Bumpy Roads and intensity

At the corner of Autopilot and Aviation Drive, the long run of the week commenced. Appropriate considering the run was planned to circumnavigate the northern portions of Washington Dulles Airport. It was the culmination of a productive week of training during a "recovery week".

There was shorter periods, but with more pain. The good kind. The plan that is to be followed during the lead up to Boulder IM completes a 3 weeks on 1 week off cycle. During the one week off the plan has you do tests of varying degree in order to test your progress. It's sadistic nature can be enjoyable. The much reduced length of training time is traded for vomit inducing intensity, just to see how you do.

The tests went well and showed improvement. Thank goodness. Followed by a promising long ride with a couple of handy roadies throughout the winding local roads of Minneapolis. The great thing about the roadies is that they know where all the smooth roads are. The downside is that they love their hills and they have a real knack at finding them where you least expect it. I now have some good new routes to follow when we next head out.

It was a good 8 miler today. Slightly hazardous first mile or so, being threatened by fatigued airport cabbies and early morning rental car returners. Once out of the mish mash of the airport roads, the run expanded in to a quite loop through the woods that was quite enjoyable. Nice end to the week with the sun on my back and the London Philharmonic in my ears. 

The anti is on the up this week. Two weeks out from the first race of the season, a half iron distance local race beginning in the calm, chilly waters of Lake Rebecca. Combined with a visit to the sporty doc, this should be another interesting week on the bumpy road to Boulder.      

Hope, random and forgetfulness

Frankly, although I probably don't have the most solid set of ankles of all time, I still have a little hope on my side. Today, 9 miles were completed as part of the long run portion of this weeks long arduous training. Coupled with a complete and somewhat tortuous hilly long bike yesterday, it made for my first complete week of training for the first time this year. 

If I am ever completely honest with myself, I would perhaps acknowledge that the ankle isn't at 100%, to say the least. The doc will tell more come the end of the week and suspicions remain as within the inner most subconscious that fluid remains in the ankle joint. The deployment of heat/ice methodology (one far more welcome than the other) has made an impact. The re-deployment of the ice bath, championed by the likes of Paula Radcliffe, has also contributed to a positive week. It's amazing how it is so easily forgotten from one season to the next, all the tricks that helped so much last season. A simple conversation with "Constitution" on the long hilly ride around St Paul yesterday sprang in to action the much needed stop at the local BP for two 20 pound bags of ice and a wobbly bike back the house. This was shortly followed by by some debatably girlish screaming and some inquisitive looks from the dog and cat as I entered the first ice bath of the season.

There are numerous debates about the impact of the ice bath. All I could say, as far as my tortuous self experimentation goes, is that it appears to have a positive impact on my ever complaining body.....

....This is what I love about triathlon! As I write this week, I was in flight on my way to work and spotted the tell tale sign of the Transition Bag as a carry on. I struck up a conversation and as it turns out this lady specializes in sports injury for triathletes. For the next hour I continued to receive some free medical advice on my ankle. Winner. Found out there is some serious work to do on my ankle mobility and hip flexors.

What should also focused upon is my memory. A solicitous email just crossed my inbox congratulating on a fine race! Naturally curious about one successfully races whilst not actually being there, an expeditious search of the results led to the discovery of my very first DNS. Unsurprising really. Would have been nice to have to have remembered. Ironically, there is a slim recollection of signing up during half price Black Friday thinking a duathlon would be good practice for the forthcoming season. I was even off! Oh the irony!

Plenty to work on this week. 

Good luck on this all!

 

Réflexion: Training camp?

To reflect upon the part of the airline industry that I work for and their lack of action over the previous few days would be unhelpful and fruitless. Simply, it must be recognized that their failures have provided an opportunity to reflection or réflexion! 

To find myself stranded in yet another hotel may seem frustrating and annoying in the grand scheme of things. However, even though it is as tempting as a chocolate covered strawberry, to see this as a hindrance is unproductive. I have been stranded in the French speaking city of Quebec in Canada. The hotel has a free espresso machine. The city is a veritable hub of training opportunity. What's not to like?? Indeed, the town is somewhat of a challenge regarding communication, but is that not what Ironman training is all about - The Challenge? We wouldn't keep doing it if it got easier. As Napoleon always says, "it always f*@!king hurts!"

I don;t necessarily see Quebec as painful, mind you. Just a fresh challenge to keep things interesting. As we enter our second day of marooning, I see a pool out of my window and a chance to go for a run in the beautiful old city of Quebec. Challenge accepted!

