Running… not

I’ve decided to combine the exercise data for October and November, because the charts look so pathetic and lonely and naked on their own. Not that they look much better together, but it gives the impression that things aren’t quite as bad. And really, I may not go running much, but I do walk a lot.

My main problem is that I don’t feel settled in yet. I need to get into a routine — when I was in Singapore, I was at the track at least three times a week, because I had this routine with my mum. At the moment, I’m not even 100% sure where we will definitely be living if one of us should get a job that requires relocation, so I don’t want to sign up for a membership at the gym. In fact, I would much rather run outdoors, but I’m an Asian from a tropical country, so running outdoors in winter is not my cup of tea at all.

And it is cold and rainy right now. Where I occasionally visit now, the open plan gymnasium / aquatic centre, is reasonably warm and humid, which means that it’s more like Singapore and there won’t be a shock to my lungs when we go back on vacation and I want to go running on the track.

And something else I’ve noticed — I go a bit pigeon-toed, especially on my right foot, when I start feeling a little tired during a run. I thought it was quite cute and all that, but I’ve also been suffering from pain in my hip (at the joint) after running. Last night I decided to try something when I noticed myself going pigeon-toed: I forced my right foot to point straight forward. I immediately noticed a difference in how the joint in my hip felt. Today it’s still a little sore, but nowhere as much as it was last week. Result! Although I’m not exactly sure what the cause is (as in, how it makes my hip hurt), but I have always had an issue with my right leg and hip.

• 29 Nov 2006

• Thinking