Gastroc and I headed out tonight for the first time in 8 days – our third date since our spat just few weeks ago. I worried that he would start to act up and drive me crazy, but my physiotherapist assured me that things would go fine. “If he starts to bother you, make sure you tell him to ‘chill’ when you get home.”
“But you need to pay attention to your knee,” he told me. “Remember, the gastrocnemius holds the knee in place and it is also being stretched. When you get home, do your stretches and ice your knee. And keep strengthening your muscles around the knee by biking.”
Suddenly, my easy 6K run which should only take 26 minutes became a two hour long workout. I did all of the above: run, cycle (the dreaded brick), stretch and ice – as well as direct oldest child back to unfinished homework and diffuse a battle between the boys in between. Since it is summer, I have some extra on my hands; if it means that I can run, doing the bike and stretching is time well spent.
Gastroc did behave the entire time. Yay! If I can have one more run like tonight’s before Wednesday, I should be able to run the Canada Day 5K. Now I just have to get the front of my knee to step in line – literally – and I’ll be all set.
Great news! Fingers crossed that you get your 5K in!