Week 2 of running coach sessions and a bit more pain.
I like scientific explanations and I also get concepts and can visualise. While lying on a bench while someone sticks a bony elbow into your backside, you need something to think about. You also need to remember to breathe.
I used to see a massage therapist who was brilliant at reminding me to breathe and relax. You know how it goes, you tense when you expect pain or when you experience it. This massage therapist just used to say “oi”. It was enough to remind me in that moment to relax and breathe through it, “in through the mouth, out through the nose”.
On Thursday it was visualisation of me running a half marathon as well as breathing. The pain is temporary.
The science is working too, I am now a bit taller. Standing with balanced shoulders, not lopsided and can do a raised pigeon and get my nose to the bench. Great progress for only 2 sessions.
I was also videoed running, more science. I ran away and then ran back and the video showed what is going wrong and what needs fixing. This isn’t revelatory, it is more “now why didn’t I think of that?”. But if I wasn’t seeing a professional, would I have picked up the problem? Unlikely I think.
When I am running, when my right foot strikes the ground, my right knee caves in, not much, but it is enough to cause my left side to compensate. Now think about running like that for 21 kms. Assuming my stride is around 1m, that same fault happens 10500 times. It is no wonder that eventually my body said “no more”.
Next week is the start of fixing that right knee problem. It could be associated with my left shoulder problem following the accident and repair of my pectoral muscles, we are built with diagonal support structures. But I could have been doing this for years before then.
The frustration of not running the whole Half Marathon is dissipating, helped by the work being done with and on me now. I know I can run the distance, but now I want to run it well. So I have set a target of 2:15. There is a bit of sandbagging there, but I figure if I lose the weight I need to get rid of (now 3kgs in 4 weeks) and sort out my running style, get back into training, it will be very doable, probably by some margin.
Now to fundraising. While the Give a Little has slowed down, the Angel Protocol keeps moving. DRFX now has USD8000 in our Angel account and the Give A Little money has been invested and is earning 19.45%.
There is a bit more fundraising to do to reach the target. I need your help again. Do you know anyone who can do digital art? I am keen to see if I can create a connection between art and Refractory Epilepsy and enable a way of art driving donations. Please let me know if you do and if you can do an intro for me.
This will be the last update before Christmas and New Year celebrations. Thank you again for your donations. Enjoy your break if you are getting one. Raise a glass to us. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you wherever you are.
Best wishes, Andy.
