Training Log Archive: philm64

TVOC Chiltern Challenge, Wendover Woods, SHort brown 7.2km / 285m

Taped up bad heel/Achilles, for the first time, to help support it on this steep area.
Also other ankle sprained, so hobbled by double taping; unable to run free - I'm turning into one of those broken old men who stagger / creep through the forest. well, not quite.

Slow and crap start, unsure of the map & paths; overshot a bit on no 1, and was generally creeping up & along slopes to protect the heel. Resultantly I was 2 mins down on Clive after 8 minutes - jeez!!!

no 5 I skipped down the gentle hill in 62 seconds and won the leg; how Michael Hallett took nearly 3 minutes on this leg I will never know. I then struggled a bit with form & fitness, plus foot twinges, leading me to "lock" my foot in a "pointy" position on path runs, but generally, no mistakes of any significance (helped by a damn fine map) and finished OK, winning later legs as presumably Clive became tired.

Great route choice to no 11 - much discussion afterwards - my route was the safe road option, partly chosen to give my Achilles a rest from the terrain for a bit; I galloped in bad, ungainly and slightly uncomfortable style along the verge of the road. My Garmin beeped out a 4:15km on that stage. Oh! Really? Urm..... but my route wasn't best - Roger Thetford's was IMO - part descent. Roger knows the area well!

2nd to Clive; 3:21 behind; I'll take that; good course; good event; well worth the long long drive. Happy enough for next w/e. I've lost my edge , though - c'est la vie.

results: http://www.tvoc.org.uk/application/documents/event...
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1140431...
http://www.tvoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#86&cour...

C • Lost Edge 2

Minging hangover.

Well worth it tho.

Rest day.

Off to Reading, for Dave (the drummer's) funeral.

No "exercise" planned. Intending to get completely shitfaced though. It's what he would have wanted.....

We've booked a pub, & will be playing music all night as a "supergroup" - all the people he's been in bands in will be there.

Test run.
5 min jog in trainers in park. Not good. several twangs. Game over? "the show must go on", so.....

Changed into O shoes (red older Mudclaw 265)
ran lap of park, surprisingly little pain, almost able, at times , to run "normally". lower heel tab? Ground hard, too - no need for "mudclaws".

The continuous pain of Cranham was not there, so I declare myself "fit" for an Orange course on Sunday. British long - 50/50 whether I start as a competitor, relays more important.

C • Try heel pads too. 2

same ride as Tuesday, but fewer clothes on; small rucsac on back, tho.

flowed pretty well, kms were skipping by quicker all the way - sub-2:30's . OK.

stopped for sauna & big stretch at gym on way home.

3 mins quicker than Tuesday - hmmm.....

I could *almost* get into this.

Achilles behaving this afternoon. It's teasing me. Bastard.

X-ray results back.

I do not speak medicalese, but they say the following:

Vascular calcification noted. No abnormality is seen in the soft tissues of the region of the achilles tendon insertion. No abnormality of the calcaneum seen.

So no idea, still. I suppose I just have to see if I can wing it and keep my hand in somehow, until the season's done?

C • Achilles 2

Swimming for first time in over 5 years.

I'm bad at it but this will do once a week.

did about 34 lengths, with a few breathers. Pool 30.5 m long.

Completely knackered afterwards and mini bonk / diabetes hypo. Not sure if this is really a bad thing.

Another pathetic shuffle to "test" foot.

A few twinges. Started walking after 800m,. started up again jogging and it wasn't quite as bad as I'd feared. Even tried running "properly" up a hill - no pain. Intermittent, y'see......

so from limping jogger to some1 on their 1st proper jog in 3 days - hardly boding well.

Hmm. White towel ready to be thrown.

Cycled up Avon Gorge on Towpath to Pill & back. Tried quite hard in places, which isn't saying much.

Nice day; confess to almost enjoying this!

noticed that my fastest 3km segment was slower than the RUNNING world record - holy be-jesus! ie. around 2:30 per km.

I will try to do this twice a week for a bit, see if it helps keep me fit (ish) whilst I am unable to run properly.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1133452...

Heel not right today, also tired.

Ready to throw in towel now.

Long-ish walk (6 hours) with Liz east of Bristol trying to find inspiration to move away from the centre where I cannot park my car and I feel no need to remain.

Pub lunch in Doynton in pub garden. Sunday roast! :)

A vastly more enjoyable day than trying to run in pain and be as quick as the better M50s, I have to say. #jaded .

longer than we'd thought, 11 miles. 400m climb,
http://www.mapometer.com/walking/route_4297148.htm...

Heel/Achilles niggled on numerous occasions. Only once did I yelp in pain, though. Not sure if this is a result or not. Changed shoes twice.

Nice day , & sunny. Cold in shade tho.