Friday 7 January 2011

Everyone else is doing it so why can't I?

I feel inspired, at least on the nutrition front.

Before I go into that let me give a bit of context:

Yesterday was a carbon copy of Wednesday: full of cold on waking but planning to exercise later...feeling tired and groggy as the day wore on...taking the decision not to exercise...copious over consumption following in the evening (prompted by a mix of sullen guilt and uncalled for panic over training).

On waking today I felt far better. The cold hasn't gone but there's very little coughing and absolutely no spluttering or 'rattling' from the lungs. Trouble is Charlotte has had a similar cold and that has led to her being sick several times over night so she'll be at home with me today limiting the opportunity to run. As it will be dark and icy by the time I could run this evening its unlikely I'll get out today. This sort of situation almost invariably leads to my turning to food and I was already beginning to accept and even embrace this as my fate.

Then I read three blog entries that have pleasingly altered my mood.

Firstly there was Alison's blog:

http://runningfromrunningto.blogspot.com/2011/01/managing-weight-during-injury.html

Where she summarised her success in stabilising weight through both a sustained period of injury and a propensity to use peanut butter in the manner of crack cocaine addict. Whether that meant she injected it or sniffed it was neither clear nor important.

Next I found a new blog:

http://almostovernow.blogspot.com/

Where Jessica details her experiences - physical and emotional - with regard to eating, weight and running. Many of these struck a chord, and, of course, I'm deeply jealous of her running times.

Finally I looked at Lara's latest entry:

http://babywilt-eatlessmovemore.blogspot.com/2011/01/h.html

Where she mentions the seemingly small victory of attending for an exercise class and finding it cancelled but adapting to this, doing a replacement session and not turning to food. That's precisely the sort of event that has so often been the precursor of a mini binge for me.

Well done to all three. Not only are you all doing well yourselves but you've inspired me to ensure this is a nutritionally sound day whatever the day brings.

Building on this spirit of optimism, I've managed to get a massage booked for next Wednesday and my calves are slowly returning to normal thanks to the enforced break and light massaging and stretching. There's still a couple of tender spots along the upper inside of the tibia but no feeling of overall tension or fatigue. I'm fairly certain these are where there were knots initially but where I damaged the tissue through trying to 'break' them. Too much oaf. Far too much oaf.

On a similar theme I realised yesterday that at some point over the last 2-3 weeks the stiffness in my left ankle had gone. I'm not sure I ever blogged about it but since turning my ankle on a loose rock, during a recklessly fast descent during the Turbo X race in October, the mobility in the joint has been reduced and its sometimes been painful doing things like forcing a laced (but untied) shoe on. Not any more. Hopefully.

As a final thought, I'm a technical Luddite, so if anyone can explain (in small words, drawings or possibly through the medium of dance) how I can embed links in a neater fashion than I have above, I would be grateful.

6 comments:

Alison said...

PMSL at too much oaf!

The links: highlight the text you want to embed it in, then click on "link" on the editing toolbar at the top of the post. It'll prompt you to enter a URL, and you can just cope and paste in the website you want.

Thanks for the shout out anyway. I'm glad that I had a hand in motivating you into a more positive state of mind. I did worry that my post would rub people up the wrong way (prompting your "git" response, for example!), but I also hoped that it could show that with a little concentration, these things are eminently achievable. I too suffered as you and Jess do, for a long time. The idea of eating through panic over not being able to train is particularly familiar (and perverse!). It took me about 10 months from acknowledging that problem to get to where I am now, and a lot of it had to do with my adjusting my diet away from what I thought I *should* be eating back towards what I *wanted* to be eating.

I also think Lara's example is brilliant. It's those seemingly small instances that all add up over the longer term. And the more often you do that, the weaker the connection in your brain between cancelled training (or whatever) and bingeing. It really does become a lot easier as time goes on.

Good luck today -- keep us posted!

Fitness Freak said...

Great to hear that you are completely fir and fine after regular massaging.

Jessica said...

Thanks so much for the mention, and for the lovely compliments about my times. They do, however, come with long periods of injury and constant anxiety over training, so perhaps being a little slower and never dealing with knackered IT bands/shin splints/achilles and hamstring tendonitis would be preferable ;)

Alison beat me to it over the linkage but just so you know (and I'm sure you do anyway) the 'link' button on the editing toolbar is the one that looks like a little globe thingy. Brilliant description, huh? And I call myself an English student.

I feel really privileged to be included with Alison and Lara's posts because they have such wisdom to offer, where as I just moan a lot. I'm really pleased you found something to identify with though. I know I feel better when I know that I'm not alone.

Look forward to hearing about your training and future race successes, of which there will be many because you're obviously a dedicated and committed runner :)

Wishing you an injury-free 2011!

Maria said...

It is so great to be inspired by others- you can do it too :)
Thanks for the tip off about runners world- got it on my way home today and had a little flick through- looks good.

BabyWilt said...

Very pleased you found a post of mine inspirational, but YOU have taken a very personal emotional day and turned it around and kept your wits about you.

I think you will appreciate your massage & your legs will thank you ..... I've just got this insane image, have you ever watched Chowder on kids telly??? the one where he has to go buy a pair of legs for Mung Dahls pizza 3000 machine - I've got this image of your legs detached doing a dance to thank you :-)

OK time I go sleep I think my brain is not computing what my fingers are typing anymore.

Rob you dun good and do good, keep it up.

laraxx

Unknown said...

totally been feeling like this lately too 'Yesterday was a carbon copy of Wednesday: full of cold on waking but planning to exercise later...feeling tired and groggy as the day wore on...taking the decision not to exercise...copious over consumption following in the evening (prompted by a mix of sullen guilt and uncalled for panic over training).' Don't know if you have the same cold as me but it's bloody stubborn, mines been here since NYE and keeps feeling like it's going then coming back twice as bad.. annoying! Bailed on my intervals not even half way through them on thurs but I'm hoping to get a decent 5 mile run in tomorrow...