The Flying Beetroot: It Wasn’t Easy Being Green

Posted on by

The monochromatic spreadsheet is no more. Ta dah!

Training runs 10

Last Tuesday I used my first Golden Ticket, so kindly provided by my gauntlet-throwing friend to help me through what seemed like an interminable training regime when I started. It took me a good five minutes to hit send on the request message. It felt like failure.

I had neglected to get up early to run (to be honest, I’d forgotten about it – this is a sign that I am starting to get bored and I suspect I’m not the only one, right?), then I got called into work, got home from school pick ups at 4.15pm, was due at the Blood Bank for a plasma donation at 5.45pm and had to be at a rehearsal by 7.30pm. It takes me around half an hour to run 5km so technically I had time in between getting home and going to the Blood Bank but, in a significant step for me, I decided to be realistic and allow myself a moment of downtime. (Don’t die of shock.)

And while one part of me wanted to call me a failure, another part of me was feeling proud that I had been able to let go of perfection and be practical. (Are you still with me? Do I need the defibrillator?) And, when my Golden Ticket request was met with excitement, another part of me was so happy to have given joy to a friend who had taken the time to be so creative and supportive.

So it’s all good. Seriously.

Well, except for the knee trouble.

Who said that??

[Runner Me raises her hand sheepishly]

There is no knee trouble, got it?!?

[Runner Me shrugs and sneaks away, limping dramatically. ]

Oh, don’t be ridiculous! It’s not that bad!

Really. It’s not. Have a look at that spreadsheet.

See? There’s a second Red Letter Day. I ran my longest distance yet last Sunday. The training plan says 18km but I actually pushed it out to 19.1km. Two more kilometres and that half marathon is in the bag. In. The. Bag.

(Superstitious Me is screaming at me right now. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” She needs to chill.)

[Calls after Runner Me] There is no knee trouble!

The Flying Beetroot Being Green

It’s not easy being green reddish-purple.

 

 

 

HOME button Able Theme small

27 thoughts on “The Flying Beetroot: It Wasn’t Easy Being Green”

  1. The Golden Ticket slot looks amazing on your spreadsheet. Gives it a bit of colour 😀 I think we all need a once-off break in our routines every now and then. Too much of something can’t be good for us, but so far you have proved us no by sticking to your running schedule…and smashing your own running records! I am cheering in your corner.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  3. Beetroots have knees? Who knew this? Luckily for this beetroot, she flies! Do hope the knee is okay…..oh please let it be okay. Actually quite impressed with the gold on that spreadsheet now…shows our beetroot is well-balanced (hopefully on both knees!)

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Oh, this beetroot most definitely has knees. Evidence of this is most prevalent when slogging up hills.
      The knee is troublesome but manageable so I still have confidence in a successful completion of the program. But add an extra cheer for the knee anyway, just in case. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

    • Well, I’m not sure I can click ‘Like’ on that. 😦
      I had knee trouble a few years ago and gave up running. I was training for Oxfam Trailwalker and while running 3km would leave me in agony, I could complete a 40km training walk with no problems. So I stuck to the walking so as not to jeopardise finishing Trailwalker (which I subsequently did). I missed running, though. Went back after Trailwalker but with different shoes and haven’t had the same problem since. This is something else and from my reading easily fixable. Phew!

      Like

      Reply

  7. First – love the post title. Very clever 🙂

    One cheat box in a sea of runs completed as planned? meh – not even a blip in the program. Probably did you more good than you’ll ever know.

    Grouchy knees? I’m a firm believer in preventive maintenance … hope you have a good massage therapist, chiro, physio … to help alleviate the grouchies. An ounce of prevention can save you weeks and even months on the sidelines with an injury.

    Good luck! You’re in the home stretch now!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I do but they are here and as of tomorrow evening I shall be in New York. But I have a pretty good idea of what the problem is so a bit of self preventive maintenance should be manageable. Lots of stretches. And I’ve dropped the full hills runs for the time being as that is when it hurts most.
      Speaking of NYC, there may, of course, be a few more cheat boxes on that chart before the end…..

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Talk to me. I love a discussion. I might learn new stuff.