A quick update on life six months after running my first marathon – and it’s a bit sad really.
In the build-up to the London Marathon I had been running 5 days and 70km a week. After the race I decided that it would be a good idea to just not run – at all. After months of running, both mentally and physically I’d had enough. On reflection I think that was a mistake.
Initially it felt good to have more time, and for my leg muscles not to be permanently tired. I had time away from home, and cycled. And when the time was right, I went back to Parkrun to meet my friends there. And that’s where my troubles began. Initially I was occasionally suffering cramps in my left calf, and just tried to ignore it. Then, one Parkrun morning as I was running along chatting to someone I had a sharp pain in my calf, and simply couldn’t run. As always at Parkrun people around were concerned and checked I was OK as I limped to the finish. The cycle home was a rather one-legged affair, and I was back to a regime of no running. After a week or so walking was not too painful.
Then a few weeks later as I was starting a long walk with friends, there was yet again a sharp pain. I was perhaps stupid to continue the walk, but I was back to painful walking and no running.
Since then I have decided that while completely giving up running after the marathon had been a bad idea, I’m now in a situation where I have to allow my leg to completely recover before returning to any sort of training regime. I have run for spells on a treadmill (which has the advantage that you can stop when you need to) and the muscles do seem to be recovering. I’m now missing the exercise and the time in nature. At least I’ve got back that appetite for training.