Good news on the health front. Since 31st December my mysterious condition seems to have been behaving itself so it's been back to training.
But how do you come back?
I have to say that during the nearly 3 months that I was off, I veered between the despair of not being able to do something I loved and acceptance that this was the way it was so I'd better try and find something else to do. I think most of the time I fell somewhere between the two stools.
When I couldn't run, I thought that my 'comeback' - if indeed there was going to be such a thing - would be a mad frenzy of athletic performance with me throwing myself in at the deep end until it just hurt through exhaustion, and at the end of the initial period I would be back to my bestermost best.
Any sane person would tell you it's not going to happen like that though. In a rare moment of sanity I set myself a target of 'just getting out there' for most of weeks one and two. The sheer pleasure of just getting out into the sun (for it was warm for the time of year) was enough for a couple of days, but then the CBA quickly made a reappearance and had to be held at arm's length. Leg strength has gone, somewhere, leg balance has also gone and flexibility is very poor, not that its been brilliant recently but it's definitely got worse.
Wakeup call no.1 came when I attempted a 'long' (over an hour) run round the Wrekin one Sunday morning. I was wasted by the end of it and it took me a day or two to recover.
Wakeup call no.2 came when I attended my first circuit training session for over a year. Although it was billed as an 'easy' session I was aching for some time afterwards.
Last week, motivation was already low when I commenced early morning running. Apart from the body shock of being out there, I had forgotten how nice it was. I was just getting into it when - wham - the snow arrived.
Snow is my enemy.
I can't run on snow. Having poor balance means I have poor confidence which means I have poor balance and it's generally an unhappy medium for me.
So it was another few days off, until I could get in the gym to vent my frustration on the machines. It was hard going, treadmill running usually is, it doesn't lend itself to getting on your toes very much. But I put in a good session on the 'mill, the bike and the rower. It's like warm-weather training, vest and shorts stuff. Lovely.
Targets for 2013 -
February Tough Ten. Get round the Tough Ten.
Cloud 9. Ditto
Grizzly Cub. Have a good run.
then..
warm weather training (..er..) in Tenerife :-)
Sounds like a good, realistic plan for the year. It's tough getting back isn't it?! You'll get there though, although we (I suppose) have to accept that we ARE getting older and may not get back to the level we wish to.
ReplyDeleteAs for snow, can't stand the stuff for the same reason. The only time it's any good is when it's nice and thick on a usually heathery hillside. Then you can thrown yourself down it and not have a care in the world (as we did this weekend). Have you tried kahtoola spikes? Worth a go?
I actually improved a little during 2011/12 after several years of declining performances, however last year it was blighted by illness which really knocked the wind out of my sails on three separate occasions, made me start again three times, and after all that, made me question how much I want to do any of this stuff any more.
ReplyDeleteI'm ok with snow on hills, it's the ice I really cant stand. I think I need to do more quad exercises to build up strength in case I slip or hit anything unlevel. I remember about 20 years ago it wasn't so much of a problem I think it's a psychological thing these days.
I think I'll be better once the weather picks up and I can get some good mileage and hills in.
I think it's a physical thing as well Alan. You take a fall these days, it seems you spend a few minutes on the ground feeling battered, then another couple of minutes checking everything is where it should be and nothing's broken! Used to just jump up and off you go!
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