Interesting week

Distance 28km [total: minimalist 132km: Barefoot 675km]

After a bit of a break from the blog but not the running I better do an update to cover the last couple of weeks.
Last Saturday (20th) I put in a 12km beach run on a perfect morning, a little dull and cool when I set off but by the time I started on the return leg the sun had begun to warm the sand.
It was a slow start as I think my body needs a bit of time to wake up when I throw it into an early morning run. I had set off at about 7.45am.
Today was a rush day as after I finished the run I was due to get my haircut to my summer length. Then following that I headed to the gym and did an hours strength training. By midday I was due at a family barbecue, at least there I had a chance to relax.
Monday was a warm day of 33C, so a shorter beach run day was the exercise for the day. The sand was a little soft and there were plenty of obstacles in the form of beach goers. I felt a bit lacking in energy also probably due to the heat. There was a light breeze when running south along the beach, this became none existent on the return leg as I was running in the same direction as the breeze, now it felt hot.
I quit the run before the end covering around 4km.

Wednesday: I wake up at 5.40am after a warm night when the temperature stayed above 24C. I get out of bed and find pain coming from my left knee, not under the knee but more to the outer side. It was fine last night, what can happen overnight to cause this. I thought maybe I had been sleeping in a strange position and irritated a tendon.
I could hardly bend the knee, walking was very painful. I managed to make it into work. I also didn't feel 100%, my felt sort of queasy, it was hard to put my finger on, maybe I was coming down with a cold.

Thursday, the knee pain has mysteriously disappeared, only slightly discomfort remains, walking around is fine but there is a bit of burning feeling around the area. Still feeling a bit queasy though.
I went for a run along the beach, much cooler today at only around 23C, the leg was fine, no knee problems. I covered a distance of around 5km, not at my usual pace, I took it nice and easy.
When driving back from the beach I noticed a red blotchy patch in the area when I had my knee pain. On examination when I got back the area was covered in red spots.

After doing some research I believe I know what was happening.
I believe It was a viral infection of some kind, about a week previous I noticed I'd scraped my calf on something, I don't remember doing it which was odd, this must have been the entry method of the virus.
It must have lodged itself around the tendons in the knee, causing the pain. The body began to fight back and managed to eliminate the virus pushing it out through the skin near the knee.
On Friday I decided if the condition worsened that I would see the doctor on the Saturday.
Saturday is here and it is feeling better, the queasiness has also disappeared so no doctor for now.

The morning began with heavy rain, it began to ease off by 9am so I headed out to the beach to get some more barefoot miles in.
As usual when there is a change in the weather, the wind is blowing from the south. I started off slow and unenthusiastic, concentrating more on my form, speed was not on the cards due to the wind.

The thing I love about running is that no matter how rotten you feel when you start off, by the end, you are transformed, such was today.
I go to the river estuary then decided to do the return journey on the pavement. I was a bit cautious as it is at times when my feet are wet and softer that I rub up blisters.
I kept my steps short, light and as quick as I could and had no problems in the return 3.5km. The ankles and tendons felt good and by the time I got to my car I felt I could run the distance again.
Running can be compared to golf in so many ways, just when you think you have it all worked out, you make a subtle change and it all goes out of the window and you have to sit back and reassess.
I believe that sometimes I get tendon soreness when I push too hard, I try to race (or show off) and take larger steps, but still with knees bent and relaxed. This extra pressure is enough to cause strain in the tendons, it will fade off after a couple of days but it is a sign.

Neil