Still not able to exercise. My knee can go from being almost normal to making me hobble and sound like a chimp ("oohh! ooh! aahh!") for no apparent reason. Even though I figured it would be futile, I went to the medical centre this morning. Rest, elevate, ice and heat, painkillers, bandage, come back on Monday if it's bad, yada yada. At least I got a free tubigrip, but even that keeps rolling down.
I am going stir crazy. I really hope it's eased enough to allow a swim (with pull buoy to avoid kicking if necessary) tomorrow.
What the...? I woke up this morning, and my knee hurts. (That sounds like the start to the worst blues song ever.) I feel like I'm not going anywhere for a little while.
I had a good night's sleep despite the 20°C temperature, don't think I was tossing and turning too much, but when I turned over first thing there was a definite OW moment. It seemed to settle down, I was able to get up and get myself to work (favouring one leg on the bike - SPDs would have been very handy), but after sitting on my arse for a couple of hours, it's bloody painful and I'm hobbling around like Long John Silver. Feels like I have twisted or otherwise strained it, rather than a bruise or knock. Barely any swelling, if at all. Hmph.
Until this point, it had been a good week. Well, possibly until last night, when I forgot my socks but decided to run anyway. Bzzt, wrong answer. Heel blisters threatening after 2 miles, and a walk home, with bare feet on the grass when possible. They don't seem too bad today but that's because I have a knackered knee occupying my thoughts!
The weekend got off to a good start with a gentle Friday run and then a guided river swim followed by a barbecue. Nothing on Saturday but a good day on Sunday, starting with 20 miles in the forest with Trish on her spare mountain bike, and then the usual circuit in the evening on the road bike with Clare and Alice. Followed by a cheeky dip in the river because it was bloody hot :) Feeling a tad saddle sore after all that, but a good day - biking the trails is fun, but hard work.
My Conac club vest (not pictured above, but similarly stripy) had its second outing at the Broadland 5k series tonight. The rain poured just before and after but stayed off for the race (although with plenty of puddles around to ensure we got wet one way or another). I ran without a watch, not necessarily by design but it worked well - all I could do was go for it and not be tempted to slack. I ran a good strong race for the first half, including the hill just after 2km, and hung on to 3km but as soon as that downhill ended I ran out of steam a bit. About 4km I found a bit of energy and kept going right up until that last hill when (guess who) Mr "I'm going to take it really slow tonight" Mark appeared on my heels. Grrrr. He obliterated me on the last corner to beat me by 5 seconds, and I had nothing left to come back at him. SO ANNOYING! Still, I was a minute faster than the previous race, so I am well pleased with 26:40. But one of these days I shall have my revenge... (and in any case my age graded % is better than his, so ner)
Alice ran well at 25:35, and Claudia was under 30 minutes so pleased with that. Andy picked up an individual and a team prize, so a succesful night all round. Especially as Sue brought cake! Just not sure whether some people went to the wrong pub...
Since last week, I've mainly been running - Friday lunchtime (Bowthorpe marshes), Saturday parkrun (28:52 - nice easy run), and Monday (also lunchtime to fit it in around other stuff). Sunday was a rest day, including a massage and lots of lounging around at the spa/pool at Sprowston Manor :) On Tuesday it was back to aerobics again, definitely not a very high impact routine at the moment but Sarah did have us doing the old run around the room in the middle of the set, which helped raise the old heart rate. The final abs work felt very hard at the time, but there's not too much sign of that a day later! So on the whole I felt much fresher and more rested than I did for the last race, and it showed, but I need to sort out that last km for next time, dammit.
I tried a little trail run* with the orienteering club tonight - not only did I not get lost, but I won a prize :) And (carto-geek alert) I got to keep the map.
It was great fun, although it somehow feels a little bit like cheating to know the area well beforehand - the paths were 99% ones that I run often at lunchtimes. There was only one that I hadn't been on, which I did miss first time around because it was deceptively narrow, but it didn't make a big difference to the route. Nonetheless I had to do the distance like everyone else, and think on my feet. It was an interesting experience to find myself catching up with people who were clearly much better runners than me, while they were standing looking at their map (usually followed by them overtaking me a few seconds later). However, on an unknown course that would undoubtedly be me scratching my head, so I consider myself to have enjoyed it while it lasted.
