Hitting the wall

On Friday I woke up and decided that today was the day that I would start running again. I'd been told by my doctor that I could as long as I took it easy. I'd been told this a few weeks ago but although I had been eager to get running I knew I needed to wait for the right time. Now!

I decided I would just go once round the block and then that would be it. As I left the apartment it was about 8.30am and there were a few people out and about. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and I was running. Once round the block and I felt good so I decided to go round again. As I could see the apartment in the distance I hit a wall- not a literal wall... THE WALL. I was struggling to breathe and my legs suddenly felt like the heaviest weights in the world. I stopped running and stood still. I wished that I could just reach out and be home but I wasn't. If I'd have remembered my phone I might have rung Spurs boy to get me as I felt so bad. I wondered as a pigeon flew and landed next to me if I could train it to be a carrier pigeon but it flew off before I had the chance to stop it!

I started to walk back and my feet felt as heavy as bricks. Also I was trying to not look so out of shape as the power walkers went past. As I got outside the apartment I hoped Spurs boy would have been waiting ready to carry me but no...

Outside was our elderly neighbour struggling with her food shopping so I helped her inside with it all. She asked me if I was alright as I seemed terribly red. I said I'd just been for a run and she said "Why on earth would you do that?" She had a point! She gave me a glass of water and I happily gulped it down, I then realised I was gulping loudly and then started to choke! I'm unbelievably classy!

As I left her and crawled up the 12 steps to the apartment and knocked on our door I felt so rough. Spurs boy opened the door and I fell into the hallway. As I mentioned, I'm the Queen of classy ;-) I then crawled my way to the fridge and got a bottle of water and sat on the kitchen floor and tried to regain some kind of composure. I then decided it hurt less if I was laid out flat on my back and started deep breathing to calm myself down. I reached for my phone and held it up to my face and then dropped it on my eye. Luckily there was no bruise... Imagine explaining that one!

All the time Spurs boy did not say a word. He thought it was silly of me to have gone running and he knew better than to tell me that. Although I couldn't so much as move let alone lift anything to throw at him.

As we had plans to go to the garden centre I somehow raised myself up got showered and dressed. Walking back down those stairs was tough. I knew I'd ache in the morning. Still Spurs boy said nothing. As we got to the garden centre I noticed an elderly man helping his wife out of the car and hoped he'd come over and help me out! I got out of the car and noticed a wry smile from Spurs boy. Don't you dare I thought!

As we slowly walked around Spurs boy decided he'd been quiet enough and asked "So when's the next run then?" I noticed he'd moved from within reach and I didn't have enough energy to chase him and replied "Maybe next week" I said hoping that was time enough to recover.

Those stairs killed me again going back home and I almost joked about getting a stairlift but he's older than me! I have to make out I'm not in pain. I noticed as we went passed the hall length mirror I was slightly hunched forward and I still had a red patchy face. Oh what a sight! I'd been out in public like this.

Spurs boy emptied the car with our garden centre purchases. I collapsed down on one of our sun loungers and stayed there for 3 hours. It was torture to walk to the loo. Luckily Spurs boy was on hand to bring me food and drink.

Over the weekend I kept walking past my running shoes and last night I put them in their box. Not forever but because when I look at them I remember the pain. I know it won't always be like this and I sound like such a whinge. I thought after missing running that getting back into it wouldn't be so bad. How fickle is that?

Saturday is my next run. This time just once around the block. Even if I feel I can do more - just once!

Sometimes I can be as stubborn as a bull. Hmm that's poignant ;-) Also Spurs boy might have seemed cruel perhaps but actually he did everything correctly, his little jibes were funny on reflection. It could have been worse, much worse!