RUN 196 - Freedom & power

There is so much we rely on to 'survive' the lives we've created for ourselves, so much that were sure we can't live without, even those things which grind on us, take them away and we expect to suffer or fail.  Rise up and you might surprise yourself how little we really need to be happy, embrace those parts of life you have the power to take into your own hands (or feet!) and the freedom brings happiness with it.

[Chinatown]

RUN 195 - Running again

My running; and blogging (sorry!) routine has been right off recently, today marks the first step back to normal, it felt great to throw my gear on, run out the door and keep going as long as I had time for without tiring or pain.

[Low tide on the Thames]

RUN 194 - Race day anxiety

I love race day, the thrill of the challenge, looking forward to discovering how much I can achieve under the organized pressure against myself and other competitors. It's always an exciting morning, but slightly nervous too, and I'm certainly not the easiest person to be around at that time... Races start early and there's lots to do on those mornings. I'm massively fortunate to have people who love a d support me, and put up with my anxiousness, wish me well, then cheer me across the line, hours later. I can't thank you enough! My first  race in a month or more, (The inaugural Farnham Pilgrim Half Marathon) and my first run over 5 miles in a month since my back pain, I was extra anxious to say the least... I also didn't pick the easiest course to ease my way back in, multi terrain, lots of undulation, some bigger hills and lots of deep sandy bridal ways! My goal was to finish in under 2hrs which I did, and I placed 87 out of about 400, 35th in my age group, not bad all things considered...  and best of all, no back pain!

    [Running up that hill...]

    

RUN 193 - Pain free again in Malmo Sweden

A month on and only two visits to an Osteopath who could easily double as a David Brent impersonator, I find myself running along the southern Swedish coastline with an old friend and his son, with little to no discomfort in my back! The constant nagging pain I felt before which my muscles were tensing to protect has  past and loosened up.  The constant cut to the bone pain at the base of the spine which followed has past too, as if it had slowly migrated down and dropped right off! Good thing as my next race is in Sunday, a quiet little half marathon an hour outside London. I'll set a very steady pace and treat it like a recovery run, forget the time and just jog through to the finish. Without running I'm a less motivated, moodier, sadder person. I need it, and have promised myself to better prepare my body to ensure I keep on running...

[My running Swedish running coach]