Walking – My Journey to Kili and Back

Training – Jun/20 – No progress and holiday mode

2 heinäkuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

The only good part about June was that I was on holiday. We had fun with the kids camping by lakeside. Weather was perfect until we got a quick thunderstorm but the tent stayed dry inside so nothing to worry! It was almost midsummer so there was daylight practically through the night which is a bit weird when sleeping outside always. Feature image is from the campsite beach after midnight. We went to an amusement and a water park which both were practically empty as they had just opened up after corona. I also managed to catch up some sun and this sudden heatwawe felt so warm! I really enjoyed the short holiday, but training front has been as quiet, or even more quiet, than previous months (if that is even possible??)

Week 23 total is easy, complete zero! I do not know when has been the last time in my life that this has happened, but yes absolutely no exercise whatsoever. Week 24 so second week of June I did a bit more and then it backfired again and my knee started hurting so week 25 was easier again. Thought I would give it a try again week 26 and of course it backfired again after the long walk so back to square one every single time I try to do something.

So thought I would do upper body training instead and have gotten familiar on the muscles I need concentrate on with this ”runner’s knee” problem thinking I will do those then on my spare time and upper body at the gym and maybe, maybe one day the pain will not come back again…

I can assure you I am very frustrated, but try to not think about it too much. I see people running and walking passing by my house every day as it’s a very popular route for exercise and I look at them with envy thinking maybe I can do that one day again, but push the thought aside and try not to think about the fact that

I have not been able to run for four months now!

It makes me sad, but like I said I try not to think about it too much. Did I say I try not to think about it!!!

Truth is, it’s hard. Really hard when you are used to exercising and now cannot do anything practically. I did get referral to MRI and result is the same old ”runners knee”. So nothing broken and no surgery needed, but it does not seem to heal either. Orthopaedist gave referral to physiotherapy and now I’m trying to figure out who or how to pay for it as the insurance as such does not cover it unless it’s after a surgery which I was told I do not need.

Training plan

Whatever the cause or outcome I am tired of fighting against this injury and have been thinking that maybe I am not meant to run anymore. Simple as that. So no plans, no huge enthusiastic goals. Just waiting.

Total June

14 activities, 9 h of training
6 km running, 18 km walking, 11 km cycling 3 h gym and 1 h pilates

Week 23

0 = Nada = Niente = Nil = Nothing

Week 24

3 Walks = 6 km –> 3,25 km, 1,66 km and 1.38 km
1 Run 2,8 km
1 Cycle ride 5,6 km

Week 25

1 Walk 3,8 km
1 Gym training 1h 25min

Week 26

1 Walk 6,36 km
1 Pilates class
1 Gym training 35 min

Training

Training – W20-22 Slowly does it

8 kesäkuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

I’ve been thinking how to finally get back to training so I would not overdo it again. Decided to try cycling a bit first and then walking and add slowly a bit of running with max two times a week and max 3 kilometers at a time. I clearly have lately had the need to get more exercise and exhaustive enough to actually sweat properly. Never thought I would say that, but yes I miss sweating like a pig!

Thought that maybe if I go cycling I might get enough speed to get a bit of heat up but no, with my old granny bicycle the only time I got a bit warm was this one small hill I found. On the contrary I was freezing because with my luck it had been sunny the whole day, but when I left for my ride a storm came with first hail and then sleet. I had my rainproof gear on so I wasn’t really wet (apart from my ankles and shoes as naturally the water and sleet kept dripping down when I cycled), but it was freezing cold… So much for spring…That was though three weeks ago. We got a bit better weather now.

Two weeks ago I thought I’d be brave enough and do a good warm up with 4.9 kilometer walk and the run a bit. I also stopped over at the gym on the way back to check it out since it had just been opened after covid-19. Lots of stretching on top and lots of foam rolling few days afterwards and it was OK so decided to try some more running the following week.

Bought new running shoes too as the old ones were way too old and had seen over a thousand kilometers already. First run of the week 3 kilometers was fine. Went for another run 4 kilometers and still fine. Decided that no more running that week, but the weather was so beautiful that I felt like I needed to get out so went for a bike ride again. Accidentally it became 21,3 kilometers because I got a bit lost which was apparently too much. My leg did not agree and got that numbing feeling on it later in the afternoon, but went quickly inside and did some foam rolling and stretching and it actually passed so not really sure what is causing what anymore.

Three week total

Cycling 60,3 kilometers
Walking 16,9 kilometers
Running 8 kilometers

Week 20

Cycling twice altogether 22,3 kilometers. One 13 kilometers and one 9 kilometers
Walking twice altogether 8 kilometers. One 3 kilometers and one 4,9 kilometers

Week 21

Cycling once 16,7 kilometers
Walking once 4,9 kilometers
Running once 1 kilometers
Quick visit to the gym…

Week 22

Cycling once 21,3 kilometers
Running twice altogether 7 kilometers. Once 4 kilometers and once 3 kilometers
Walking twice altogether 4,1 kilometers Once 1,6 kilometers and once 2,4 kilometers

Am I better now?

Continuously there seems to be pinching, numbing and strange sensations on the leg which come and go so I am pretty sure it’s not caused by any inflammation anymore but some sort of entrapment on my left glute or thigh/calf muscle. We shall see if it gets worse or does not pass with foam rolling/stretching and even if it does I might need to call the doctor again. This is clearly not ”normal” and prohibiting me from exercising the way I wanted to.

