Cross training.....or resting....?

When I was in Australia about 18 months ago, I took a minor tumble in the Blue Mountains which ended up causing significant pain due to some bleeding into my knee joint. This had prevented me from doing any running and much walking on all the lovely trails I'd come to learn about. I had hoped that this trip would be able to make amends for that, but after the "run" in Hobart, I knew that my leg was a long way off being fixed and I really needed to rest it for considerably longer.

Not bad views on some of my walks!!

It was a tough thing to do but I decided that I must be "sensible" and avoid any "impact" on it, ie running, jumping etc. I have tried to ensure that I haven't been as idle as I could have been, as I've taken the opportunity (and time suddenly available) to go to some Pilates, weights and other classes. I'm never going to be the Queen of Flexibility but it may be that by the time I return home, I can actually do a chin-up and a press-up (but then again.....maybe they'll still be beyond me.....but my excuse is that my brain is too heavy and I'm sticking with that one!!!).

Walking in the Aussie bush

I've been out and done a few walks on the trails, especially along some of the route of the "Great North Walk" which stretches from Sydney right up to Newcastle through some lovely bushland. When you're more used to running, walking does appear to take a long time, but at least it means you get more of a chance to appreciate the lovely views and take in wildlife etc. To be honest, I found it so hot on a couple of walks that I was actually really glad not to be running (though it was less delightful to just miss the train home on a couple of occasions due to my stubbornness and hence refusal to run or the station). 

It's hot work walking in the summer!

Clip 'N' Climb

The plan will be to slowly reintroduce running, initially just short distances at a weekend (eg checking out a parkrun if I happen to be visiting somewhere with one) and then hopefully increasing the distance and frequency of running as my leg heals. Considering how long I ran on the undiagnosed fracture, to my mind, this has definitely got to be giving it the best chance of healing properly (I've even made sure that when I descend some of the big steps on the trails I always land on my "good leg" and I was also aware of which leg I was using to push off the walls and land on the ground with when we went to "play" at "Clip N Climb").

Fingers crossed that the plans works longterm and I don't just become lazy and unfit.....