A year ago I injured myself whilst training for the Christchurch Half Marathon. I had been doing well up to my injury but had also spent the last 2 years putting a lot of pressure on myself. My injury put me out for a few months of anything too strenuous but was a sign that I needed to take a break. I had spent over 2 years putting a lot of pressure on myself (body and mind) and my injury was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Now that I can train freely without injury, I have been struggling with getting back into it. I signed up to a few small events earlier this year with the hope that it would kick start a regular training plan. At the time it did, so I signed up for the Christchurch Marathon 42.2km event. Then lockdown happened! Here I thought was a great opportunity to focus on my training. However I’ve struggled. My cycling has been going well but I have neglected my running, which is what I should have been focusing on.
The Christchurch Marathon has been postponed to 2021. At the time I was gutted it was canned. It was to be my first major event back from injury. Now I’m glad it has been postponed. More time to train and prepare!
When I look at how my training was going I had let old habits of putting too much pressure on myself sneak back in. There was no way I would have been where I wanted to be. I knew I was not going to be my fastest or fittest. I would have been able to run it, but not to the level or time I would have wanted. Time for a pep talk!
You were injured only 12 months ago. It takes time to come back from an injury. You lost fitness. You lost strength. You put on some weight. Of course you will not be able to run as fast as you were before you were injured. Give it time. Train. Train when it’s hard. Train when it’s easy. Be consistent. Remember to take rest days. Your body and muscles will soon remember. Your lungs will remember. You will get back there. You might even become fitter, fast and most definitely stronger.
So what am I doing to get back out there (again)? I have entered a half marathon that is 30 days away. Forest Run Fest 2020. I certainly wouldn’t advise anyone who hasn’t run a half marathon to train for one in 4 weeks. For me, I have run numerous half marathons so I know what I am in for. I’m already running up to 12km in training so I’m halfway there. So, no better way for me to get back out there and give myself 4 weeks to train for a half marathon. Goal getter or what my non-running friends like to call crazy!
Things are different for me this time. I know that it won’t be my fastest half marathon but I know it will be one of my best. I have changed my mind-set for this half marathon (along with life in general). Working on my mind-set has been part of my journey over the last 12-18 months. That’s a story for another day though.
I have training to do and parts of that will be hard. C’mon, its winter!! I hate the cold haha! But sometimes those cold and hard sessions are more rewarding then the easy sessions. I am not putting pressure on myself to be my best. I’m back in a space where I am running because I want to. It makes me happy. It will still be physically hard but it will be one of my best runs. I will be back out there doing what I love. I will be running with my friends. I will be running for me. I will get a medal!
So if you are in Christchurch or Canterbury and looking for a running event to do now that our Covid19 restrictions have eased, check out the Forest Run Festival! Let me know if you are going as I’d love to see you!
Happy Running!
EMMA KATE GRIBBEN 