Starting again from the beginning!

Bit of a busy night tonight, boys had football practice 6-7, daughter needed picking up afterwards then off for haircuts. Took kids home and it was now 8:30.......so i went for my run a little later than planned. I was walking up to my start point with my ankle now aching , during the first part of my run it didn't feel great but didn't get any worse so i carried on. The second phase saw the niggling pain get much better? The third saw it disappear altogether?  Strange but true! The further, and faster i went the easier the run got? My ankle pain has now, as i type, practically vanished completely. I've had a good stretch and now can't wait till Sunday!

Thursday 21 April - 2.75 miles - 8 minutes run/2 minutes walk x 3

Week - 2.75

Month - 19.4

2011 - 53.08

Well done Just Run how is the ankle this morning - could it have been a bite? but the fact it just disapeared on the run seems strange -

Had another nice easy one this morning - approximately 30 minutes I say approximately because I somehow stopped my watch and had been running for a while before I noticed so had to estimate!!!

Definitely getting spoilt though, a lovely morning again down here in Clacton sun rising over the sea and only a very few dog walkers out - and a friend of my wife's friend unexpectly turning up at 7:30 this morning to clean our rugs!!!  (he's coming back at 1 o'clock)

Hi Grendel, the ankle is improving daily, even after my run its improved again. I think i may have overdone the stretching and irritated it a bit? Theres no redness and the pain just doesn't feel like a bite. I think i'll just put it down to my weird bio-mechanics which have confused the last three physios i've seen who just end up scratching their heads when they see my ankle. Well done on getting out today, i run at the beach when we're on holiday or away for weekends as i find it very, very relaxing! You just can't beat the sun rising over the sea, all that fresh air, although the camber on most beaches does make life tough for me. Fair play on sending the rug doctor away, 7:30??? Did they s**t the bed???

The rug doctor forgot to come back due back Monday now!!! wife not happy!!

I don't actually run on the beach as the sand does not do my achilles much good - but a nice long sea wall stretches for miles - wish I could run more of it - oh well one day.

Little Grendel came out with me today - we did 22 minutes could have done more but he couldn't but he wants to do every saturday now!!!

Had an enjoyable if slightly tired 4.34 mile run (according to map my run) in 40 minutes so sub 10 minute miles - left my rain jacked at home - felt a bit self conscious but felt better not to be over heating!!

Funny how a change of styles makes a difference, because i was jogging a lot slower yesterday with little grendel my legs ached a lot more today and my knees too.

Sunday 24 April - 8 minutes run/2 minutes walk - 3.04 miles 

Hi Grendel, how old is little Grendel? My daughter has shown interest in running, recently ran for her school and has joined the schools running club, which will resume after the easter break. She's 8 years old and i'd like to take her along for one of my easy runs once i get settled into some sort of schedule. I think she has my sisters running ability as she was an exceptional cross country runner in her youth.

I've just got back from my run, first morning run for a while! Saw another 4 runners today, pretty quiet round here. Set off a little quicker than usual and got quicker in each phase of my run. Was probably going much quicker than i should but tagged onto another runner on the way back and even hit sub 8 minutes miles for the last quarter of a mile. Was well out of breath at the finish but broke the 3 mile barrier! Not bad for someone having walk breaks, although it was all very flat!

Just eaten 2 mini cadburys creme eggs as a reward!

Week - 5.79

Month - 22.8

2011 - 56.12

Good mornings run today - 30 minutes and 38 seconds covered (according to map my run) 3.28 miles - which equates to sub 10 minute mile pace !!! part of the run was 10 minutes off road (although I was looking for a friendly bush where I could have a comfort break -which I never did find - so uncomfortable run!!!)

Well done Grendel, i'm looking forward to running sub 10 minute miles on a regular basis. I moved up to the next stage tonight, 9 minutes run/1 minutes walk. Took it very easy and coasted through. Already looking forward to running 30 minutes non stop, which all being well, is only a couple of weeks away now!

