Motion is Lotion
You’ve probably heard the phrase, usually followed by “Rest is Rust”. Aside from sounding good, is there any truth to the quote? Especially if we’re talking about running…
I will pre-empt this article with the usual words of caution. I’m not a doctor, this is not medical advice, and you should always consult a qualified practitioner. That being said, this article is about something I have both experienced and witnessed, and which I think was worth investigating further.
It was a week before going to the Valencia Marathon went I threw my back. I felt a big pinch, followed by what I can only describe as electric shocks. I could barely move. I tried to sit it out, stretch slowly, hang from my door frame bar, take some paracetamol, apply cold and heat. Nothing made much of a difference.
I went to bed hoping it would start feeling better in the morning. And it did! For about a minute I thought it was better until I tried to get dressed and there I was back to the same pain and feeling that any movement could send the needles back up my spine. I moved slowly all days, a few times nearly losing my footing because of the sudden sharp pain. By the end of the afternoon, my wife looked at me and said “Are you gonna try running?”. I was surprised! Usually she is the sensible one and although the idea had crossed my mind I thought she was going to discourage me.
