Integra brings you a new workshop all about injury prevention for runners.

I've mentioned Integra before in my post Are Your Muscles Healthy, they are the clever lot spearheading the Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) to focus on muscle inhibition and find which areas may not be operating properly.

If you're a runner, perhaps have an injury from running or you're a running enthusiast, click here to find out more and book - hell, if you just want to find out more about Integra and all the amazing things they have to offer click here.

Let's be more proactive about looking after ourselves, shall we?

Are your muscles healthy?

Should you ever find yourself with a muscle pain that is not just general soreness from a workout, before you head to a doctor or chiropractor take a look into Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT).

The boyfriend is a qualified specialist in this technique and he really helped me yesterday with my Body FAIL. Today I feel as though my body is working much better and we've made plans for a follow-up at the end of the week, giving my muscles time to recuperate because it is essentially a work out.

Before I met him, I'd never heard of MAT. I dislocated my left knee when I was 20 and never received any physio for it. Since then I've suffered from lower back pain.

Last Easter I was in so much pain from my back pain that I could barely walk. I had to take time off work and I was popping Ibuprofen like they were Nestle Smarties. The boyfriend was still studying so he convinced me to visit his friend for MAT. Even though after the session I could move easier, I wasn't truly convinced until months later I realised that I'd not had any problems with my back since.  

It works by providing a system of checks and balances using resistance, allowing trainers to evaluate and determine any muscle inhibition. It is a specific technique designed to improve muscle function, which in turn can reduce the risk of injury while also speeding up the body’s ability to recover from injury - By the way guys, I totally got that from the website. There's no way I could explain it myself that succinct. 

You should do it regularly though. Like most things with me, I remember to go back when I really need it - niggling pain in my hip or knee, or like yesterday a total body shut down - instead of going on a regular basis to prevent injuries. What can I say, I'm an idiot.

Anyway, if you're interested in learning more, please click here. If you're in pain, interested and want to find your nearest MAT practitioner, please click here.

And um, not because I'm biased but if you're in the Liverpool Street (London) area and need it, want to try it or just talk to someone about it, contact these guys - Integra

Go me!