This not running lark is playing with my mind - plus some ladies parts troubles!
I was so disappointed to have to miss out on the Forest of Bere Bash. I hope everyone had a great time! I’ll catch up with some running friends who did it next week and get the low down. Long walks in the early morning have been lovely but they’re just not the same when you’re a runner!
One really aggravating menopausal symptom I suffer from is vulvovaginitis. Mine does seem to flare with longer exercise sessions and bike riding. Chafing and sweat are not good combinations! Getting out of workout clothes asap is essential. I’ve found that washing underwear separately in eczema friendly washing powder helps, plus an extra rinse cycle and no fabric softener. Cotton gussets only!! I also wash myself with colloidal oat emollient, dry and reapply. If things really flare I use a topical hydrocortisone 1% cream very sparingly and for the shortest time. I’m using a vaginal pessary twice a week also which I think does help a little.
Anyhow, the ankle! It’s getting better I think?! No doubt the physio will tell me on Tuesday. I’m doing all my exercises daily, inversion and eversion against resistance and heel raises plus piano toes (I look forward to that day lol)!
I am determined to be at the starting line for the Decathlon 5k on the 10th August. I’ll be another year older by then eeek!
See you all soon!
Injured!
I am Injured at the moment with a left ankle strain. It happened mid June and although I thought I was good to run again, I discovered that after last Sunday’s event I probably went back to things too soon. I saw a Physio on Sunday after the race and he said come and see me Tuesday which I did. He prescribed rest, compression and icing along with exercises. So today. I’m in the gym and I’ve got a little video that you should check out l. I’m taking it easy because I want to be strong again before I start running. It’s a setback of course but I want to be mentally strong too so tell me about any injuries you’ve had and what have you done to get strong again?
Making a turmeric paste
I’ve been making my own turmeric paste today. I filmed it too. It was therapeutic just putting all the ingredients together in the mason jar. I used manuka honey, organic ginger, cinnamon, black pepper and of course turmeric. I popped it in the fridge and about an hour later had my first teaspoonful with a cup of tea. It was actually really lovely. The advice is to take it at night if morning stiffness is a problem but I’m mostly achy after running and a day at work so I think I will take mine with breakfast. I’ve also read that adding coconut oil can enhance the flavour and absorption so I might try that on my next batch. Do you take turmeric in any form?
I’ve become braver with age!
Cranefly
So far, in life, as far as I know there is only one creature I have a fear of, and that is daddy longlegs....craneflies. In spite of my sister @alisparkes writing an amazing series of books about them (the SWITCH series, available here https://www.amazon.co.uk/S-W-I-T-C-H-5.../dp/0192729365) which sadly did nothing to allay my collywobbles. The actual point of this post, which is, in my mind MONUMENTAL, is that I, today, at the age of 54 years and 345 days, channelled my inner dad (thanks Dad), gently picked up a cranefly, and put it, intact, yes all legs still attached, out of the window to fly free! I know that you probably can't believe that I would be the type of person to run screaming from the sight of a spindly pathetic cranefly, but believe me I would. But not anymore, well possibly not. It all started when I was 11 and I ran out into the playing fields at school, right at the start of a new term. On the way across the field, I tripped on a tussock, and fell, face first, down into the grass, disturbing a whole load of craneflies who were happily waiting for me to land! They flew into my face, hair, clothes and I completed freaked out. I never really dealt with it from then on. A bit of science: Adult crane flies emerge from the soil beneath turfgrass, pastures and other grassy areas in late summer and autumn/fall. The adults have very long legs and resemble large mosquitoes, but don’t have any biting parts thank goodness, sheesh that would hurt! Females mate and lay eggs in grass within 24 hours of emerging. Sadly for them they don’t live very long (not sadly for me). I’m hoping to have a different view of them now that I feel I have a better handle of it (pardon the pun!) Now all I have to do is get the bleedin' cricket out of the house! cheep cheep cheep.
A lovely run in the woods - the Hamble Country Park 10k
Valley Path
The run walk plan really worked well in the heat, and not a bee or wasp in site! At a recent event, also hosted by Out There Running Ltd, and where I was marshalling, there were several poor runners who were stung when they ran through a bee swarm. Luckily the medics team were on hand to pick out the stings and off antiseptic. A this event, Ann, one of the medics, wore a rather appropriate T shirt, just in case.
I’m definitely finding hotter weather more of a problem during the menopause, and needing to slow down more often, I guess that’s why running and walking breaks is working for me. I heard a great tip for overheating, put a cold can of drink under each armpit! It’s absolutely shocking at first, but really cools you down!
Run Walk with a 5:1? My first attempt
I was chatting to a female runner a few weeks ago. She uses a run walk strategy, similar to the Jeff Galloway method. She runs for 9 minutes and walks for 1 minute, regardless of the event. She said she had completed a 4hr marathon this way. I thought it was a pretty good idea as it gives the heart a chance to slow down a bit, and especially in these hot conditions we are experiencing. I’ve decided my long slow 12 miler tomorrow will be a 5:1 ratio. I’m excited to try it! I'll be setting off super early while it’s still very cool. I’ll let you know how you get on. Anyone use this, and swear by it?
It’s a first for me, running a longer distance with a ratio of 5 minutes running and 1 minute walking, repeating until I have completed the 12 miles. To my brain it feels like I will be out there all day, but so many people follow this strategy! I’m going for it. Any one else do this?
An exciting few weeks of races ahead!
So excited for the next few weeks of races.
They are all in the events pages so go and check them out.#
Some are full, some have spaces so do sign up if you fancy any of them.
My dodgy ankle injury is all good now, and I’m feeling ready to get back to it. Lordshill 10k last weekend (6th July 2025) was a great race to ease me back in and I was really confident that my ankle and leg were fine with the distance.
I’ve got a new pair of shorts in the Amazon Prime Day event so nothing can stop me now ha!
I’ve updated the events section with ever race I’m doing until the end of August.