2013 Setback...

Following a particularly tough run on Sunday, where my right leg seized up dramatically I've decided to review and take proper action to try to restore my leg to former glories! On Sunday evening/Monday it was hideously tight and I really considered that maybe I'd strained it this time. A sports massage on Monday evening seemed to confirm it was just tightness and DOMS, so nothing too serious but it's still quite sore today (Wednesday) which isn't a good sign. To try and fix it, I've joined The Gym in Glasgow City Centre - pretty good deal of £20 joining fee then £16 a month with no contract. If I make it once or twice a week and focus on leg repairs it can only do me good - I'll also aim to make use of the treadmills as Glasgow is pretty sh*t for running around! Will see how long that lasts though :-) I'm currently thinking that using some of the leg machines and aiming to increase my quad and hip strength with lunges, squats and some of the other usual exercises, but weighted and in a specific environment, should hopefully help to sort it. It's roughly five and a half weeks to the marathon - maybe not enough time to get it functioning 100% but certainly enough to make a sizeable difference, in particular with increased stretching etc. Part two of my plan involved getting a sports massage on Monday. I don't think the chap was quite as good as Martin Henck or Tom Cowan but he managed to hurt me in many of the usual ways which is a good sign. I also think the stretching/foam rolling has made a big difference as my hamstrings and IT bands were generally ok... or maybe it's that he wasn't doing it properly! We did manage to work out that it's my adductor and hip muscles which are hideously tight and did some work on these - I really need to begin focussing on these when stretching etc. The stretching that I'm doing as yoga seems to be helping my hamstrings and I'm getting a bit better at it, i.e. I think I've loosened off a tad as I can just about touch my toes now and some of the poses are feeling a bit easier whilst seemingly stretching deeper. That's got to be good... so long as I just try to do it at least three times a week. Hoping to harness the full benefits of the placebo effect I've bought a pair of Under Armour compression shorts. I'll give these a try and see if they make any difference... a 1% difference could be sufficient, or I might decide they feel too uncomfortable and not use them. Hopefully that won't be the case though.... ideally they'll sort all my woes and I won't have any further right leg issues! Wishful thinking perhaps... Anyway, I'll see how it goes. It would be great to sort it out once and for all. The thought of being able to go out on a run anytime and run quickly is very appealing!