It was an informal affair, with a small number of edible prizes (I am liking this orienteering lark more and more already). My Mars bar was gained for "fastest lady over the final stage, barring those who already won a prize or went home before the presentations". My time (over my own personal route of 3.3 miles) was 32:26 or 9:49/mile average. Given that I ran out of steam at one point, that's not bad going. It was a good strong run but better than that it was bloody good fun. I think I shall do more when the season starts in September. Thank you, Norfolk Orienteering Club!
Since the last update, I have been a busy bunny and am feeling on top of the world. Friday saw a social run with Tally and Alice, a nice steady pace after Thursday's efforts. After helping rather than running at parkrun on Saturday, I went out for a bike ride around the usual loop with Kerry and Clare in the evening sunshine, which was lovely, and then when it rained (finally) on Sunday I did the without-weights bit of my strength/core circuit from the gym. However, on Monday my legs were pretty stiff from the lunges etc. so I hung out at the back on the club run and walked the last bit with Hannah and a couple of newer ladies. On Tuesday I made a return to aerobics and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially since I found I could cope with both the routine and the intensity - but only some of the abs work at the end. I think I will keep that session up for a few weeks. Then today included a swim as well as the trail run - my first foray into the pool since Waveney, I think, so just 30 minutes getting reacquainted with the water and seeing how my technique has fared. Not too bad, I think, but a more structured session next time will tell.
...and I'm not quite elevating Nigel to the aristocracy (king of efforts though he may be). But yesterday there was certainly a lot of up and down hills going on, essentially just for the sake of it, but then again we know it's good for us. Over at the playing fields, we did 2 sets of 3 easy-ish hills to warm up, and then the last "set" was a cheeky surprise consisting of three hills per lap. I was in the "two laps" group, needless to say.
I just wish I hadn't decided to add weights to my squats in the gym the day before. Lazily (!) I started with 7kg each side, because that's what I use for the bicep curls in between lunge sets and I didn't want to be swapping (or hogging) 2 sets of dumbbells. I dropped down to 2 sets of 10 static lunges each side, and was certainly feeling it a day later if not at the time. Poor old quads... It was a good progression session (ha) overall, as I did 3 x 40s on planks, 3 x 15 on twists, and 3 x 20kg triceps.
Other than that, my week has involved a round the (Ketteringham) block cycle with Clare, a commuter-bike ride to Wroxham and back (24 miles), Monday night club run, and Friday lunchtime run with Natalia and Alice (actually a good gentle stretch for my tired legs). Not too shabby - plans are now that the weekend will see another bike ride and maybe a swim.
Bloody hot again for a lunchtime run - mad dogs, Englishmen, yada yada. Natalia and I stayed in the trees as far as possible. A surprisingly comfortable run given it's #3 in a row for me, but probably because it was slow, only about 3 miles (although it's hard to map the twists and turns in the trees so maybe it was further) at 11 min miles.
Thursday night efforts, in Eaton Park with Nigel at the helm. Two 1-2-3-2-1 pyramids, a minute in between each effort and 3 minutes between the two sets. It was my first club effort session for, oh, a million years or so. But... I wasn't at the back. I was kind of at the front of the back if that makes sense. I don't have any handle on pace, really, but I tried to imagine what I'd like to be able to run a 5k at (looking at it in terms of realistic aspiration rather than pipe dreams).
It was a hot day and it was hard, sweaty work turning myself into a human beetroot - but that's the point of efforts. I'd describe it as tough but do-able, so I reckon I pitched it right... calf cramp was threatening on the way back to base but it didn't appear during the session so that's good. I did wish I'd taken a drink - I was probably dehydrated by the end, which can't have helped.
I haven't done anything other than running since the lake swim at the weekend - the next day my nose/head was totally stuffed (allergic reaction?) and so I gave it a rest. Now I hear there's suspected blue-green algae at the lake, so I wonder if that's what it was?
