Training

Training Aug/Sep/Oct 20 – Something is better than nothing

Ei kommentteja

So where do I start? From the fact that when schools start it’s always chaos for our family for a few weeks. This time the chaos seemed to last forever. It’s been two months and I still feel like I am in a fast spinning wheel. Blogging has been on my mind, but unfortunately I have had to prioritize. But good part is that there has finally been progress on my training. I am nowhere near to the weekly training amount prior to Kilimanjaro.

Since the verdict of IT band inflammation and covid-19 early this year life has been very different and strange as we all know.

But back to training as the headline says something is better than nothing and that is what I have been telling myself. It has been a learning curve to be not able to do ”what ever you want” exercise-wise and it has forced me to think about a lot of things like getting older. How your body just simply does not adapt, heal and recover like it used to. I have had to find the ”good feeling” from other hobbies and I have accepted that I exercise when I feel like like it or can and if my leg is not hurting. I have stopped having any kind of schedules or training plans and I am living on a daily basis not forcing my body to anything.

Luckily after 8 months some sort of change has happened and I am not hurting anymore. My leg is fine and the constant feeling like I’m ”not ok” is gone. So physically I’m fine but mentally it was a tough journey for someone who has always been very athletic and able to move.

I do my Yoga

I have learned to like Yoga. I don’t know the different names of different types of Yoga (yet…) but I know some poses and do the ones I know are good for me the healing of my leg. I do them a few times a week on my own now since the usual class timetable does not fit my weekly schedule anymore because it coincides with choir practice.

Having done ”Yoga for Athletes”, ”Bootylicious” and ”Core” classes at my local gym for about three months now there is clear progress and more strength on my legs. I can do the Yoga poses at home, but I simply cannot challenge myself enough for the ”booty” or ”core” class so a bit disappointed that schedule changed and it’s harder to find suitable time to attend. All these trainings have most likely played a huge part in my recovery. I have realized that being so obsessed with Kili training going uphill and trail run training I lost focus on strength and balance. This all resulted in me having imbalance on my body causing too much pressure on right side (I was cautious of left) which lead to loosing strength on left side which again created a snowball effect which all accumulated on the time in February when my left leg completely stopped co-operating.

Lesson learned

So I have learned my lesson. I am not invincible. I am just a human and I need to listen more to my body. It’s not just the physical balance it’s also the mental balance. Your mind can push you to do a lot of things, but sometimes it’s good to just stop and listen to your body.

I have listened and I have no desire to be better than last time anymore. I actually enjoy being more flexible and being able to do Yoga poses well. Don’t get me wrong I still LOVE running and enjoy it even more than before and cherish the moments when I can go running in the forest, but I have learned not to push myself to the limit always.

Less is more

I do 3-4 k runs. In the forest usually I do a 6 k route. I try to do the same routes because at least then I know exactly the length and I got a few good routes. (Planning on doing a IGTV trail run route guide on one of them soon so stay tuned!). In addition to that I do at least Core or Bootylicious or similar class on a weekly basis and yes Yoga poses on my own at home. I do want to try to more of that and get some sort of regular schedule in doing Yoga. My body clearly likes that being tall and having long limbs <3

So how have the past three months been regarding exercise. Not as bad as I thought… Strange how your mind plays tricks on you. You think you haven’t really ”done much” and end up realizing you have actually done quite a lot!

Totals

August

I started feeling a bit better finally. The constant pain was subsiding and I was enjoying the classes I was doing. I was slightly hopeful that maybe I will run again…

Looking at the totals August was not that bad after all. Good on me!

  • 38,02 kilometers. 21 activities.
  • Yoga 6 times,
  • Other classes 5 (Booty and core)
  • Running 5 times of which one trail run. Total running 20 kilometers
  • 2 Gym trainings
  • 1 (my first ever!!) mountain biking
  • 1 dance class
  • 1 walk

September

Distance was less, but in general I did feel better. I was taking sports ”less seriously” and would not beat myself up for not doing what I had scheduled. I am happy with the amount and proud that I have been able to resist running ”too long” distances. All runs were almost exactly 3k

  • 22 kilometers, 13 activities
  • Yoga 4 times (at Gym… I do it at home nowadays too without putting my sports watch on…)
  • Other classes 3 (booty and core)
  • Running 4 times of which none trail running. Total running 12 kilometers
  • 1 hike 5,7 k
  • 1 walk

October

It’s getting darker to run in October already.
Did you see my head lamp tutorial in IGTV? Click on the image!

