Spectating, again!

Today I had the pleasure of watching my son Ali get a PB on his 800m race - currently unofficially 2 min 11 sec. For his age group if he'd got under 2:10 he would have got a UK ranking. He could hardly walk after it but recovered over the next hour to take part in the long jump followed by a 400m. I almost had to carry him out after that as he'd given it everything - nothing was left on the track. Spectating gives you a different perspective on events but it makes me all the more determined to "get better". But watching athletes,and their parents, at the start of their careers learning their trade. It's great to see so many kids taking part and trying their best. Not sitting on a couch getting fat while they play on the xbox! So the rest continues but I am hoping to start light training next week. I'm not convinced about my foot but time will tell.

Phew!

I visited my podiatrist to check out my feet and my orthotics today. He was so concerned about my foot injury that he didn't run the pressure tests and I went straight to A&E for an X-Ray. The 2 hour wait had me thinking through the possibility of a stress fracture and how long that would put me out for. MdS was beginning to look like a DNS (did not start). Reluctantly they X-Rayed my foot and the result..........was nothing was broken and that it was tendonitis. Phew. Two more weeks off running which will mean I won't have run in 5 weeks! My man flu continues so perhaps this is a good time to be injured. But as soon as I can I'll be back on the turbo trainer and also in the pool. This will get my base fitness back but I will have to come back steadily with the running as I can't afford another injury. My other leg injury (calf, ankle and achillies) is being looked at again next week by my physio. Here's hoping.

Everyone needs support

Having made my pals aware of my potential injury problem and the consequences, support flooded into my Facebook page - well at least five suggestions. They range from the sensible "listen to your physio and take the time off" to swimming, cycling and running in the pool. It's great to have a support mechanism as most athletes will end up injured at one stage or another in their training and when they do they tend not to be happy bunnies! In the meantime, today is a long day as I headed down to London on the first flight and am coming back on the last flight - a 17 hour day if the flights on time. Good practice for the long days in the Marathon des Sables and I am very conscious of how mu foot and ankle feel as I walk miles around town. But as I partake in some liquid carbs (just 1) I'm wishing that Star Trek technology was available and that Scotty could "beam me up". It's not going to happen so I'll apply some "mental" training and zone out in the queues at the airport and the nonsense you have to go through at security followed by the "herding of the cattle" onto the plane. I'll practice my yoga breath and imaging I was back in the Caribbean. Yea man...see it's working already!

I'm a celebrity get me out of here!

The contestants in "I'm a celebrity...." are struggling. But it's not a physical pressure it's a mental pressure that's causing the biggest problem. In Marathon des Sables it's both but everything I have read or heard from people that have completed it leads me to conclude it's the mental side you have to conquere. That was until 6.15 pm today when I visited my physio. Having had 2 and a half weeks off due to "man flu" I was surprised I had a sore foot. It turns out I have some mechanical problems with both feet and going by the expression on my physio's face, he's concerned. It could be any number if things that have caused it but the likely cause is my yoga! It has improved my ankle flexibility which has caused instability when running on trails! So no running for a week. At the weekend I'll start some turbo training to regain my cardio vascular fitness while not loading my feet or ankles. Massage my feet, ankles and achilles and use cold walter and anti-inflamitory tablets to aid the recovery. Until tonight I thought the mental side would be the challenge, as it is in "I'm a celebrity..." but I was up for that. I never thought for a minute that I may have a physical issue that would make 5.5 marathons in 7 days almost impossible. Fingers crossed but I'm now off to see my podiotrist to see what's changed mechanically in my feet and if I need new orthotics.

2 steps forward...and 1 back!

It was a busy day yesterday and I managed another 30 minutes on the turbo trainer. I did the same routing so I could compare my heart rate against effort and it had improved. It was much more consistent alough probably still too high for the effort. I felt great afterwards and did 5 sun salutations - hardly a workout but I was sweating plenty. I am not sure if it was this workout or the busy day I've had or the fact I gave up caffeine three days ago (going cold turkey)but I am currently feeling crap and am about to head home to bed. Hopefully I will get back to normal soon but all the advice is don't push it so on this occassion I won't. Catch up soon.

Gently does it

Gently does it was my motto this morning. I'm desperate to get back into training after 13 days off but I dont want to cause a set back by going at it too hard. It was a beautiful morning and there was a group ride going out but much as I wanted to join in, that could have finished me off. I have a niggling pain in my foot which is causing me to limp occasionally so I'm seeing the Physio on Wednesday to have it checked out. So I went for an indoor turbo session where I could control all the elements. I cycled steadily for 30 minutes and if my Garmin is to be believed my heart rate was all over the place. Half way through it settled down but now I'm resting and monitoring it to see how my recovery is. Not great is the answer. My resting heart rate is normally 52. If I'm sitting watching TV it might be 60. As I write this blog it's 78 so that's telling me to gradually introduce exercise over the coming week. Based on what's flowing out my nose, sorry about that detail, I won't be risking any exercise outdoors or in a pool. So I'll just need to fall in love with my turbo and get back to the yoga.

The plan begins

I may be out of action in that I am recovering from man flu, did I mention that before, but tonight I sat down with a two time MDS veteran and discussed my training plan detail. I was delighted to hear that what I've been doing to date has me on track. He has informed me of the mileage I will need to be running in Dec, Jan, Feb & March and the hard work is about to begin. We went over the core work in addition to my yoga as I need to have the strength to carry and run with 20 kilos on my back. I was given a great insight to the nutrition required and tips on hygene which are essential seen as there are no washing facilities or water, over and above your 9 litres a day. Now I've been armed with this info I will build my training plan. In two weeks time I am going to a workshop on MDS and then I will decide on my equipment as it will need to be tried and tested before I step into the "sandpit". Thanks Tony for imparting your knowledge.