Nerves Ahoy! (Plus a myriad of other little annoying problems).

I’ll confess.

I’m a little worried.

About the hike.

OK, not a little, I’m panicky.

I’d been keeping a good momentum of jogging for the better part of the past two weeks in preparation for the hike. But as of Tuesday, after a brilliant non-stop jog last Saturday (with rest on Sunday & Monday), my ankles are stiff and they hurt and getting back into simple motion like walking, from periods of rest like being seated at my desk, is shockingly painful.

I sort of have a waddled walk now, you know that duckling duck walk? I feel the pain at an angle which numbs to a dull ache after a few steps, when my ankles sort of remember how to do their job.

So here I am, struggling through my stretches every morning (let me just make it clear, at this point, that having a lean, “skinny” frame is absolutely no assurance of flexibility or fitness!) and with throbbing ankles, I am worried sick that my body is sort of failing before we even begin.

Damn!

A harsh realization that I am not as agile or as flexible as I used to be.

Age? Laughs a little

Just lifestyle constraints, maybe .. like driving around all the time despite the fact that I live a 10 minute walk from the job! 😦

So, naturally, I consulted.

Dr. Google (because why would I run to a GP for a throbbing, sore ankle that has shown no signs of swelling? That’s why they sell Deep Heat & Deep Freeze and Google has to remain relevant).

I found this article which was quite insightful in my quest of figuring out what I could have been doing wrong:

First Mistake: I’ve been running with the wrong shoes. I, in my lack of wisdom, figured that just jogging didn’t need any special preparation, but after a few online searches and consultations with fitness buffs, my beautiful steel blue Tommy Takkies aren’t built for 2.56 Mile runs every morning. Being stiff and thin – soled, they just don’t absorb the impact and as a result, my poor, delicate ankles have been left dealing with the over-load.

Second Mistake: I have been fixated on getting my body conditioned for the Hike and completely forgot that I should be sort of sweetly coaxing and nudging my rigid muscles into action. I had been doing no warm-ups before or after my jogs, assuming that “my body could handle it”.

Nope. It can’t. Again, not as agile and as flexible as I used to be. And again, skinny means flexibility!

So, after consulting with the voices in my head, we decided that we will keep at it.

My consultations also had me look out for danger signs, like swelling and water retention and blueness.

I have none of the above.

So  we will keep at it.

First, by getting proper shoes, (which I have, did that yesterday). At the kiddie section at Bata, because my size 36 UK foot does not exist in the adult world of running shoes at the store. I now own a pretty blue & gray pair of sporty flexible BubbleGummers with the right type of sole and bending capability for running, and which, thankfully, aren’t decorated with giraffes and ponies and puppies.

And the best part; they are not tie-ups! These beauties are velcro-strapped babies, miniature safety belts, ready for my teeny weeny feet to take off!

Fitness buff numero uno, Davie (my neighbor who gyms everyday and does an evening 10 km jog three times a week), suggested that instead of jogging, I should try a longer route walking.

And then stretching my feet mornings and evenings, to get those ankles “flowing”. He asked his Gym Instructor who suggested exercises 1,2, 4 & 5 of this program, for 2 days, without the jog.

We’ll try that, my ankles and I, and the rest of the troop, i.e. Hamstrings, Calf muscles, Shoulders, Back and glute (my glute happens to be a nosy little bitch that gets involved in everything, even where she’s not needed!).

We have a mountain (or is it a very big hill) to conquer.

Wish me… us luck. 9 days!!

Just 9!!

PANIC!

INFO:

The Nike + Running app is absolutely great to use for tracking your progress. Even for novices like me, I got a kick out of using it.

(See Pic)