Is it down to the lake I fear? Yes it is. Too early - Saturdays don't need two 8ams really.
The lake was colder, greyer and greener than I remembered. I always think of still summer mornings with the sun in a wide clear sky, the lake like a mirror, and the water a balmy umpteen degrees. Today wasn't like that.
After 100m I could breathe. After 200m my goggles had more or less demisted. After 400m I had feeling back in my face again. After 800m I turned around the buoy and into a headwind that was whipping up a few choppy waves - coming back took 3-4 minutes longer than going out, and at times I was aware of the swell.
Still, I'm glad I went. There's something hypnotically satisfying about just swimming continuously, getting into a rhythm and not turning. If I could swim in a straight line it would be even better :) Today's highlight was the hot shower and the cup of coffee afterwards - bliss. Even though there weren't any biscuits left :(
Not a PB, but a year's best at last night's Broadland 5k. So just a little record (groan). Perfect conditions, not too hot and not too cold, quiet roads, lovely countryside, a little bit of up and down but nothing serious. If they hadn't said it had been organised quickly due to some problem with the old Wroxham venue, you'd never have known. Loads of marshals and the best cake stall around (not that I had any!).
I had a really good run, considering I did squats and lunges the day before - a warm up eased my stiff legs (more or less), then the race was comfortable and rock steady at around 5:30 for each km. Although it was chip timed, there was no start-line chip mat so the official results say 27:43. It was 27:21 for 'im indoors, who sped off in front for the first km, slowed up for the second, dogged my heels for the next two and then pulled away up the last hill. Sneaky bugger. I'm not going to the gym the day before the next race, that's for sure.
Despite the energetic dancing of the trees outside, I agreed to go for a bike ride with Clare and Marie. Definitely a bit gusty at times, but not nearly as bad as we feared, and the sun and lack of traffic at 4-5pm on a Sunday definitely made up for the headwind. A lovely social ride - 24 miles via Barford and Wramplingham.
Yesterday I did parkrun (number 9 for me), 28:28 which is a personal second best - ran without a watch, with mp3 player, just doing what I felt like and could have sworn it was much slower than that. So the result was a nice surprise!
Blogging has taken a bit of a back seat since the tri, but I am still here, honest... I'm not quite back into the full routine but I'm getting there. I've veered between a shocking run(-walk) and a great 10k averaging 9:20/mile. I've been out around the block on my bike, had a just-stretching-out swim which was nice, and returned to the gym (just yesterday, as my muscles insist on reminding me).
I'm aiming for a parkrun bimble tomorrow and the Broadland (previously Wroxham) 5k next Wednesday. If the weather's good, a bike ride on Sunday is on the cards too. It's nice having no particular focus, but it may also be my downfall if it means I start skipping too many sessions. I'll keep an eye on that.
My first sprint tri for two and a half years (!). The training I'd done was somewhat undone by a week and a half away from home immediately before the race, and it was a bit of a struggle at times - as reflected in my slow times for the bike and run, leading to a PW for the race. All of the newbies I brought along beat me fairly comprehensively, but I don't care. It was fun :)
The forecast heavy rain stayed away and instead it was pretty warm with a strong breeze. Nothing untoward apart from a minor gears issue while setting up, which was fixed with a bit of help from Alice's Andy. I did have to stop for a few seconds to be overtaken at the end of length 14 of the swim, only to then find myself stuck behind the guy. I've never had to let someone past before and it was kind of annoying especially to be then on his toes, but at least it was only for 2 lengths.
Alice and I started in the same wave - she was mere seconds behind me out of the swim as she had to wait twice to be passed, but caught me about 1/3 of the way into the bike and then gradually pulled away, even on the main road where I thought I might make up a bit. However, a bit of faffing in T2 let me catch up with her again and we started the run together. Not that we were together for very long - I had totally leaden legs for the first mile, which in a 2-mile run is not great. It definitely added a certain something to have someone else so close though.
Barney and Rom also did brilliantly, with Barney only just over the hour and Rom around 1:03.
