Turning the corner or Jumping the gun?

Questions, questions!!

The self-imposed lay-off with the legs went exactly as planned. The Man-Flu immediately after the lay-off wasn't planned. It seems like Mr Voodoo and blunted all of his pins and is now being dunked in a pot of snot!

This lead to a 4-day Sick-break from work and plenty Breaking Bad Series 2 and 3 (really addictive, but I've been banned from buying the next series. Apparently Father’s Day is coming).

For the first time since entering, this extended lay-off from training really affected motivation. I felt that the event was too soon, that I've got nowhere near where I want to be (especially running) and it was going to be a waste of time and effort. All I want out of this was to do myself proud with the performance during the race and give it my best effort (where ever that took me).

The motivational DUMP left me wondering if I was going to even finish.

Expectations have taken a slide from trying to set a respectable time in the Start-List of grumpy old men, down past the Embarrassing Dad's all the way through to the 'just put me in a wheel barrow and wheel me across the finish line please' brigade. Not Enjoy!!

However, that said, although getting back into training for the first week was a bit of a struggle, the Achilles injury has all-but gone and a couple of runs have not aggravated it at all - Bonus. The RHS sore point on the calf still remains, but is manageable with ICE. The longer I spend on my feet, the better it is. I've been stretching the back and legs as much as I can, but really need to pick up the phone to someone who knows better!

The recent Bank Holiday weekend really was a turning point and a bit of a fresh start for me.

Friday was an early morning Mountain Bike session on the Single-track routes. Getting to the woods early is magic. It’s always nice to feel that you are the first one in the woods. Being a Bank Holiday meant that there were soon loads of fellow MTBers and the trails soon filled up. I'd done a few hours’ worth by then, so I was happy to close the day out with a nice chat to a Frenchman dressing in full 'down-hill' gear - full face helmet and all (over-dressed?). I admired his bike (typically a French manufacturer. Who'd of guessed) and he offered me a go in it. I respectfully refused stating that I wouldn't want to scratch it. He replied 'Ah stuff that. Some battle scars are OK. When I scratch it in the garage I get pissed! Turns out he's a nice bloke :)

Also good to see so many kids on the trails with the parents. None of them moaning about the effort, just enjoying. Happy Days.

Saturday was the off-road run with no injury aggravation.

Sunday was a local Sportive with the Tri Club. Four of us got completely drowned. Happy days

Monday was supposed to be a lighter leg-spin morning ride but I seemed to get one of those Ice Cream Headaches you get. You know - too much too soon and your brain seems to want to implode for a few seconds. Mine seemed to last an hour, so headed home having covered half the distance intended. Boo.

Still, a good distance covered for the weekend. No new injuries :) and the training plan ramps up in two weeks and I need to knuckle down to it!!

The next 12 weeks or so will be:

Monday - REST DAY (A good start to the week)

Tuesday - Morning Swim, Evening Bike (Short intervals on the TT bike)

Wednesday - Morning Swim, evening Off-road Run (1 1/2 hours)

Thursday - Morning CORE exercises, evening Open Water swim

Friday - Morning short run, evening Swim

Sat - Off-road bike into off-road run

Sunday - Long bike.

I'll throw in a couple of commutes to work on the bike to build up the miles (That'll be about 55 miles ...... each way :O), one in the Road bike first, then on the TT bike.

Wow, only 12 weeks away....... Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

W.

Carbon Copy

No, the title of this post doesn't refer to my bike, but the way my bleed'in leg injuries are going. I may as well just copy the last post over to this one!!

No sooner as I seem to recover from one episode, so I create / inflict / develop (delete as appropriate) a new one. Could the last person I upset please PUT DOWN THE VOODOO DOLL NOW. It's getting boring.

