Signs of the Times

This blog evolved early on to track my progress with running. I run for a number of reasons, a key one being to maintain and improve my overall health. Recently it has become apparent that running may no longer be doing my health much good.

Before Christmas I fell over onto my knees, hurting my left one quite badly. It has taken a long time to recover properly, with regular visits to the physio at work. It's almost normal now, but still as episodes when it clicks a lot and occasionally uncomfortable.

So anyway, a few weeks ago I decided to do a small run, with a view to building up my running practice slowly. The run was fine but later on in the evening my back felt twingey and the following morning it was not good. Sciatic pain down my legs etc. Not very nice. It took just over a week to get back to almost normal. And then I had to move some furniture at work. I thought I was being really careful and sensible - moving lifting and pushing in all the right ways. But it was obviously too much too soon and my back 'went' again.

It's slowly but surely on the mend but is taking longer than I had hoped. Bit frustrating, bit disabling in a way as well. It has slowed me down! One positive I guess is that it does make you feel more compassionate towards other people who are in pain or who might walk a bit slowly for some reason (other than laziness/doziness). I am always rushing here there and everywhere at break-neck speed usually.

So I have decided that running is probably not the best form of exercise for me right now. In its place (when my back feels more back to normal), my main forms of exercise will be:
- walking everywhere as much as possible
- ballroom dancing
- keep fit DVD
- yoga/pilates - pilates will be good for strengthening the muscles in my abdomen/back and core strength area

So enough of me and my exercise/health foibles. A couple of weekends ago I went to the Cornbury Music Festival in Oxfordshire with my friend Anne. It was really good. Below is a slide show of what we sae/got up to. As you will see, quite a few photos of my favourite artist right now - TOM Baxter :)
We were lucky to get right to the front of the stage so I could enjoy an uninterrupted view! Later on in the day he walked straight past me and was stood only about 10 feet away from us as we watched some other music. However, I was too cool (or was that teenage-giggly-excited??!) to walk over and say hi/ask for his autograph!

The highlights for me were Tom Baxter (obviously), Beverley Knight and Paul Simon. There was also Crowded House, KT Tunstall, Bellowhead and The Bangles playing who were very good too.