Tuesday 26 April - 2.85 miles - 9 minutes run / 1 minute walk x 3

Week - 2.85

Month - 25.65

2011 - 58.97

Sounds good Just Run - when you get to the 30 minutes non stop just take it easy and try and keep to a pace that you can keep up comfortably.

This morning was supposed to do a fartlek session but instead did 10 minute warm up - 9 times a minute brisk with a 1 minute walk recovery and then a few minutes warm down - not sure why I didn't make it a 10 times a minute - but I was running out of time as I only really have 30 minutes in the morning.

Will be interesting tonight as my wife wants to come out for a jog whilst little Grendel is at Cubs so two runs today!!  

Well done on keeping up the sub 10 minute miles Grendel. How did the second run go?

Thursday 28 April 3.02 miles 9 minutes run / 1 minute walk

 Definately getting fitter as i took it nice and easy and still just about hit 3 miles. Off to Ironbridge Runner Saturday for a proper gait analysis with my new insoles and to buy some new shoes.

Its a little quiet on here at the moment? Hope everyone is getting out for a run!

Week - 5.87

Month - 28.67

2011 - 61.99

 Sunday 1 May - 9 minutes run / 1 minute walk - 2.96 miles

Todays run seemed like hard work! Although its not been gloriously sunny here all weekend its still pretty warm and i found it pretty tough going today. Got through it ok though and kept a nice consistent pace throughout. Wore my new shoes too, they feel fantastic! My trip to the running shop was interesting. I ran on the treadmill without my orthotics to get an idea of how my gait is without them and then popped them in and saw the difference they make. What was really surprising was how much my right ankle (which gives me no problems at all) rolled in it was really shocking! My orthotics corrected my running gait to near perfect which was very pleasing. I tried on various cushioned shoes (without looking at the price) and ran with them all on the treadmill. One pair stood out big time, some Mizuno Wave Creation 12's. They felt great, cushioned yet supportive, a very luxurious shoe. I just knew they'd be expensive but couldn't ignore how much better they felt than anything else so took the plunge. I nearly choked on my Ron Hills at the price.....£110!!!

You are doing well JR. £110 is not cheap but if they enhance your your running and keep you injury free then they are a solid invesment!

I have struggled a little in the heat over the last week. Certainly not like the Aberdeen I am used too!

It has gone quiet on the forum, I hope everyone is doing okay. Grendel3, you are obviously doing fine. Well done. What about the rest of you?

Progress for me is slowed at the moment but is still measureable. I am using Endomodo GPS tracking software on my phone which is really good for announcing each km and the split time for that km. Plus at the end of the workout I can review my pace at various points of the route I have run. I find this much better than sticking to a couple of tracks and comparing times. I can basically head out and run wherever I want on a whim and still have good data about time distance and pace. Anyone else using such software?

Not been on for a couple of days - Friday was good an easy 30 minutes, whilst I will put the Saturday run down as a recovery run as little Grendel came out too - and we walked ran sprinted 22 minutes -

Sunday surprised me took it very easy and ran 45 minutes - it was very windy but I enjoyed it - 43 minutes seemed such a long time to be out - invested in a small MP3 thingy and ran with music - have always been against it but it did help.  Then this morning a very easy 30 minutes again ahead of tomorrows 1 mile time trial - the mile is all measured out thanks to those great chaps from map my run and am facing it with some trepidation - in the past a time trial was eyeballs out - but have decided all i need to do is to run briskly - will try and aim for sub 9 minute miles - I did run the mile this morning and in a straight line it does seem a vey long way!!! Maybe rethink and will do a two laps of a figure of 8 course I have worked out - will juts have to re measure it tonight.

 £110 sound an awful lot for a pair of shoes - I got mine from sports direct for £19.99 but I know that I can't go far wrong with New Balance - but if as Addy said they help then money well spent. and well done on the continued good progress Just Run.

