My long run this week was 6.4km. I discovered the Parkland Walk a few weeks ago, and used my long run to explore it more than I already have. I ran down to Seven Sisters road and into Finsbury Park, then joined the walk from there. The route was really pleasant, it was a glorious day, and I should have really enjoyed it.
However, I had awful uterine cramps again, and after 2 km had to stop in Finsbury Park and throw up. Again. I had eaten relatively close to my time of departure (about an hour before), but had left what I thought had been enough time for the food to digest. I did drink a coffee, which I don't normally do, and I probably hadn't had as much water as normal, as I had been bloody-mindedly knitting on a project I wanted to finish.
I didn't run the whole way - I walked for about half a kilometre while I was in Finsbury Park, because I was just feeling so sick, and again a little way along the Parkland Walk, because I had a stitch that wasn't going away as I ran. It was demotivating, that's for sure!
I did find an amazing abandoned station, though, and I forgot the pain relatively quickly after I had got home and had a shower.
Today, I did my 5 km recovery run. I approached it with...not joy exactly, but enthusiasm. I mixed up my 'normal' 5km route, and was feeling good until about 2km. I had a terrible stitch, and was just wondering if I should give up and go home, when I looked up and saw the "Mind" shop. I'm raising money for Mind when I run the Great North Run, and although I'm not normally one to pay attention to 'signs', this felt like one. I had about 30 seconds to catch my breath, then carried on.
Just after crossing Finsbury Park station, the stitch returned with a vengeance. I tried to run it off again, but in the end had to stop and walk for about half a kilometre again. I extended the run by a small amount in order to try make up for that, but couldn't manage to keep running until the 6km mark, which I had planned to do while walking.
Although I'm pleased I pushed through - and went again today after the awful run I had yesterday - I'm feeling a bit despondent about the cramps, throwing up and stitches. I am 'fit' - I did Couch to 5K and reached the 5km mark on March 1st, so I've had two and a half months of running 5km regularly...I've been trying to watch my eating and drinking carefully, trying to eat and drink the right things, and I regulate my breathing when I'm running, breathing in and out only when my left foot hits the road. (So in/left-right, out/left-right, in/left-right, out/left-right and so on). As mentioned in the last post, I use an electrolyte solution in my water.
I listen to audio books while I'm running so try distract myself from the pain, and I am mentally determined to get there.
If anyone has any idea why I'm finding it so difficult, please do let me know if you have any ideas! I will keep it up as long as my body will allow me to, but I am terrified of getting injured and not being able to train and therefore run in September. I know I have a lot of time, but the idea is to make it a habit rather than a one-off. I don't intend to stop running once I have done the half-marathon, but it sure would help if my body would work with me!
Much love,
Corrie xx
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