Well, this is going to be a short and sweet post. Week 5 of Manchester Marathon training hasn’t really gone to plan, but when does marathon training ever go smoothly?

Monday

With my hip/side still painful, even when just walking, I rested today. Hoping that I would be able to run tomorrow. I stretched my side lots, but it actually felt like the stretching was making it hurt more.

Tuesday

I thought that I was going to be able to run today, but the pain was still there when walking. It is such an awkward place that resting it is almost impossible. Every movement in bed, when I walk, standing up, just everything seems to make you engage your obliques. Saying it’s my obliques is totally self-diagnosed; not ideal but going to see a physio at the moment is out of the question.

Wednesday

With my hip rested and feeling a little better, I was struck down with a cold. Very annoying! I was in bed by 8 pm, asleep by 8:20 pm and then slept through until 6:30 am the next morning. I am sure you have gathered but no running again today.

Thursday

I was still not feeling great today. I went to work, but I had that feeling when your eyes are sore and all you want to do is close them and lay in bed. So, day 5 of no running. Can you see why this week hasn’t quite gone to plan???

Friday

Feeling better, I decided to go for a test run to see how my hip was. I thought it was going to be lovely, as the weather was nice and it was still light outside when I got home from work. I got my music ready and was about to head out when my daughter said she wanted to come with me. Ahhh, how lovely I thought. Well, that didn’t quite go to plan as she whinged after just 30 seconds and made me feel like I’d forced her out 🙂 Well, after returning her home 1/2 a mile in, I completed the other 1/2 mile on my own, with Oasis playing on my headphones.

I could feel my hip, it was tight but not sore. I felt VERY unfit, but it was lovely to be running. I stuck with just a mile as I wanted to see if there would be a reaction.

Saturday

With no obvious reaction, I decided to head to Parkrun with Christine. I thought I could just walk when I needed too. Irchetser Parkrun isn’t the easiest, but luckily we started towards the back and that meant that we started slowly as it is congested.

I was surprised at how my breathing was; feeling ok and enjoying the running, we didn’t stop at all. My hip felt tight and I was aware of it the entire run, but it was hurting.

It was really lovely to be running again. It was only a week without running, but it felt like a lifetime! I stretched lots when I got home and kept my fingers crossed that there was no reaction.

Sunday

Luckily there was no reaction with my hip, but Storm Ciara was visiting so I actually enjoyed a lie-in. Tea in bed and a lazy morning was so nice! I had decided that I needed to run again, I am very aware that Manchester Marathon is getting very close and I haven’t really logged any big miles. I decided to get on the treadmill and see how many miles I could bank.

Does anyone else find it really hard to motivate themselves to run if they haven’t got it done in the morning? I knew I didn’t have the mindset to just run long on the treadmill and I still wasn’t totally confident with my hip.

So, I ran a mile then stopped and stretch. I increased the speed a little and then ran 2 miles. With a little speed increase again, I ran 3 miles. I would have liked to run 4 miles, but I knew that I didn’t have the time as my husband and daughter were waiting for me.

I was really enjoying the running, singing along to the music; well miming, as no one needs to hear my singing voice! I was constantly checking my form and I could feel my hip, but it didn’t feel as tight as yesterday. Funnily, everything else seemed to hurt!

But I was happy with 6 miles banked in total. I would have liked more, but I don’t want to push it too soon.

Overview and Stats

I would be lying if I said I was confident for Manchester. I already felt so behind with my training, so missing last week hasn’t helped at all! But 8 weeks is still a long time, so let’s see what happens!

10 miles banked for week 5

Let’s hope that week 6 is ‘back on it’. Fingers crossed. Remember you can subscribe by adding your email address below. It means that every time I post, you will get it straight to your inbox.

If you have missed the previous weekly updates, read them here.

Week 4 of Manchester Marathon training started well, but a small injury is worrying me a little now. If you have missed the previous weekly updates, read them here.

Monday

I didn’t set the alarm to get up early for my recovery run, but I had put my kit out just in case I was awake. When I looked at the clock and it said 5:45 am, I really wanted to stay in bed, but I knew I would be disappointed if I didn’t get up and run.

5k was completed on the treadmill, it wasn’t anything special. I kept it slow and just got it done.

Tuesday

It was another early morning as I made my way back to the gym. Strength work is so important and I have just been finding the early get-ups difficult, so it was nice to get back in the gym. A sad admission, but I got a little bit excited when the gym staff told me that the gym is now open from 6 am not 6:30 am! How sad is that??

Wednesday

As I hadn’t completed a long run last weekend, I decided to run longer with Christine this week. I suggested a route, which was hilly but we went for it anyway. Christine wanted to do 15 miles, but I stuck to 11. We ran 8 together, then I stopped and let her do the extra 4 miles and then we completed the last 3 together. The last mile was up a particularly big hill. It was the hill that kept on giving and I have to be honest, I walked some of it. I was so hungry by this point, I was a little grumpy and just didn’t have the resilience to conquer the hill! hehe.

Thursday

A recovery run was much needed today, yet I really wanted to go to ‘run club’ to see everyone. Waiting until 6:30 pm is sometimes hard, it gives you just enough time to sit down after work and then it takes everything to get yourself out the door! Anyone else find this?

The session was a speed session, but I just jogged all the reps. It is so hard not to be competitive! The evening was finished with a trip to the gym – well isn’t that the way every spends their wedding anniversary!! Yes, you read that correctly, it was my wedding anniversary and I went to ‘run club’ and the gym! My husband is a lucky man! hehe

Friday

Rest day, which was lucky as I had a very sore hip. It was painful to walk at times. I tried massaging it, stretching it and ignoring it (typical runner) but it was quite painful.

Saturday

As I am not covering huge mileage on my long runs at the moment I was happy to run long again. I made arrangements to run with Sarah. Early alarm set again, I think I may have forgotten what a lie-in is now! We met at 7:00 am and I did warn Sarah that my hip was not quite right so I would have to see how I went.

Early on I could feel it, but it wasn’t too bad. Around 8 miles, it started to be quite painful. Sarah went off to do some solo laps of the lake we were at, whilst I stretched. We had to get back to where Parkrun was starting, so I said I would try to run that part, but I would have to give Parkrun a miss. We slowed down and jogged back. I was surprised that my hip seemed to ease a little. So, like most runners, I pretended that I wasn’t injured and joined in with Pakrurn anyway. You would all do the same, wouldn’t you?

We took it very easy, but by the end my hip was sore. As we were finishing the run, I focussed on where the discomfort was. I realised that the tightness was coming from my side as well. I spoke to a friend of Sarah’s, who helped me stretch my side. Ouch, that’s all I can say!

Sunday

Originally, I had planned to run the Junior Parkrun with my daughter. I thought running slowly would help my legs, but even after lots of stretches my side/hip said no way. Instead, I had to just be the proud mum at the side as my daughter collected her half marathon band.

So, an enforced rest day, but a fair bit of stretching trying to ease my side.

Overview and Stats

I am gutted to be nursing a little injury as I feel like I was working hard this week and right back ‘on it’. I purposely didn’t step up my mileage too quickly for exactly this reason, yet still seemed to be injured. Annoying!! I hope it eases quickly.

27.5 miles banked for week 4

Who knows what will happen in week 5, I’ll just have to take it day by day.