How much exercise is too much?

I know, I know...I really thought I'd have a better grip on writing in this blog. But I don't. The good news is that I'm back on track and seem to be able to run quite a bit without any pain or crazy swelling in my foot. It's back to normal again. I think.

So I went home to Strandhill in Sligo on Friday and went for a long long long run of about 9k or possibly 10k on Saturday morning. The first since the elephantitis incident. It was good for a change of running scenery but I think there may have been more hills involved. I did the same run on Sunday morning.

There's a hill coming up from Strandhill beach to the top of the main road. And it's such a giant of a steep hill that it is known merely as 'THE HILL' in Strandhill and I have no doubt that this is why the village is so called.

Down through the years I have laughed at how ridiculous people look when they try to run up this hill. And I would have often said that I could walk faster. I joined the ridiculous group of people at the weekend in running up this hill. It's not even that it's that far to run uphill but you just end up taking these pathetic baby steps because the backs of your legs are near dead.



So after running on Sunday, I got a bowl of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes into me and then went out surfing with Cathal and Doug who came down for the weekend.

My arms nearly fell off in the water from the amount of paddling we had to do. So did my abs. Are you supposed to be working your abs when you paddle? I'm thinking my technique is wrong. But when Paul the instructor is shouting 'Paddle Karen, PADDLE' at you, you don't think and you just paddle to try and get that pehrfect wave.

The annoying thing out in the water was when you would paddle and paddle and paddle and not be able to outpaddle the wave to surf it so it just passes you by. And then the same happens with the next wave. And before you know it, you're back paddling to the back of the waves again so you're not one of those cop out surfers who just gets breakwater. I really wanted to be a cop out surfer once or twice on Sunday. But I guess it is a way better feeling when you get a wave from beginning to end.


The only complaint I have about running at the moment is that I bought new runners. They're really comfortable...BUT my socks don't feel right in them. I think I need to get some softer socks. I don't think Pennys cotton will fit the bill somehow. Sigh.