Now if you recall quite some time ago I purchased these, and having given up the running for the training for the Etape I hadn't really been out much. Well, avid readers (if I have any) will know that I've started to run home from work. Nothing too strenuous or fast since I'd had some serious trouble before - I'd been a bit of a runner in my early twenties and had taken it back up once I moved out to the 'deen - but I'd damaged my hip flexors on taking it back up and had some nasty pain killers until the pain died down, hence the cycling. But - and I think I am safe in saying this since it's been about 3-4 weeks now - I have had none of the hip flexor pain I encountered since I started running regularly. I've - dare I say it - been shincing (shuffle and a mincing) quite happily.
In the relm of complete honesty I haven't worn the toe-gloves (because they're not really shoes) every week as I've lost a sock and at £11 a pair that's the only real thing I'm sore about. I've worn my usual New Balance trainers but I can feel how differently I land my foot in these which I hadn't noticed before. I kind of roll my foot outside in across the ball of my foot. My heal barely touches the floor. I swing my fore arms like a windmill when I need to change direction. But I think that last one is more to do with being bappit more than anything else.
So far, I'm doing 2.5 miles in 45 minutes and that includes a few stops as I have found my whole legs get 'crampy'. This feels more like muscle fatigue than actual joint or muscle agrivation, and I take the time to stretch that out. I have also had a really mild case of shin splints but I think again this is more to do with the change from cycling to running. The first couple of times I really wasn't used to the running, and would find myself running out of breath a lot quicker than someone who's got a pretty good endurance level of fitness, but that has gotten so much easier to the point that on Thursday I had to remind myself to listen to my legs, as I was in the endurance 'zone' as it were (you know the one, where you're just far enough out of breath to feel like it's work but not so much that you feel like you're going to burst a lung, and you've gone properly shiny sweaty where your skins hot but wet, and on the whole you feel like you're carrying an inner sauna and the breeze you're creating by moving is the thing that makes it all so enjoyable - or is that just me?) Well I was getting down with that and nearly tried to run through a muscle cramp which means I'm improving on the run. I've almost got my stride down. I figure this time next week I'll be able to run the whole way which will be quite nice.
I have been out on the bike too. Today I had to go into workypoos and got on the Dawes, which I'm going to do more of. I am very sick of the whole having to get on the lycra so unless I'm going 'out-out' I won't be doing that. I went in on my jeans and wasn't too bad. I mean, how bad can you stink averaging 10 miles an hour on a 20 minute cycle, especially when you shower every day?! Alpine bikes in Aberdeen had a sale so I've purchased another bike jacket - a purple one - to go with my purple sachel, purple bike, purple puffa jacket and purple cardy. I didn't even intend that.
I also needed some spokes to fix my mudguards - the bits that hold your mudgards to the bike wheels. Mines are whoringly bent and the entire bike is beginning to vibrate with the tyre rubbing against the mudguard. The bike is becoming basically unridable but those chaps in Alpine gave me some they had lying round the shop! For free! (If I'd have had cash I would have stuck a fiver in their charity box - in fact I might just do that as that's the second time they've come up free trumps.) The spokes they've given me are just on the side of too short but I should be able to fashion something with some tent pegs we have (which by happy accident are the exact same size thickness!)
Anywhoo, just counting down to the Brompton really. And watching TDF. Call me curmudgeon but I don't want Froome to win. Too obvious. I think they're going to make it difficult for him though. Which I'm quite glad about.
I wish you to eat cake in the park.
or
Fine Piece Out!
Jx
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