Anyway I am back to doing something which is so much better than doing nothing. I have been very exhausted after each exercise which is not what normally has happened after only three kilometer run so clearly I am recovering from ”something”. There is a long way back to 10 k runs, but it feels good to exercise and I’m looking forward to being able to increase the distances hopefully. I have missed it so much!

Aiming to do two more 3-4 kilometer runs next week and then maybe increase the length by one kilometer per week for two week at a time gradually. Let’s see, wish me luck!

Training

Training – W14/2020 More pain but still no gain

18 huhtikuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

My leg was not still OK, so still no running. I do not want it to get worse and then I cannot run for months, so decided to not run the whole week but do a few easy online circuit training and maybe walk a bit. And hey might as well try to shed that extra 1,5 kilos I’ve been wanting to do to get to my goal weight for a while. So decided to go back to measuring what I eat since it’s much more easier to control the amounts and balance it out when you are not exercising that much. I noticed that when I lost 15 kilos! See My Weight loss journey series for more info on how I did it.

Ended up doing a few walks and a few circuit training during the week, but especially the last walk 8,9 kilometers was too much and my left leg got aggravated again and I was in pain. I had no choice but to decide on absolutely NO STRENUOUS TRAINING for a while. It is hard because I am so used to doing training. Then again in these kind of situations I tend to think this is my chance to do something else I have not had time to do… like playing the piano!

At least on my ”last walk” I got to climb on high hill and see a beautiful sunset between the trees! (See feature image above). That climbing may actually have been the cause of the pain… who knows.

Anyway, pretty measly week training wise and a bit scared also that if this is more serious. It keeps going away always after a few hours so assuming it’s nothing too bad that time won’t heal so I am not heading to a doctor until it REALLY hurts. They would only say rest and do not exercise and I can diagnose that myself. Besides they are busy as it is with covid-19 raving in the world.

So let’s see what total rest will do and how it is after a week of complete rest.

Total

Three walks; one 1,8 kilometers, one 4,8 kilometers and one 8,93 kilometers
Two circuit training 50 min and 1h 18 min

Training plan

Learn to accompany myself on piano better since I cannot do any strenuous physical exercise 😀

Training

Training – W13/2020 Running too much?

18 huhtikuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

Week started with a nice 12,2 kilometers run/walk/stair climbing combo on a sunny afternoon. After running 36 kilometers the previous week and now this on top my legs called it quits. I normally run max 25 kilometers a week so I had run almost twice that much in one week so no wonder my legs were killing me.

I began getting this weird pain on the outer part of my left knee which it did not hurt during the run, but after it. I almost felt like I am going to lose feeling of the leg and could hardly put any weight on it. It passed fairly quickly though, so thought it was just too much strain on it and it would be ok in a few days.

Took it easy for a few days and only did some light circuit training at home. Our gym has some really nice online training programs, so decided to give one of them a try. During that I felt a bit of pain on the leg again, especially when I was doing some movements sideways, so came to the conclusion it must be the long trail run previous week where I have strained or twisted my knee a bit hopping over rocks and branches.

So decided no more training for the remainder of the week to let my leg rest and only did a few walks which felt fine. There was no pain on my leg after those.

I am hoping that next week I could train more and this ,”whatever pain it is”, will go away quickly because I really need my running during this covid-19 time being otherwise indoors the whole day.

Total

1 run/walk/stair climbing 12,2, kilometers
2 walks, one 4,6 kilometers and one 3.07 kilometers
1 circuit training at home

Training plan

Still no plan… working on it. I think I need more flexibility, maybe my leg is hurting because my muscles need a bit of TLC or maybe my tendons need stretching or maybe some nerve is entrapped again. Go figure… no plans anyway until I know what I can and what I cannot do.

Training

Training – W11/2020 Easy week and virus getting closer

28 maaliskuun, 2020 Ei kommentteja

Getting back to ”normal” training reminded me of how stiff my muscles are and realized something must be done so decided that I will start taking Yoga classes at my gym to get a bit more flexibility and stretching to my body. I have been training so hard in the past year that I have forgotten the importance of also taking some easier exercises and flexibility. My muscles are too tight and something must be done.

So went for a Yoga class after a long long break and it was a good choice. It reminded me of many good positions and general stretches I could do just after running. I thought I must keep doing this as it opens up the muscles and is relaxing.

Did a couple of runs also, but wasn’t able to do longer ones due to my left leg muscles being probably too tight causing pain on the ligaments around the knee. It eased after rest day and was probably caused by sudden up and down hopping on a trail in the forest after a long while. It was not a long run, but after Kili it seems my muscles are not that used to that sideways movement you get running in the forest.

Atop a cliff close to my house. Good uphill training running up here.

Anyway hoping that next week I could do more trail running as I miss my forest visits. Also my training plan is starting a bit clearer what I could aim for and fit to my week. Yoga or similar flexibility/stretching has to be a part of it and trail running.

Covid-19 is also getting closer during the week (11) and there are some cases in Finland. It’s starting to get more serious and I have been working from home which changes the daily schedule also a bit.

Total

1 walk 3,96 kilometers
2 run 3,45 kilometers + 6,1 kilometers of which partly Trail running
1 Yoga class 1 hour