The Long Run Back to Fitness

Sunday 21 May 2017 afternoon I arrived back home from my sister's house. I had been keeping my eye on the stage results of the Green Belt Relay coming through over the Internet. The race between the top two teams (Serpentine Running Club & Thames Hare & Hounds) was proving very close with the lead changing hands a few times. My legs felt OK after my previous day's 5 km parkrun. So after cooking a meal for later I decided to have a hot shower and go for a walk. If I felt well enough I would also do a bit of jogging. On arriving at the glen I jogged downhill to the bottom. Everything seemed fine and so I decided to set off on my normal lap. It was a pleasant evening and I completed 4 laps of 1 km this included 4 x 275 steps, 4 x 185 steps, plus a walk to the waterfall and 120 jog back to the footbridge. All in all it was a good workout and I was pleased to be able to get the extra work in after having done the 5 k. I checked the final stage results for the Green Belt Rela...

After a complete washout last week and most of the previous week, due to an injured back, I was hoping to start to get back on track. Sunday 14 or Monday 15 May 2017 was not to be the start of my continued "Long Run back to Fitness" as the muscle in my back still felt tender. However, by 8 pm on Tuesday 16th I did feel well enough to do something. After a very hot shower and a few minutes stretching I walked the 600 yards along the pavement to the glen. I jogged the 135 steps down to the river and then set off on the 1 km lap thru' the woods. As always, I set off with no target on how far I would go or how much of it I would run. The jog downhill to the river had been fine and my back seemed to be OK. On the first lap I walked to the highest point of the path then jogged downhill. All seemed to be good. I eventually completed 3 laps which included 3 x 265 steps jogging downhill, 2 x 180 jogging on the flat and 1 x 240 as an extended version of the 180 jog. This had been...

Week 4 of my Long Run Back to fitness started well. On Sunday, 30 April 2017 I walked to the glen then ran 1 x 135 steps down to river. Then 4 laps of including 4 x 270 steps running downhill, 3 x 150 steps on flat and finishing off last lap with 200 steps running. I then ran 100 steps to waterfall, stretched and 100 back. The glen was very empty & peaceful today as it kept threatening to rain, but apart from a few spits it was lovely - perfect running weather. After walking back from the glen I felt good but a little stiff. However, later I managed to hurt my back - don't really want to say how - and at the time, I didn't realise. Monday, 1 May 2017 I felt a pain in my lower back and side. I though it maybe my kidney or liver, as I do like a few beers and a glasses of wine - maybe too much. I was worried. Anyway, by 7.30 pm I decided let's keep this fitness lark going, so off I went intending to do only one lap of the glen. However, through my sheer stubbornness I en...

Sunday 23 April 2017 and now into my third week on "My Long Run Back to Fitness". However, today would be a rest day. Monday 24 April 2017 was a good day. A hot shower followed by some stretching. A brisk walk of 0.4 miles, then a jog of 135 steps down into the glen. Across the footbridge over the river and then up to the highest point of the path. Four laps of 0.6 miles of brisk walking which included 4 x 265 steps downhill jogging, swift walks over a second footbridge, uphill to a small reservoir around it and then along a flat path. Each lap also included a 100 step jog. Then, to finish off, I walked uphill out of the glen and swiftly back the 0.4 miles along the road. Tuesday 25 April 2017 was very similar with four laps which included jogging intervals of 4 x 265 steps downhill, plus 4 x 120 steps. As an extra I also jogged 80 steps to a small waterfall, stretched a bit, then 80 back. To finish off, I walked uphill out of the glen and swiftly back the 0.4 miles along...