If you’ve looked at ‘my important stuff’ you’ll know that staying injury free is CRUCIAL to me.
This time last year I’d just about stop hobbling around like a 90 year old lady after tearing the muscles above my knees. It took 4 months for me to get back to normal-ish and I’m still scared of running. At the time it happened I wasn’t in the middle of a strenuous run, jumping over small vehicles or completing the last of a million lunges. I was doing my shopping in Tesco!
I was planning to do the 2012 London Marathon and I was in the middle of my marathon training, putting in the miles on my own. I wasn’t worried and I’d never suffered from any injuries before, not even blisters. I was doing exactly the same thing that I did in 2005 when I ran my first London marathon. For some reason this time around my body decided it was doing no more and it sent that message wrapped up in a very painful wrapper with a confidence zapping bow. With help I got back on my feet but it took what felt like forever. It was only when I went on a sea kayaking holiday in September that I realised how much of a grey cloud had been following me around. 7 days wild camping and paddling round the coast of Turkey with 8 amazing friends helped kicked the cloud into touch.
I made myself a promise at the end of that holiday that I would do everything I could to not to be back in that useless place.
Keeping that promise is central to operation banish slug. I’ve surrounded myself by an amazing group of experts who are working together to make sure I get strong and fit and stay healthy. My crack team are Sam and Sarah from Pace Therapies (@physioSB; @PACETherapies) and my awesome trainer Stuart Amory (@StuartAmoryPT). Stuart recommended the magic eye of Sam who is working with me to ensure all my muscles work together in the right way. Sarah is provided amazing thumbs, fingers and elbows to loosen my muscles and give me bruise free sports massages and Stuart is pushing me hard to be everything I can be. They are the most brilliantly talented people I have had the pleasure of meeting and they are all on my team! It’s incredible and they make me smile massive smiles!
It hasn’t been easy doing Sam’s exercises. They isolate particular muscles that need stretching and challenging in completely new ways. This means pain. Controlled, planned and expected pain, change doesn’t just happen. These exercises create as much sweat and teeth gritting as swinging kettle bells and suspending from the TRX. Stuart has been helping ensure I do the exercises properly by incorporating them into our sessions and I’ve committed to doing them at least 4 times a week. I can tell the difference already as 5 second holds are turning into ten.
This part of keeping fit might not be the sexy part that generates the compliments but it’s one of the most important. We only have one body and we all should look after it and treat it with respect. If you haven’t ever had an assessment, ask yourself would you drive across America without insurance and an MOT? The answer is NO!
Go spend the money and take the time and see if there is anything that you need to do, to help you be the best you can be and injury free!
Pop & Stuff 