As per the last post, another trip to the Osteopath provided some positivity. Apart from a good chat, there was a little Acupuncture in the lower calf’s and work on the mid-back to help release tension in my 'old git frame'. It left me in a really positive frame of mind and looking forward to upping the miles on the bike and building the run intensity (not necessarily distance). However, the following weekend I had a Saturday run and first long bike planned. The run went due-South as the Friday felt like a bad-leg day - I bottled the run as the RHS calf felt like it was getting sore again. This lead to a 'plenty massage' day. The Sunday I was up bright and early, well fed and looking forward to where-ever the country lanes took me. Sky was clear Blue, temperature was a stunning 6 degrees and the pockets were stuffed with goodies to munch on.
Fingers warmed up after about 10 miles and I was feeling good with the world. HOWEVER, Mr Voodoo Doll sticks something in the LHS Achilles at about 15 miles and that was it. It came on real quick and I wasn't over-exerting. I think that I was properly warmed up and I'd not started out stamping on the peddles. Bummer!
I limped home and quickly iced it and, much to my frustration, laid on the Sofa for the rest of the day in a pool of 100% proof self-pity.

Now, I was very careful with activity over the next few days and it seemed to recover really quick. By Wednesday the swelling had gone, no pain or tension and all was good. I played it cool with Mr Voodoo and didn't run at all, simply planning an exploratory ride the next weekend, and if OK, a very short run off the back of that.

The week flew and dragged in unison, but Sunday finally came round. Riding buddy Allan was kind to me and the pace was fine = not too hot (he had also had a recent calf injury - am I a jinx?). The RHS calf was 100% on the ride (as per normal) and the LHS Achilles, while I could feel a little tightness towards the end, was looking / feeling gooooood (can't get that song out of my head now). I changed cloths, took a small bite to eat and set out on a real gentle jog (hardly felt much above walking pace) and within 2 minutes the Achilles started to swell again. AHhhhhhhhh (in frustration, not pain).

Back to the drawing board.

Press the 'repeat' button - four days later, plenty of ice, elevation, rest, walking gingerly (imaging Spaceman walking on jelly having crapped his Space Suit and you get the picture - at least that is what I felt like sometime. Round TESCO isn't really cool - Sorry Daughter!) and the soreness has gone.

Strangely the swelling is still a little visible. More self-massage on the calf’s (thank you YOUTUBE). Job's a good'n

Most disappointingly, I did pull out of the Paddock Wood Half Marathon as a precaution. I was really looking forward to this. It was the sensible thing to do (I am not a risk-taker!). I couldn't even ride over to support team mates. Booo

There are strange things going on with the RHS Calf. Save for one very precise point just above the ankle (base of the Soleus muscle so I'm told - It's above my pay-grade so I do rely on trusted information) that is extremely tender, the rest of the lower leg is 100% pain-free when I prod and poke it, but if, after sitting idle for a while (really too often), there is a great deal of pain mid-way up the inner calf so I hobble like an even older git. This subsides completely after a couple of minutes walking around.

Note: NOT me!! Probably the 'anti-me' actually!

Neil, you will be receiving a call soon :)

Although both should only be described as niggling issues (I'm sure they are not serious), I am naturally completely paranoid and WILL stay off the bike and run for the next 5 days. They’ll make a 10-day stretch without a run/bike!! Ouch. Not what I need.

I'm hoping that this'll give me a starting point to build up the distances properly and without worry as my training plan really ramps up in the first week of May. Not long at all.

Having said all that, I'm plenty into the Swim and Core exercises and they are going great.

Swimming remains multiple short stints in the pool - now well into the 'strength' phase and slowly increasing the Rep distance ready for a full-on assault on the Open Water as soon as they turn up the thermostat in the lake. I'm sure that speed is not increasing, but I am feeling stronger.

Core stuff is an evening filler in the spare room based on a self-compiled routine. Again, intervals are gradually increasing in duration. I like this! I do need to update my music though.

And the bike is still not a worry at all. I think I am better than I was at the start of all this. Distance is not a concern. Speed will never be 'up there', but I am looking forward to this phase of the race.

Congrats to my some-times running mate who got a PB at the PW 1/2 and promptly told me that her main focus was "if Will can do a 1:34, it can't be that difficult" She got 1:33 Grrrrrrrrrr

On that note, I'm going to work harder!

Later.


W.