In the last few week's I have started to get the running mojo back again. I would like to thank club mates, parkrunners and my mentor coach Don for all their kind words, support and advice.
Running has always been a part of my life summer games at primary, cross country at senior school, 10k team with BAe Systems and so on. Sadly it all stopped once I qualified as an aircraft sparky and promptly made redundant, work and family life seemed to push running to one side.
In 2004 I joined Oldham and Royton harriers after by chance seeing them at Heaton Park, cross country was going on and it caught my eye. I took part in the Manchester 10k in 2004 and 2005 but never seemed to improve and get back to the times I posted as a youngster! I enjoyed being coached by Joe Ashcroft who sadly passed away last year but my knee was always giving me grief, somehow just icing it did not help and I fell out of love with running once more.
I re-emerged into the running world in 2009 after reaching a hefty 13.5 stone (traditionally I am a skinny fella) the desire to get back to fitness kicked in and I was back in the Manchester 10K to see if I could make it around. Whilst buying some new trainers the salesperson asked if I ran for a club (personal service from a running shop not from some kid in a superstore...) No I answered and he mentioned Royton Road Runners, I made a pact that if I made it around the 10k and survived I would join RRR.
True to form I made it around in something like 51 minutes and signed up at what I now know to be a great club. Long story short I lost weight, gained fitness and got my 10k times back into the 38 minute territory.
After the London marathon in 2011 I thought I was on top of the world, a 3:09:08 had secured me a "good for age spot" in the VLM 2012. Alas a couple of weeks later whilst taking my group out on a Thursday, I ending up hobbling back with the left knee in agony after a couple of miles. My old adversary was back...
I felt as low as you be, I rested, iced, rested and iced but after a mile the pain just came back. Just to make it worse I had a health scare and was in and out of hospital with chest pains and fainting spells that frightened the life out of me. Eventually I was given treatment and signed medically not dead yet by the cardiology department and told to get fit and healthy again!
Strange though my life insurance premiums are now double what it used to be... Any hoo what does my musing mean thus far, well after getting physio I now know what the cause of my knee issue is and with ample stretching can overcome the pain. I have taken stock of my situation and am resolute to getting back on track. The Wilmslow triathlon is my next major target, not for super fast times but to focus on building strength into differant area's of weakness (if my physio is reading this then yes... My gluteus are the weakest ever).
I enjoyed Oldham parkrun this week, the sun was shining and seeing friends really perked me up getting ab sub 25 minutes a boost for sure. On Friday I had a brief run after work which felt hard but the speed was hardly electric. The knee was bit painful but a brief walk eased the pain and gave the old chest a breather.
This Wednesday will be the Vera Hirst 5K and though I am still in the premiership at RRR I doubt very much that I will be a threat to any of the fast guys till next year, hopefully I won't be bumped down too much at the sorting hat ceremony in 2013!
Have a happy running week and my blog should become a regular feature again. Next week I hope to bring you up to speed with the Oldham Half-marathon ( I am assistant RD) and October 21st should be in your diary, just the Police to get onside and we are in business.
Mark K