The ankle had somewhat of an off day yesterday. Grumbling about the effort put in over the weekend. It appears to have bounced back today and may even enjoy a good swim to sooth it's disgruntled tendons. The cold/heat method seems to generate a very good response from "the ole fella" (as I have now named that appendage) The homework must been done well this week. The doctor is due for a visit this week and I must convince him the "old" body isn't done yet!

One of the things that has been reflected on all this week is how I came to have this grumbling ankle. Yes, there was the over zealous football from youth to present - dismissing the aging in between. Yet, it never complained in training previous. Which brought my mind to the ever challenging, completely inappropriately selected footwear run of  Challenge Henley. The brutal, hardened and slippery field that we ran through for 3 miles of each loop of the run portion. Did that finally beat the "ole fella" in to a state of such fatigue that when I finally kicked a ball with it again the jig was up?
One particular personality trait I possess is analysis - excessive analysis. Or, as my wife describes it, "flogging it to death". So, finding the root cause of this has been dancing around my thoughts. Could this painful, yet glorious day be the origins? For Pete's sake, I fell down a drainage ditch in 2012, buggered the ankle beyond what I thought was repair and still managed an entirely successful (read: good enough) completion of France. Yet, France's course was the flattest smoothest run known to man. The polar opposite of Henley. Ah, I shall ponder some more. Better get some more espresso!

Good luck to us all!

Working on my "menu French"

Morning sunrise over my of my favourite places to run.

Back in the gym

It's been a tough three weeks. The love of running and the freedom it gives you is contagious. To be presented with some of the favourite runs in the nation over the last 3 weeks and not able to run them was a form of torture. The chance to run around Flushing Meadows was missed. The first beautiful day of spring was missed. Many of my favourite times.

Yet, something was indeed gained. A new element to training. A new recovery tool. Aqua jogging. Water running. Whatever is the term you choose. Mocked as being an old people's game, this pool time jovial-ness has afforded a new outlet for recovery. When the muscles are sore or the foot is being temperamental, a new option to slap the incredibly bouyant float belt on and start running. It's liberating in a way. Perhaps even meditative. You're not going to go anywhere fast. Many will look at you with a cocked head and wonder why such a youthful, good looking guy is trying to tread water for so long. Isn't that for the old folks? Even the old folks (of whom I met a few during my aqua jogging) will look at you with an arms length stare. "What is this fella doing??"

However, the reward for the muscles is there. The ability to maintain that level of fitness and let the body avoid the constant jarring of outdoor running that is indeed detrimental to damage recovery. Many a runner thinks that those running in the water are suffering from stress fractures and more serious injuries. However, I for one, will be using it in the future when the week is catching me up and I need a little bit of a backward step in order to keep moving forward. 

The foot still has it's days, but the time is right to slowly begin to fun again. The ankle has stopped complaining. The foot can be "irritating", yet a balanced recovery should put me back in good stead. Should.

The weeks are beginning to get more demanding, from a training perspective. The now familiar jump to 3 hour rides and transition runs. The ending of the base and the beginning of some serious time management.

Good luck to us all!

Throw back!

They think it's all over! Well......

That's my right ankle. Pretty, isn't it. Such graceful body lines are a gift - by gift I mean hinderance. 

For many years I have abused my ankles. Many moons of smashing around a soccer field, which my ankles informed me during my late twenties and early thirties was a terrible idea. They way they like to inform their owner of these things is to roll over on you and send you shrieking like Luis Suarez have been judo chopped on the football pitch. They do this periodically. Mostly at your behest, as you take on another ill sort after footie match with a bunch of over forties. All of which have their own ailments and none of which you believe you are like, physically. Yet, after each of these yearly games, where you charge around the field like a well oiled machine without the remotest thought toward taking it easy or being sensible, or the fact that this just might leave you sore for a week.

Those type of decisions is what lead me to an MRI table and an oh-so-familiar radio station menu to chose from, in order to drown out the loud obnoctious machine. This would be the third or fourth MRI on my ankles post excessive sideways activity. You'd think I'd take a hint.

Naturally, when the results find their way to you in an express fashion, not 45 minutes post scan, you mind flies to the "end of the world" scenario. It's all gone wrong! How will I make it through summer after they hack my ankle open?? Such vivid questions swirl in an ever busy mind. It's a natural path I think. Some minds are stronger than others and manage to keep such thoughts at bay.  Not my mind, no matter how hard I try.

