Tuesday 17 December 2019

Making a splash!

Normally I blog on a Sunday but I thought I'd leave it till today because two things happened today which I wanted to include.
The training has been building up gradually as I recover from Tahoe and my surgery.  I get a strange sensation around the surgery scar but am assured that this is the new normal so I just need to get used to it.  I'm proceeding with caution and under expert instruction from my coach.
During the week I had power pedals fitted to my turbo bike which is going to offer more information for analysis which I am happy with.  Turbo training is boring but a great way to get fit when the weather is shit and recently it has been awful.  I've now had 3 sessions which give a power reading and I'm already becoming obsessed with the numbers - this is a good thing.
I attended my first "speed session" with the running group and it's amazing how it motivates you to run faster.  But I kept a close eye on my pace and "listened" to my body which was marginally uncomfortable at the fasted pace, but I coped.
On Saturday I returned to Chatelherault for a trail run and was wanting to see how my foot would respond.  Better than my lungs is the answer.  I'm still suffering from the cold so am not 100% and I was also recovering from the staff night out so I'd describe the run as "sluggish".  But my foot was better but not perfect afterwards.
On Monday I started my core training.  I could tell it's been a long time and I maxed out at 2 sets of 5 press ups - strength of a kitten!  In the evening after a very long day at work I headed out at 7pm for a 52 minute run which I really didn't feel like but it had to be done, and it was. 
Today I was on the turbo at 5.35am as I had to be in the pool at 7am for my first swim in almost 5 months.  I knew I'd die and I wasn't wrong.  I had no arms following yesterdays core session and it was tough - but I knew it would be.  I'll be back on Friday and hope it will be slightly easier!
But tonight I went to see my sports therapist.  I needed my foot checked out.  This could be make or break my season especially as I've suffered with it over the last 3 years.  Pamela worked on my foot and calf for an hour and it wasn't pleasant.  She's taped up my calf and that support should sort it over the next week.  I'm booked in again for the beginning of the year to make sure I'm not aggravating it as this injury needs to be continually managed, especially as I build up the miles.
So the journey continues.  I've done 16 training sessions in the last 17 days and am starting to feel good.  I've only got to get my 9.3 km running up to 50 km in the next 15 weeks.  Kielder Ultra I can't wait.