But you'd be wrong.
Since my last update, I have run the 2 miles / 3.2 kms to or from work three times and I have also taken advantage of the personal training session that is available to me at lunchtimes. I only managed to go to that once - and I'll definitely be back and attempting to go more regularly than I have in the past.
This is despite the fact that during this session the trainer uttered the words "the squats should be feeling like a relief to you now".
WHAT? I would never have thought of squats being a relief in any world imaginable - but it turns out that when you're in the middle of a continuous circuit that goes from doing squats, do doing jumping squats to doing bouncing squats, to then just holding the squat position for ten seconds before going back to the beginning and doing normal squats then continuing the sequence - that the squats are actually a relief. Who knew?
But boy am I hurting now. My legs are hurting, my shoulders are hurting, my chest is hurting, my neck is hurting. I imagine it would be easier to list what is not hurting.... um, my hair feels alright?
At the conclusion of the session, I thought I'd ask the trainer for some tips on preparing for this half marathon - I know I need to get new trainers (my trusty ol' Asics are great, but I did buy them 5 years ago so I'm sure they need retiring), but I thought I'd ask him if I should go to see a physio to get some exercises for my bung knee and slightly dodgy ankle.
What he told me is all stuff I kinda knew - I really am a lazy but informed exerciser, I have read countless books and magazines on what I should be doing, I just don't do it - that strength and weight bearing exercise would be good to build up my muscles so I can run better and for longer, mainly quads, hamstrings, arms, core etc. Plus having stronger muscles surrounding my knee will mean that it isn't as bung anymore.
And then he got a bit awkward and suddenly I knew exactly what he was going to say.
"And, um, well, the thing is... y'know Kate, well... look, what I will say is that other clients of mine who have had knee problems, what they have found is... that when they - ah - oh... y'know dropped a couple of kilos... that their knee problems weren't as bad anymore. Particularly when you're running, the less, um, pressure you can put on the knee the better it is for it........ And it's not that I think you're... and I'm not saying that you need to lose a lot... and it's not y'know... it's just that, well, maybe you should really look at your diet and....."
Brilliant.
Actually, I do take what he said on board (but not literally because obviously I can't afford to take too much more on if I don't want my knees to give way under the sheer collossus of it all). And surprisingly, it makes sense to me. As does all this malarkey with doing strength training.
I've always known that I could afford to lose a couple of kilos - but it's never particularly bothered me because I still look good and am comfortable in my own skin and I really really like food. Really. I've always known I should do strength training because it reduces the risk of osteoporosis and tones you up etc - but it's never particularly bothered me because I consume a enough dairy (see above for love of food and being happy with how I look). But this, this is now a whole new ballgame. Finally I have a reason to be doing it all.
Having stronger hamstring muscles will enable me to kick my leg up behind me when I run, therefore making running easier; having stronger arm muscles will enable me to have a better swing when I run, therefore making running easier; having a stronger core will enable me to hold myself upright rather than swaying all over the place, therefore making running easier; losing a bit of weight will mean there's less pressure on my legs, less surface area to drag in the air, less bulk to drag around - therefore making running easier.
FINALLY. I can see a point for all the hard work. In the long run (no pun intended) it means I can be a bit lazier because it will be easier. Is this flawed logic? Probably. But it works for me. And it is this that I will focus on over the coming months.
Today though, I'm off to see Shihad at Clapham Common. They have been one of my favourite bands for years and lyrics for their song "Gimme Gimme" from the album "Killjoy" is where I get the title and address of this blog.
I may not get in the mosh like I did when I was a teenager though.
My knee would never put up with it.
Thank you to Andrew Naylor and Alexis Massey-Ryan who have donated since my first blog. Much appreciated, guys!