 As for you Addy, slow is good as I have found - but looking back it is only 4 months since I started walking running a minute and can now run 45 minutes non stop - I think that the 5 mile race I did came a month to early but it did give me the impetus I needed - my nephew is looking to join me on the next race I do and that is keeping me going!! I will beat him despite being 28 years my junior!!

Hi Addy, I use a Garmin forerunner 405, I like to see my pace on most runs, and I love the fact I can download my run, see how far I’ve run, how fast I’ve gone and where I’ve been. I love stats and I also use it on my bike. Its great for mapping out new routes too. Nice to hear you’re getting out.

Well done on running 45 minutes Grendel, I can’t wait to be running for that time again soon(ish). I know £110 is a lot of money but I have lots of biomechanical issues and unfortunately picking a pair of cheap running shoes up from the high street is out of the question for me. If the help my running, and most of all help keep me injury free then the money will have been very well spent.

Day off from running today, going to have a good stretching session later.

Hi everyone,

Can I join you, please? I'm Tracey, I'm 39 and I'm about to start from the beginning, again! I last ran in October 2005 when I ran(?) the Bristol half in 2:37.

Since then I have had a missed miscarriage 13 weeks after said half, then had a baby in Dec 2006, not run at all after having Amy, then a late miscarriage in June 2009 at 20 weeks which has sunk me into depression.  I finally started counselling a few weeks ago, and I know it will help my recovery if I run again. Even the thought of running makes me cry at the moment, but in a good way!

 So I've taken a look at my battered Asics and realised I really need a new pair . I'm off to the running shop after work tomorrow (I finish at lunch time) and then I will start breaking them in with the beginners run/walk schedule which is what I started with in 2004. My dog can train with me, although at the pace I run he'll still have plenty of time to sniff around! I have a Park Run in my local park so I hope to join that when I've reached the 30 mins target.

So tomorrow is run 1 walk 1.5 so I will see how I get on.

Of course you are welcome on here Top Cat2 -

Having had a wife who has suffered on and off from depression since the birth of our son 8 years ago and still takes the anti depression tablets, well know the debilitating effect that depression can cause and the fact that you are going to use running as part of your recovery along with counselling is great and I am sure it will help you in the long 'run' .

 My stuff about starting again is on here towards the start of the thread, and if nothing else I have learnt that patience is the key so welcome Top Cat and let us know how it went.

Now then my time trial went off OK - 12 minute warmup to the start and then a minute walk and stretch and off I went -  I was a little bit nervous and therefore negative about it, my legs felt heavy and didn't think I would make it - but suddenly I reached the half way point and found that I was going quite smoothly and more importantly wasn't really breathing very heavily so dug in a bit and finished the run in 8:22 - which leaves me to believe that 7 something is on the cards by the end of the month - so target for may - sub 8 minute mile!!!   Watch this space.

Happy running all.

Welcome aboard Topcat 2 , i hope you can find some inspiration from the thread. We are/were all in the same boat by the looks of things, many of us having run before and returning to the beaten track!

My wife suffered a miscarriage herself before our eldest daughter was born and although a helpless bystander as a bloke i can appreciate the long and painful route back to some sort of normality. I find running the single most stress releiving thing i've ever done and i never finish a run without feeling better for it.

Good luck with the comeback!!!

Well done on the time trial Grendel, 8:22 is pretty impressive! Once i've hit the 30 minutes non stop running i may have a go myself, see if i can work out some pacing for my runs using the mile time? Or at least something to beat the following month?

I went out for a nice steady 3 miler tonight without my watch (had to take a stopwatch for walk break). I leave the watch at home every now and again and just run, not too quick but whatever feels good. I think its good to go out without looking at your pace or worrying about whether you're beating last weeks run. Ran for 13 minutes tonight followed by a 2 minute walk and repeated on the return home. Felt a bit sluggish to half way but really felt good on the way back.