Now to get fitter and bounce back at Waveney 2... hopefully a good summer will see me improve on the bike. Or maybe even a new bike would help :D
Results: W1'11 {W2'08} (W1'08) [W2'07]
Swim: 7:57 {7:28} (8:01) [8:46]
T1 + bike: 41:43* {39:50} (40:02*) [40:47] *includes T2 as well
T2 + run: 19:15* {18:05} (18:12*) [17:57] *does not include T2
Total: 1:08:55 {1:05:23} (1:06:15) [1:07:30]
Overall position: 97/150 {61/114} (88/130) [72/115]
Women's race position: 19/48 {9/29} (10/31) [15/36]
Age group position: 3/9 {2/5} (2/7) [5/10]
Well, not quite. But after the (relatively) super speedy swim from my previous post, I got stuck into some much needed spring cleaning and DIY over the (for once, glorious) holiday weekend and didn't do any training. The following week saw a 2-day conference where I did at least get out for a 30-minute run eachmorning, just to keep myself ticking over.
I had reasonably high hopes for the field course the following week, and duly packed two sets of kit. Sunday morning saw a 5-mile walk, but on Monday I finally got out for a wander along the path by the Ley, and back up through the village, trying to make it back so as to be able to shower before breakfast at 7.30am.
Little word, "up". But Devon has steep hills, for a girl from the flatlands, and "up through the village" might as well have been the north face of the Eiger. Ouch. So, what turned into a run-walk was actually the last of my training, as the rest of the week saw me too tired to do anything in the early mornings that were the only realistic time to go. And I freely admit that spending a few nights at the pub over the course of the week might not have been the best way to spend a taper... but dammit, I slept well :)
So, there we go. Excuse-ducks all in a row! I'm not feeling as excited about the race as I could be, just because I haven't had full control over the past week, but I'm still up for it. More "let's give it a go" than "bring it on", but sometimes life gets in the way a bit and all you can do is bumble on. Let's see what tomorrow brings. The forecast says heavy rain!
Yesterday's run was truly rubbish, and I felt crap about it all afternoon. I had a long stressful day after that, and this morning didn't go much better. I wasn't even supposed to be in the office, really we get Thursday and Tuesday as additional closure days, but I had too much to do. I planned to leave at lunchtime via the pool, but finally hauled my arse away from my desk at 3pm. I nearly, SO nearly just went home, but my swim stuff was right there... I gave myself a swift talking to, ignored the fact that I hadn't had any lunch (I'd had a banana and my two remaining Graze punnets, hardly starving), and went up to the pool for at least a short swim.
Once in there, I realised this may well be the last swim I get before the tri, seeing as I am away from Weds 27th to Fri 6th, just 2 days before. So, time for one last time trial, even if I'm not feeling up for it - 2 slow lengths to check goggles and nose clip (pah), and then off.
It was hard going. My stroke felt scrappy, desperate even. I had to fumble my nose clip back on twice, and then dumped it in passing at the end of one length in disgust - immediately getting water up my nose. I was breathing hard, every 2 strokes almost, and it felt like my legs were not kicking so much as having some kind of fit. I knew it was going to be bad, but I forced myself to push on. "If you can't swim fast, at least swim strong" was what I was telling myself as I reached and grabbed on to the water in as big handfuls as I could manage, but it felt leaden and messy, not at all efficient or smooth.
I counted lengths all the way, determined not to mess up like last time. Four, I'm a quarter there... eight, that's half... ten, into double figures... twelve, that's three-quarters done... fourteen, come on, last two... push that last one all the way to the end... grab, stop the watch, squint at it... HUH?
7:46
7:46 !!
No way. Is there any way I could have miscounted, should have swum an 8:46? No. It felt slow but not that slow. So 7:46 it is. That's 10 seconds off - insane.
After that I did four recovery lengths in a state of shock (and exhaustion), and then chanced my arm with 5 x 25m sprints - all at 23-24 seconds. Another four recovery and I called it a day and went home. Still stunned.
So, a rough and scrappy, slow-feeling 400m - 7:46.
Goes to show you never can tell... sounds like the cue for a song :)
