Capital Ring Run Sections 1-4 DNF 25/10/20

Today was the day I had been looking forward to for ages! Ever since attending a capital ring run with London Tube Run early 2019 with Hasan and Angela.

The Capital Ring Walk offers you the chance to see some of London's finest scenery. Divided into 15, easy-to-walk sections, it covers 78 miles (126KM) of open space, nature reserves, Sites of Specific Scientific Interest and more.

Capital Ring Run

Hasan and I planned to meet at 8am outside Woolwich Arsenal DLR station. The weather forecast when I looked last night was clear except for 10am with some showers. However, as I sat on the DLR at around 7:45am, the rain came down HARD! OK so its raining, its not as if I'd never run in the rain - remember London Virtual Marathon on 4th October! Non stop rain!
Off we went

The start of Section 1 is from Woolwich Foot tunnel, so from the station (Beresford Square) we needed to make our way there. Before hand I downloaded the Go Jauntly app. 
Mr Navigator 🀩 aka Hasan aka @thechallengerinme aka Friend for Life

Go Jauntly is a walking app that brings you happiness outdoors. Discover walking guides, tours, nature and city trails. I thought this would be helpful in navigating our way through the sections as it was clearly laid out with text and photos (step by step). Google maps would have been great as it has audio which would be better to navigate with rather than constantly looking on the phone. Plus it was pouring down with rain so was not ideal.


So we set off from Beresford Square trying to get to the Foot tunnel. We must have ran for about 10/15 mins when we reached a cross road and saw the signs for Green Chain Walk, but not Capital Ring so we stopped on Ha-ha Road to check our maps. Realising we had missed our turning we back navigated and guess what we ended up doing a full circle back to Beresford Square ... the day had just begun! I saw another runner and thought,  sod this I'm just going to ask him how to get to the Foot tunnel.  He directed us, and we realised we ran way past this earlier.  Off we went again,  in the right direction this time. Reached the Thames footpath and followed the Capital Ring sign in the direction towards Falconwood. 

Up to cannon and Thames paths, up towards plumstead, we realised that there were not enough capital ring signs on the path before reaching the park.

The sun came out, jacket came off as we continued to settle into the run. The GO Jauntly app was still a little confusing ( well for me anyways) so Hasan reverted back to good old Google. As the run progressed and we got into Plumstead, under a footpath, I must have mis-judged my step and my right foot rolled over as I was stepping off. I stopped immediately as the pain rushed through my body. Immediately, Hasan looked for somewhere I could sit down. We saw some steps, but it smelt of 'pee' so I said no it's ok and just crouched down to the ground. I wanted to take off my shoes but gathered maybe not a good idea as I wasn't sitting down. I stuck my hand into my shoes where the pain was coming from and I could feel a lump! As you do, I said to Hasan, let me check if that lump was also on the other foot. I checked and it wasn't! Right there I knew it wasn't a sprain of any sort as the lump was painful and when I moved my foot there was pain under my ankle bone round to the back of my foot.


We looked around to see if there was anywhere to go and luckily there was a McDonald's restaurant about 2 mins away. With a helping hand from Hasan I hobbled with the smallest steps there.  We dined in, but firstly asked the kind lady for some ice. We sat down and she brought over a cup with ice and poured it into plastic gloves for me! Genius idea. I took off my shoes and just laid my 'ice bag' on my foot.  It was soothing! 

Ice glove kindly donated by the McDonald's waitress. 

Hasan kindly ordered me a hot chocolate and a hot drink for himself.  We stayed there for an hour before I was ready to make a move. Hasan checked the map and the bus stop to take us back to Woolwich Arsenal station was only a few minutes walk away. 

Can't go wrong with a hot chocolate. 

On that note, I put my shoes back on - that was painful and took a good few minutes. I then was scared to actually walk! When we got outside the door, I realised it was way too painful and Hasan had to call an Uber. Thank you!  That took a while too, it's like it was one of those days!
Waiting for the Uber
Hasan patiently waiting for the Uber app to stop clowning!

The uber arrived, and actually climbing into the car was another thinking mission... you put your right foot in, your left foot out... you get my drift. It was 10:45am now. The journey was extremely bumpy, oh my! That hurt, at that point I just wanted to get home.
Masked up for the journey 'Runderwear buff'
Had to stretch out my foot during this rollercoaster of a journey!

Reached home at 11:05am and had 2 flights of stairs to hop up. My the time I reached the top of the stairs I was well and truly knackered.  Got in sat on the floor, took my shoes off and just wanted a bath.
Oh boy! That was a one-legged workout!

I carried on icing it for a few hours and then at 3pm I decided to visit A & E - Royal London Hospital. My husband Mark drove me, he parked up but still had to go inside the A & E which was only a few minutes walk for someone not in pain. He wanted to give me a piggy back but I was too scared. Then  I stopped as I just couldn't walk any further and he had to go and get a wheelchair. 

Make shift ice bath for my foot

Once I checked in, it took about 15 minutes to be seen by the assessment team.  I was then sent to the Urgent Treatment Centre which was at the back of the A&E. Off we went in the wheelchair. Checked in again and I waited around 60 minutes to be seen. I was then told by a frustrated nurse that the A&E should clearly have sent me for an X - Ray (apparently it's not the first time this has happened). They don't have an X-ray facility there. So off I went back to A&E. Arrived back and I was directed to the Imaging area. I waited about 30 minutes to be seen. The lovely lady X-rayed my foot and I was directed back to the waiting room to wait for the results. Another 40 minutes later, I was collected (in the wheelchair) to get the full results of the X-ray.
Highlighted section is the fracture

  I was shown my foot on the screen and where the fracture had occurred. I took a photo of the screen as you do. The nurse told me there will be no running for at least 4 weeks and that I needed to wear the boots and use the crutches. He said that I should get a call from the fracture clinic on Monday.  He also said I should take pain meds if needed. At this point I hadn't taken any medication as I wasn't in that much pain, more discomfort. I really don't like medication anyway, unless I REALLY need to.


So off we went home! New learning taking place already, walking with crutches.

Didn't sleep too well as it was quite uncomfortable trying to keep my foot still.

Monday afternoon, I received the call from the Fracture Clinic. I was diagnosed with 5th Metatarsal fracture. She said that I will need to wear the boots for 6 weeks. It could take 3-4 months for the bone to completely heal. The most important thing to help recovery is rest. Return to running and sports should be delayed for six weeks. Physiotherapy if required.

My companions for the next few weeks!

Runner not running but wearing running socks 'Stance'

Rest I will definitely try to do. To be honest, I can't do much so I have no choice.  I had a few races that I had to cancel 7th November- Olympic Park 10km and 21st November Lea Valley 50km.  The good think is at least I was able to get 90% refund for both.

I also had a recording coming up with Sonder film with Ciele athletics booked for November, so I have also had to cancel that. Hopefully these type of opportunities will present themselves again in the future.

I am due to start the Our Parks NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing on the 8th November which will have the practical elements towards the end of the course. I have contacted them to see roughly what dates that would be. So fingers crossed it's mid December and I should be OK to take part, but we'll see. There will be other days if not.

For now I am going to concentrate on recovery.

Until next time πŸ€˜πŸΏπŸ€—


Comments

  1. Aww champ, u will come back stronger no doubt! Great piece you have written πŸ‘

    ReplyDelete

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