Balancing Act

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Ilha de Urubuqueçaba, Santos - it might be a few days before I next run past it

1 km run to gym - 4:58

35 minutes picking stuff up and putting it down, or variations on that theme

1 km run home - 4.55*




It's easy to get a bit lost in running statistics, always looking at distances and times and all the rest but they can also help identify problems and opportunities. This morning I found myself with time on my hands and I got my calculator out. I'm glad I did - the numbers showed me that although I have picked up the pace recently, I had a few days at the beginning of the month when my pace fell considerably because I was just tired out. So, although my last few days were encouraging the average pace was dragged down so much by the days that went before that to get my average pace for the month back up I would have to keep those faster-paced days coming for some time. Every single part of me is perfectly OK with that idea, except my left heel - and it holds the power of veto on this decision.
I've had this heel problem for a long time - maybe four years. I have had long stretches off running in that time during which I have had no pain at all until I run. As soon as I run, the pain returns after a few days and then eases off during runs before stiffening up overnight. I live with it because I don't for one second believe that there is anything at my age that can be done to help. When you get well into middle age, you have to manage injuries more than you manage training. Pain is basically your companion. Certain levels of pain are clearly impossible to ignore and it's better to find an alternative exercise or hobby, but my pain is still manageable. However, I am worried that as I run faster for longer the strain could make it worse and worse.

 This is a balancing act I will try to perform now until the Rio marathon, on June 2, 2018 (in 205 days, the website tells me). I need to get fitter, stronger and lighter and I need to watch how much strain I put on my heel. So for the rest of this week I will run only very short distances to the gym - it varies depending on how circuitous the route I take is - and I will tell myself repeatedly how important core strength is to running. I used to hate weight training but nowadays find it rewarding in its own weird way, but as those 205 days click by I will get anxious about missing out the miles. Bearing in mind that one of the main reasons I run is to reduce anxiety, you can imagine how treacherous this little hobby of mine can be.

 *A note about the gym workout: I do my routine as fast as possible, to the point of near exhaustion. It used to take me an hour, but now takes only 35 minutes. I have no idea if this is good or bad but it provides me with a challenge that helps make weight training slightly more aligned with the kind of mental obstacles I face on a run. I think. 
   

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