Then came the consultation and the advice, post x-ray showing no "Wayne Rooney" fifth metatarsel breaks, to take up aqua jogging and lay off running for three weeks. Suddenly, celebration mode kicks in. Doom and gloom has turned to a small ray of sunshine cresting over the horizon. Perhaps my Ironman career isn't over. Perhaps I just might make it. 

Now the excitement brews for a new experiment in the pool. Me and my flotation belt take the the deep waters of the musty pool at lunch time.  Suddenly profoundly aware of how much like a dreadmill this is. Running with no place to go. Then that thought is trumped by the sudden rise in heart rate and the awareness that this lark is quite tiring. Perhaps there's hope at the end of the fitness tunnel!

This morning the legs were appropriately fatigued, as if I had actually gone for a long jog. Quite the fascinating result from a short 35 minutes of aqua jogging. Now, if I could just shed this cold, everything can start heading back to normal. 

More torture is due this weekend. Three long hours on the indoor trainer should provide the appropriate amount of menotony to force state secrets out of any international spy. At least at home I get a good movie to pass the time. On the road you have to make do and sometimes that involves a blank wall and a pool of sweat.

Here's hoping for a pain free week and a quick recovery!

Good luck to us all!

Set Backs

The dictionary states that the definition of a set back is "an unanticipated or sudden check in progress; a change from better to worse". That's how it felt yesterday whilst they slid me in to the MRI for a scan on my right ankle.

The news hasn't sunk in just yet. Next week, a trip to the specialists office in the order of the day. A discussion will be held about how to progress with my "quite damaged" ankle. You know it's bad when you haven't even parked the car back in your garage having just returned from the MRI when the phone rings with the unwelcome results.

3 damaged tendons. One "missing" ligament. Bone fragments floating around. That's the generalization of the situation. How did this all happen? Well, the fear is that it occurred during a game of soccer/football about 6 weeks ago. Probably weakened due to the numerous ankle rolls during my youth. Add in the full amount of training that has occurred over the last 3 years. The odd element is that there hasn't been any pain up until that fateful game about 6 weeks previous. Not a sign. Yet, it would appear that the ankle could have been primed to go.

Frankly, it's all irrelevant now. The specialist will give the full, unedited view next Wednesday with all the available options. Surgery would put a serious damper on the season, but may be the best option. I will fight to keep that option at the bottom and strive to repair my ankle with the minimal of invasion. That said, it may be a losing battle at this stage. 

Napoleon said yesterday that there is more to life than an Ironman. It is indeed an addictive lifestyle. However, this disadvantage needs to be turned to an advantage. Swimming will be the focus for now. Lots of available hours to improve upon the efficiency of stroke and all that bollocks! It must be seen as another step in the education of life, filling that bag full of experience.

Good luck to us all (my ankle in particular)!

Kicking it up a notch

Spring is attempting to sneak it's way past winter and get a strong hold on the weather. It's trying it's best, but winter's beer belly is being a bully and not relinquishing it's hold just yet. Yet, spring did make a bit of an appearance this week and allowed the first outdoors ride of the season (not including England). The first ride of the season always results in a mandatory bike clean and some muddy, grit ridden bike clothes. It's the best part. No matter what, the smile won't leave the faces of those who venture out on this unrivaled day of the year. You may be soaked. You may be covered in grit and sand. your bike may well be completely sanded from back wheel to front. However, you keep on smiling and riding. It's infectious, at least until 20 inches of snow falls on Friday!

The training has suddenly ratcheted it up a notch. Two-a-days have smashed back on to the scene, reminding me how long it takes to get back to full race fitness. The schedule begins to get tighter and the inventiveness needs to be all that more, well, inventive.

The foot is almost back to normal. Managed one run and the ankle didn't seem to cry out too much. Although, as is common with the multitude of ankle injuries I have experienced in my life, the other muscles around the ankle tend to become a little cranky as a result. Induced by the warmer climate of Oklahoma, a run shall be the order of the day tomorrow. Can't pass up the chance of lapping up the warm rays of the south. Shall take it easy though. No need to send my ankle/foot back to the drawing board.

It's amazing that the first race of the season is sliding it's way up the forefront ever so quickly. June 7th is only a couple of months away. The first race of the year, Liberty Half Iron distance taking the honours. The excited feel of the butterflies in the stomach the morning of the race beckoning each athlete towards the month of June. Time to start having a look at the course and trying to look at what won't help an athlete like me just trying to hold on, but it's nice to imagine it would. I'll study the twists and turns, only to forget it all as soon as I emerge from the water! Here's hoping the nutrition is a little more dialed in this time around.


Here's to Spring!!!


Good luck to us all!