Training has been going well in the last week or so. I actually managed a ‘hang-over run’ on Saturday morning, which was something of a revelation. Trudging 5 miles in a dehydrated lethargy was not the most pleasant of activities, but seeing as I usually view the weekend as an excuse to let go of any pretence of physical exercise or healthy eating, it made a nice change. In fact, fuelled by my weekend endeavours, I felt great on a short, fast 2 miler on Monday.
Tuesday, however, was a different story. While I feel like I’m ‘getting there’ in cardio terms and completed 7 miles quite comfortably, as I ran up and down Sheffield’s peaks and troughs, a faint but familiar pain began to emerge in my knees. It’s strange, because at first the brain begins to deny it, the pain perceivable and then gone in the same few strides. Then, as the miles inch by, the pain becomes more noticeable and distracting, it begins to eat into the reassuring sense of well-being that distance running can sometimes help achieve. I’m probably a little paranoid about this after last year, but it made for some anxious miles.
The fact is, road running is bad for you. Of course, it’s also good for you in a whole host of ways, but – for your legs at the very least – it’s pretty tortuous and, ultimately, damaging. If you’ve ever been to a running shoe shop where they make you run on a treadmill and allow you to view the resulting footage, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I was pretty shocked when I saw my knees and ankles snapping sideways as I ran lightly on a cushioned belt. The thought of what 7 miles on unforgiving concrete looks like doesn’t even bear thinking about.
Of course, this doesn’t mean road running is a bad idea. I’ve just got to maintain an awareness of its dangers and limit my training as a result. It’s very easy, I think, to get close to a state of addiction, hit a point at which you crave the satisfaction of a completed run, lust for the feeling of efficient movements and quick recovery. But sometimes you just have to stay at home. Rest Day.
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