Back to school

"The definition of madness is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results"

- or some shit.  Basically stop doing the same shit that gets you injured you twat.

So this week training is purely focussed on correcting my running form to improve my shin splints.  I am pretty certain I am 'driving down' which is smashing my shin. Lack of foot flexibility, poor calf strength and being a fat cunt are all adding to continual issues. Net result is rest, improve shin, start running, pick up pace, problem appear, repeat.

If I want to have a proper go, without backing off completely I need to look at the fundamentals.

So, and this is caveated by it could all be bollocks, means I need to drive more forwards (upwards), lift torso and look ahead.

Start simple, no point going out with a check list with 100 things on it.  Pretty sure biggest gains will be the obvious ones.

Today's run - focus on driving knees, engaging core, looking ahead.  Pace - who knows lets just see if I can do a loop without hobbling off at the end.  I'll run easy and focus purely on trying to lift the kness and keep looking ahead rather than down (I have always done this even as a kid).

What I got away with at 8 1/2 stone doesn't quite work at 12 stone !!

SO...

Just back from run. Very simple changes but a huge difference.  Instantly noticed shin splints almost completely went.  First mile or so felt quite hard like the extra muscles being used were fatiguing me quicker.  This actually went as the run went on and the muscle memory took over. I stopped 4 times to make sure I didn't drop back into bad habbits and kept the concentration higher.

It felt noticeably bouncier and reminded me (in my head) of how Crammy used to run (think Nice '85 1500m WR).

When I normally restart running the aches are usually severe causing the first few steps to be an uncomfortable hobble but this time I could start with very little ache (remember I could hardly walk this morning without pain).

Keeping the back straight and looking forward rather than down has a huge impact. I think the head leaning forward was causing lower back issues, downward stomping action and crushing the quads.

Have to admit at the moment, I got back and felt really comfortable and no worries about running tomorrow.  Maybe that's just Nurofen kicking in so we will see on that one!!

Positive steps, have to keep up with this plus the rehab and make sure the old habbits don't creep in.

Fingers crossed a week of unstructured form training and we'll see if next week brings in some testing.

I deliberately didn't being the Garmin but I'd say today was 7:45-8/mm but it did feel faster for less effort (but who knows). I do think I could run quicker, normally I look at 5/mm and I'm running like I am about to fall to bits.

Anyways, this could be all total bollcks and I'm limping about by tonight but as always I'm crossing everything.