I have clearly upped the ante on the distance this month and I admit training has been great. No pain and I have finally started to do some weight lifting exercises for legs in the form of kettlebell class and my legs were fine with it. Squats, lunges here we go is what it means! I am so grateful that I was able to run 17 kilometers during the month and absolutely no pain anywhere. I even did a few 6 k trail runs during the month with no problems.

  • 41 kilometers, 12 activities
  • 1 Yoga class, BUT I have done it regularly at home
  • 2 other classes (booty and core or similar)
  • 5 runs distance 25 kilometers or which two trail runs
  • 1 kettle bell class
  • 2 walks
  • one run/trail run 6k

Conclusion

As said something is definitely better than nothing. I am non the rise slowly and surely. So great to be able to do sports without the fear of pain! So Yoga is definitely staying on my list. So are these booty/core classes. I know my body’s weak points and imbalances now and am working on them.

I was really desperate at times thinking I may never run again. Now I am slightly hopeful, but still not aiming for the kind of long distances I used to do. I am just enjoying nature and trying to keep sane in the middle of all this craziness. Being able to exercise again a bit surely plays a huge part in that.

Take care everyone and stay safe <3

Continue Reading

Training

Training Jul/20 – Finally back to gym!

Ei kommentteja

I cannot even start to express how grateful I am that finally there has been some progress on the healing and I have been able to train (a bit) without any pain on my left knee. I think it was around mid July when there was a clear change.

I was getting fairly desperate with the pain since there was still inflammation on the left side of my left knee, but a bit different spot than previously in early March 2020. I could even pinpoint the spot, but had no idea how long it would take to heal. I was able to do short walks and short runs, but could not do any proper leg training yet. I spoke to my sister and she suggested that maybe try ginger and turmeric/curcumin since they might help with inflammation. I thought that I have nothing to lose as I cannot take the anti-inflammatory drugs anyway, so why not give it a try. Local Lidl grocery store right next door happens to have a Ginger-Turmeric drink so been drinking those every now and then and you know what, the pain is gone!

Not sure if time did its thing or was it the ginger-turmeric drink or just me deciding to stop whining and ”get back to it” -attitude that caused the change, but yes I am able to train again and the pain has not come back even if I do!

The amount of foam rolling and stretching I have done is bound to have some sort of effect also since my legs are not as ”stiff as a log” anymore. What I have though noticed these past few times I’ve been to the gym is that there is a clear imbalance between the right and left side of my body. So my body is weaker from the left side and maybe this is due to having been a bit careful because of the leg for a while now or due to losing about 16 kilos of weight causing the point of gravity to change or something else, but it’s clear that the imbalance has probably caused the inflammation in the first place and it needs to be addressed (and the doctor agrees that yes all of the mentioned above could cause this).

So I have been doing a few runs , 3 kilometer trail run, 4 kilometer hike and I have been back to the gym. I know the amounts seem like peanuts and was just thinking that how on earth did I a year ago climb 500 m for ”evening walk” and do 22 kilometer hikes. Well that was then and this is the reality now that I need to live with. At least I know what I am capable of which is kind of comforting. Anyway thinking about the imbalance and reading about IT band inflammation and talking to various people who know more about these kinds of things I now have a goal and…

I finally have a training plan again, wohou!

Training plan (weekly)

Total July

Total in July is something to marvel looking at June for example. No doubt there is progress and I am so happy there is! Week 27 ad 28 was still a bit testing, but in week 29 there was a clear change in the winds… So I will be moving to more regular training updates probably as there is something happening again <3

  • Running 9 kilometers
  • Walking 12 kilometers
  • Hiking 4 kilometers
  • Trail running 3 kilometers
  • Core class 1
  • Gym 2 times

Week 27

  • 1 walk 2,1 kilometers
  • 1 gym training

Week 28

  • 1 walk 2,8 kilometers

Week 29

  • 1 hike 4 kilometers (yes in the forest for the first time in ages <3 )
  • 1 run 4,5 kilometers (yes running!!!)
  • 1 walk 2 kilometers

Week 30

(decided to take it easy because previous week was a lot of exercise compared to past 4 months)

  • 1 core class
  • 1 walk 3,2 kilometers

Week 31 of July

I’m back! Well close to it. Yay!

