Lately every 5K is difficult, starting with my first outdoors run on Sunday 27th Jan.  The humidity was a force to be reckoned with and I barely made the loop from River Valley Road, through Ridley to Dempsey and out to Napier and back to River Valley.

 

Last night at the gym was on treadmill.  It took me about 45 minutes to complete 5K on the treadmill because I need at least 10 minutes of walking to warm up before I can run.  Knee ached at the 25th minute and I slowed down to a walk and ran again once the ache stopped.

 

It isn't so much about feeling good, just trying to get back to the level of fitness I remember.  Today 5K, soon, 10K.

There was a free initial fitness assessment at the gym on Sunday so I went to make use of it.  The results are very dismal, probably because I was under the weather but still pushed on.  I had been feeling cold since Friday even though none of my colleagues felt cold.  On Saturday I had 4 stomach upsets.  On Sunday my throat was strepped.  I went to see the doctor today and I have a 'flu with throat infection and have been given a course of antibiotics and stuff to bring the fever down.

 

I really don't understand it cos I thought I was pretty fit.  Perhaps the disappointing results of the fitness assessment is due to my attempt while having a 'flu on top of not being able to really exercise until recently.  On a brighter note, there's going to be huge improvements when I do the assessment again in 3 months' time.

 

	20 Jan '08
Blood Pressure	Normal 116/64
Cardiovascular	Very Low 14.0 ml/kg.min
Strength	Average Bicep Strength: 50 lbs
Flexibility	Fair Sit & Reach: 14.2"
Body Composition	High Body Fat 31.6% Fat
Body Age	Your Age: 34 Body Age: 42 Obtainable Body Age: 30

continuation from previous entry:

 

- Treadmill again but only for a short while cos I only reached gym at 7:30 a.m. and hit shower at 8:15 a.m.

 

- Decided to take a break and had breakfast at home before going off to work

 

On Sunday night the gym bag was tentatively and gingerly packed.  The plan was to wake up at the usual time, brush my teeth, wash my face, change to gym gear and head out of home.  This is the week so far:

 

- Made it to the gym at Chevron House!

- Stretched then warmed up with 5 min walk then started slow jogging

- Knee hurt at 1.75 km mark so I brisk walked the rest of the way

- Someone with body odour got on treadmill next to me

- After a while I just gave up from the stench and stopped brisk walking after about 3 km

- Did Crunches on a ball

- Bumped into colleague in locker room

- Reached office on time and felt good that I made it to gym

 

- Wasted 15 mins just trying to get up and get out of bed (had class night before 'til 10 p.m.)

- Reached gym almost 20 mins later than on Monday

- Stretched and walked for 10 mins to warm up more before slow jogging

- No pain and only had time to do about 2.5 km on treadmill

- Warmed down on treadmill and more stretching

- There was a line to shower

- Reached office hot and bothered by the lags at every transition along the way

 

- Arranged to meet a friend to work out at Republic Plaza

- By the time I reached before 7:30 a.m., he was done and off to shower (he starts workout at 6:30 a.m.)

- Stretched and warmed up for 10 mins

- Probably the best run I've had so far this week: 3.5 km

- The music at Republic Plaza is better than Chevron House

- There are more shower stalls at Republic Plaza

- Reached office feeling refreshed

 

 

Received "Should you be running?" comments from colleague and friend when at the gyms.  The way I see it, the best way to get back to a sport is to do it.  Physiotheraphy helps but what I really want to do is just run.

 

I am a member of 3 clubs.  This has to be mentioned because it boils down to not wanting to waste money so I ought to use what I'm paying for.  The plan was to work out weekends but it hasn't happened so I want to get workouts done first thing in the morning.

 

If I maintain the time/distance for this whole work week,  I'll be back at my pre-injury mileage.  Now that's something to be happy about.  I can't afford any longer than 35 mins on the treadmill so I guess I'll just be increasing the intensity progressively and cover more distance in that duration.

 

It's taken a while for me to be able to look at photos ("The Last Football Game" album) taken during the game where I fell, tore my anterior cruciate ligament that fateful day on 27 October 2007.  The game which changed my life completely as I know it.

 

Received the letter to collect race pack for Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2008.  I was totally psyched to run the half-marathon this February when I signed up in early October last year.

 

2008 is about re-gaining strength, re-gaining flexibility, re-gaining speed, re-gaining hope.

 

 

Haven't been updating exercise blog even though I've been working out at the gym.  Perhaps I haven't updated because strength training doesn't make me as happy as clocking mileage.

 

Yesterday morning at physiotheraphy was tough.  I barely ate dinner the night before as I felt nauseous and felt nauseous again at breakfast yesterday morning.  Physio was tough because the therapist got me started on lateral moves which I was afraid to do because it used to hurt.  Did a number of drills involving going around little cones.  Towards the end I didn't join the "class" in cone drills and did machines - leg press and leg curls.  I felt out of sorts and the therapist said I was looking very pale and asked if I ate breakfast and immediately got me to sit down and got me some water.  "Ah good, there's some pink in your cheeks now", she said later.

 

The therapist's son was colouring little squares the whole time and when the session ended, he gave me a square with a star on it.  So sweet!

 

The next appointment is in 2 weeks time where she will be putting me on strength machine.  I am to continue with strength workouts.  When I mentioned how my knee swelled up after 40 minutes of running on the treadmill, she scolded me saying it was too much, that my leg hasn't fully regained strength yet, that the muscle tone difference between the legs was still very obvious.