If you follow the tennis you may have heard about Heather Watson crashing out of the first round of the Aussie Open due to, as she phrased it, ‘girl things’. Now perhaps she should have taken the Pill or injected the right hormones and chemicals to make sure her periods didn’t get in the way of a major tournament. Or perhaps, as some commentators said, it was all in her mind and she just used that as an excuse for for her loss.
I know for myself, as I once tried to give blood during my ‘girl time’, that my iron levels plummet to below normal, and I generally feel like crap for a couple of days. This Thursday when I was supposed to run five miles at a slightly fast tempo, I could barely reach three at a jog, and that was only with several pauses. Only a slight hiccup in the plan but I was gutted, especially as I wanted run 15 miles on Saturday which would be the longest I’ve ever done but I couldn’t see how that would be possible with this display.
Friday was pretty much a rest day anyway but I didn’t do any core or cycle to work as I would normally. I just completely chilled and tried to tell myself that I would be okay.
I got my porridge eaten first thing Saturday and then had another hour or so kipping before setting off. Fairly good going until mile eight when I start thinking: my legs are tiring, I can feel my hips, my feet are rubbing in my new trainers, why did I put on my new trainers for such a long run already? how the bloody hell can I keep going for another seven miles? stop thinking! And somehow I did keep going and as soon as my app woman told me I’d hit 15, I stopped. My legs were so wobbly I looked like I was from the Ministry of Silly Walks. Luckily I’d miscalculated my route and found myself nearly a mile from home but that walk helped me recover, along with a hot bath and some sexy compression tights because by the evening I was fine, apart from a couple of blisters and a headache. Today I feel great. I haven’t come out of my pyjamas at all but nothing hurts and that is good!
theleadlesspencil 