  • 1 times Gym
  • 1 run 1,7 kilometers
  • 1 trail run 3 kilometers
  • 1 walk 1,7 kilometers

I truly hope I can keep up some sort of regularity with training now and look forward to being able to be more outdoors and especially going to the forest again. Let’s see how covid-19 restrictions change after summer, but luckily in Finland there is so much empty space in the forest that they cannot deny us that as all the social distancing regulations can be easily kept there 🙂

Continue Reading

The Virus Diary

The Virus – Day 75 – New (different) reality

Ei kommentteja

This new reality is becoming more and more ”normal”. I have gotten used to this waking up and not going anywhere. It’s actually nice not having to hurry anywhere. My 6 yo has been really good with her preschool home work and has begun to understand that mommy works now and mommy has meetings. She often comes and says hi to my meetings and has even met the children of my colleagues. It’s in a way brought both my colleagues and me closer together, but helped my children to understand what I do for work and see that I do actually talk to people and not just ”play with the computer”.’

Live stream training tested

We have also found the wonderful world of online training. Have tried Body combat, Cross training and Core so far. Was supposed to do Yoga again today but then I twisted my leg _again_ and it was so sore I could not do it after all.

I am still not sure what is wrong with it, but it helps when I avoid side movement especially from left to right and seems to get better in time. It was OK already in the evening and was able to do a walk. Anyway great that we have these options. So thankful to every company supporting everyone in their own way to endure this time.

  • My training… living… room
  • Of course I had company <3
Live Stream online training with Elixia

Supporting local businesses

As the situation is getting worse around the world and also here in Finland, it is clear that the economic situation of many companies is bad, really bad. Now is the time to support the local businesses. So we did exactly that today by getting take away home since we can’t go out to dinner at a restaurant like we sometimes do on the weekend.

It feels funny though how eating out has become eating in…
  • Cake for dessert
  • Thai yum!
Eating in, or out?

I still watch the news everyday, but notice that there are more news about ”other” things too and I’m not that keen anymore to know what’s going on. I do want to follow, but it’s not that important anymore. I am getting more interested in what new exciting things I might do tomorrow that I never had time to before like studying something maybe.

Big girl (always knew she was)

Our own little reality in our own little bubble has become quite important. Me and my youngest have had so much fun, she’s grown and taken responsibility so much and helped out voluntarily. I know she can, but it’s been a game of asking every time, but now she empties the dishwasher on her own, does her preschool work on her own and just ”let’s me know to check them”.

So this isolation is not all that bad and makes me think what did we need all that hassle for? Why did we need to move everyday from one place to another in such a hurry? What did we need all those little gadgets, widgets and trinkets for?

All we really need is nutrition… oh and toilet paper!! 😉

Take care, be safe, keep calm and avoid people ❤

Continue Reading

Training

Training W48 – New activities, winter is here

Ei kommentteja

Finally temperature dropped below zero and we got a bit of frost and snow. You might think we are crazy being happy about snow and weather turning colder but the reality is when it gets colder everything is frozen and water turns to snow so it’s brighter and cleaner outside. Strange as it sounds it is also ”warmer”. Worst is the rainy, ”close to zero”, windy season, but when it gets below zero the air turns dry and crispy.

It usually does not last so expecting it to get warm next week again, but anyway nice to see the change in climate happening as it also changes my training schedule and activities a bit.

So I joined the local gym which also gives me the variety of different classes and a great gym with lots of space and all possible equipment you could think of. Best of all a treadmill and ”stair climber” and cross trainers. These will need to mimic the lack of proper hiking and running sometimes too when it’s just pouring close to zero. I have no desire to get soaking wet and cold so rather train inside on those days.

Anyway, I feel really good, training is good and I have scaled up my speed and gym training a bit this week. Still need to take iron and took the last jabs for Tanzania too. The climb is getting closer by the week and I am starting to think what I still have time for, what are the essential training I need to focus on. That is one of the reasons why I have changed my training plan a bit.

So now my new training plan is as follows:

Week 48 total was impressive in the scale of number of activities because I was really keen on getting back to regular training routine after the house move so trained every chance I got pretty much.

Got some good results with best average speed on treadmill 9,3 km/h on my HIIT run. Also found some new muscles during a core class. Very much looking forward to next week now that I seem to be back on the roll again.

Total

  • 1 gym training. One regular gym training on my own
  • 1 core training class 30 min
  • 1 cardio training class 35 min
  • 1 Basic running outside 3 kilometers
  • 1 trail run 7,3 kilometers
  • 1 treadmill HIIT run 41 minutes about 6,35 kilometers

Do you want to support me to get to the finish line?

Continue Reading