So I did, but the very next day they show up again, so I decide to take a week off, first day back 'Ouch, Ouch and double Ouch.
Hey, you know what, I will take a month off, It was great, I chilled out, went over to Gothenburg in Sweden, got sun burnt, came home started training and back came the shoulder pain.
Should I take a year off.... No Way, I guess what ever it is I have wrong with my shoulder nothing short of surgery is going to sort it out, I have had more than my fair share of physiotherapy with several physiotherapists over the last few years and now I simply have to find something else I can do as an exercise that does not give me grief.
So, I dug out my old Nike trainers and my hoody (hooded sweatshirt) and set off to get a few miles in. I diden't get far. Can having a little over a month off from training set you back that much?
I needed a plan. I needed to something to get me motivated, In my head I still think I am half the age I really am.
I found my old hand held Boxing timer and decided to set it for twelve three minutes rounds with a 30 seconds rest in between. Now if I was boxing this would go ding ding and I would spar for three minutes and at the bell would sit and rest for 30 seconds until the ding ding rang again and up I would get.
However, I'm not Boxing, I am using the timer to get me back into running, the reason I am sharing it with others is to tell and show you how anyone can get started, you don't need a Boxing timer, most of today's smart phones have a function like a stop watch in them.
Let me share with you my get back into running plan.
With my timer set at three minutes I would set off toward the dunes ... WALKING FOR THREE MINUTES ... YES WALKING. When the bell rang after three minutes walking I would then run the 30 seconds in between the round time until the bell went again, then I would walk for three minutes (This is also known as active rest)
I would repeat this process of three minutes walking and 30 seconds running for twelve rounds (twelve cycles) Now unlike my first run back this was easy, to easy. But I decided this was what I was going to do every day for the next five days, Monday to Friday, if day one was easy I can tell you that every other day got easier.
I was out and about, getting fresh air, getting some blood flowing around the body and I came back home feeling great and more importantly feeling like I could do more.
That's the trick. People start off trying to do to much and just end up giving in to soon. Habits don't change over night. You mindset and you body have to do it together.
So lets fast forward this a little from the one I made earlier to just now.
My week 1 started off with three minutes walking, 30 seconds running for a total of twelve cycles.
Week 2: Three minutes walking, one minutes running for a total of twelve cycles.
Week 3: Two minutes walking, 30 seconds running for a total of twelve cycles.
Week 4: Two minutes walking, one minute running for a total of twelve cycles.
Week 5: One minute walking, Two minutes running for a total of twelve cycles.
Week 6: One minute walking, three minutes running for a total of twelve cycles.
Week 7: 30 seconds walking, Two minutes running for a total of twelve cycles.
Week 8: 30 second walking, Three minutes running for a total of twelve cycles.
I can honestly say that at every stage I felt that I could do more.
Now I am looking forward to running 5K next week at this event.
www.vredesloop.com
And it doesn't matter whether I come in first, in the middle, or plumb last. I can say, 'I have finished.'
And I speak from past experience when I tell you there is a lot of satisfaction in that.
