5km post injury

After nearly three weeks off and a clear x-ray, the physio treating me said I could do a test 5km on Good Friday.

I was a little apprehensive but took painkillers before going out (something I never do, but was told I should!) and my foot was all taped up. I got out there and whilst it was niggling things felt ok. My legs felt heavy and tired so I really need to find somewhere for a sports massage – three people I’ve used have closed/are ill and not working so I’m struggling a little to find somebody.

I took my normal 5km route and my splits were ok so I decided to keep pushing on. To get back and find I’d set PBs for everything bar the 400m was really good. It means “Long Run Sunday” is on so fingers crossed!

Just two more long runs planned and a major adjustment to my training plan after this injury is not ideal but it is what it is. In the meantime I’ll keep up with the taping and RICE (Rest Ice Compress Elevate) to hope my foot keeps me going.

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Physio session – countdown to Friday!

Tonight it was time for my second physio session. My foot isn’t right but it is definitely better than it was.

I went through various tests again, had ultrasound treatment and have been re-taped up. I’m allowed to do 5km on Friday (to give myself more time to rest) and depending how that goes, Sunday (my allocated long run day) will be anything from nothing to 10 miles. The countdown to Friday is on – it will be good to be back out there!

I’m booked in for more physio next week, and depending how things go this weekend, we’ll make my marathon planned; original plan, original plan with some tweaks or having to walk the whole thing.

Fingers crossed for this weekend and 22nd April, I will do this!

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Down but not out!

Some people have spotted I haven’t posted for a while, and the simple answer is… I’m not allowed to train!

Having done just over 11km a couple of weekends ago, I felt good. Two days later, on the Monday evening, I went out and did 5km; it was the quickest time I’d ever done with PBs for 0.5 mile, 1k and 2 miles and some other “second best” times.

Unfortunately doing that, I hurt my foot. I’m not sure when or how, but ever since even just walking or weight bearing has been painful. With the marathon so close, I had it checked out by my GP who sent me for an X-Ray to check there wasn’t a stress fracture. That came back clear, thankfully, and I was recommended to go to a physiotherapist.

I’m now seeing a physio twice a week but not allowed to train in the meantime. They’re not sure what’s wrong, but I’m having ultrasound treatment, have some stretches and exercises to do and have my foot all strapped up.

The physio, whilst unsure what the injury is, is happy there’s nothing too serious wrong but there’s clearly something not quite right. They’re happy they will get me to the start line and have told me just to be prepared that I may have to walk all/most of the marathon, but that I WILL complete it! Until then, I’m listening to their advice and have called many local gyms to see if I can get a one month gym membership in order to cross-train in the meantime! It’s really frustrating but I have to accept some of my aims in terms of running/times etc may have to be put on the back burner.

I’ve said it before, but many thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far – I really do appreciate it.

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First 12 Car of 2018

Having driven on a couple of events in 2018, it was time to swap back to the left hand seat and navigate for Luis Gutierrez-Diaz on a 12 Car. When Luis’ normal navigator, Lucy, cannot make it, I’m the stand in!

The event started in the Stansted area and whilst the M25 was a little unkind I made it in time for some dinner as well as signing on and completing the pre-plot. Luis has bought a new car since I last navigated for him, and it turned out to be a little over a year since I’d last navigated for him. I’d only done one 12 Car since, so I was feeling a bit rusty!

I’d bought (and prepped) the two maps needed and before we knew it, it was time to go. The event started with clues relating to roads of arrival, depart and miss (YyY, YYy for those navigators reading this) which is one of my weakest areas. Thankfully there were not too many clues and I managed to get it sorted, but I felt slightly in at the deep end!

We were doing ok until a herringbone really got my brain working (see here for examples) but I got it working in the end. It felt like we were going ok, and we were picking up code boards (letters which prove we had gone the correct route) which is always a reassurance.

Whilst I took my time on some of the navigation, I managed to get it all down and plotted for the route and didn’t have to guess anything, which can sometimes happen on a bad night! To get back to the pub and find we had collected all the boards, it was great to finish 1st in class and 2nd overall – my best result since my return to navigating last year and first clean run (getting all the boards) in years, since I used to regularly do these events.

Snow interruptions, lunch sessions and back to long weekend training time…

Everywhere has recently had snow. It’s been all over the news, so there’s been no escape from seeing it or hearing about it! The snow gave us an extra 27 or so hours in Ireland as our flight was cancelled, and then delayed. It also meant my end of week Irish training sessions didn’t take place because of a mixture of the conditions (we were in a red, don’t go out anywhere area) as well as it being rather deep snow.

Now I’m back home, lunchtime 5ks are back on again. It being the weekend has also meant time for a long session. It was “only” 11.2km yesterday; in the past I would have though that was a huge distance, but with the context of a marathon, it’s not at all! I’d planned to go further but I’d managed to get a last minute/cancellation sports massage appointment which I desperately needed, and I also needed sleep after a long and busy week, and it was a case of 11.2km was better than nothing at all.

Whilst the distance wasn’t quite as far as I wanted, I felt much better than when I’d recently done 13km and I could have kept going if only I’d had more time/was quicker so I’m trying to take the positives from that.

I’ve received a couple more donations over the weekend and I’m hugely grateful for everybody’s support. It’s crazy to think there’s only six weeks to go!

Click here to sponsor me – thank you for your support!