22/06/14

So, this post is overdue by about three weeks now. The truth is, I haven't been in the writing mood very much given the situation I've been in. From three weeks ago Monday, I started with a little cough and sore throat and things just got progressively worse, health-wise, from there. As winter wraps us up into its fold, the temperature starts to drop into the single digits, the days get darker earlier, a sense of gloom hangs in the air, the rain starts to pour for days on end and the blustering wind cuts to the bone, quite literally as I feel a heightened sense of pain in my left forearm - the result of the plates being affected by the temperature drop I'm told - running, as well as staying healthy, becomes more and more of a mission.

I carried this slight cold with me for about a week (or so), continuing to run as much as possible without cutting too much into my training but also maintaining a check on my health. I didn't manage to match the previous two weeks' mileage but, regardless, I still put in a decent effort given the fact that I am not at all prepared for running in the Cape winter.

26-05-14
Mon-PM 11.7km - 1:23:00 (466m)

Evening run with Sheldon on the Lion Loop. Very easy pace to deal with a sore lower back and just some general leg fatigue. Sheldon ran with my headlamp and I used a handheld torch. Dark trails made running at a slower pace a little easier. 

27-05-14
Tues-PM 7.2km - 41:16 (400m)

Set off after work on a Signal Hill loop. Calves felt tight and strained from the get go on the way Pat's Track. To top off the the body fatigue, I was feeling pretty woozy as well. Probably from not eating enough during the day. Pushed through to the top of the saddle worrying whether I could push further up the Lion but the weather had other ideas. The wind at the start of the Lions Back trail was strong enough to convince me that heading further up, in my current state, was a bad idea. Cut things short and headed back to the Signal hill lookout and down the Noon Gun Battery trail.

28-05-14
Wed-PM 10.5km - 1:14:58 (602m)

Another evening run on the Lion. Started up the Noon Gun Crush route in the dark (is it just me or is getting dark at midday!!) feeling pretty strong after the last few days. I'm not used to feeling strong after the Noon Gun battery climb but things felt solid which made for a happier, more positive run. Made my way through to the saddle and started up the Lions Back. Thankfully the wind had quietened down since yesterday which meant that a full Lion summit was on the cards. Pushed pretty strong up the switchbacks and started up the Lion main trail pretty hard, feeling confident. skipped the chain section and ran along the side trail on the Lion summit because I wasn't too sure about the safety of climbing in the dark. Ironic because I slipped pretty hard on the flattest section of the trail. Landed nice and firmly on my ass. Good times. The descent was uncomfortable after the bail but still managed to put in a good effort down Pat's Track and home. Shower, Ice pack on the butt and a beer to wind down.

29-05-14
Thur 
No run. Took a "rest" day - which in all actuality was actually an excuse to go share some beers with the guys and head to the Labia theater to watch the premiere of Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel's new  documentary on their record-breaking traverse of the Drakensberg mountain range - Travailen. If you haven't checked it out yet, then get on it ASAP. It's an absolutely phenomenal production that captures the attempt beautifully. Check out the review by iRunFar as well..

30-05-14
Fri-PM 13.1km - 1:23:23 (938m)

Nothing too special tonight. Wasn't feeling 100% healthy the day before which carried over to today. Still, managed to do some higher tempo on the fireroads ascent and the first stretch of the Signal Hill ridge without feeling too stretched before starting up the Lions Back. Took it relatively easy up to the summit of Lions Head but put in a solid effort on the descent (as best one could in the dark) then, for no apparent reason, let the legs loose down Pat's Track and back home. 

31-05-14
Sat-PM 11.8km - 1:45:08

Still carrying some health issues from Thursday night. Sheldon and I took a slow run up Signal Hill - my legs were feeling pretty tired which was a bit of a concern to me as the effort we were putting in wasn't enough to put that kinda strain on the calves and I was kind of nervous that this was the onset muscle fatigue of getting flu - which wasn't helped by the strong wind and thickish mist. Still, a fun time running with a buddy and a good scramble up the Lion. We sat on the top for a while just taking in the serenity (no scenery because the mist was so thick) before heading back home.

01-06-14

Sun
No run. Woke up feeling absolutely dreadful. Rest day.

So, as mentioned above, the mileage I recorded didn't manage to stay on par with where I would have liked it but that's all part of the game. We can't always be in control of every situation and not every little detail will go according to our plans, much the same that no run we do will ever be the same. We won't have identical conditions, both physically and mentally, to benchmark performances on, we won't be able to have all the other runners figured and the list goes on. But we adapt. We use the information that we do have at our disposal and we build new strategy around it. We change our gameplans according to the situation we find ourselves in.

I think that's one of the main lessons in any sport; that, no matter how much training you put it or how much you analyse and scrutinise every detail, ache over plans, there will always be a proverbial spanner in the works just hovering and waiting to push us on to unexpected paths. As a novice to the sport of trail running, mountain running and as a complete rookie to the world of ultra distance running, I do what I can to extract knowledge from those around me that possess it. those that are willing to take the time to speak about their experiences, the elites that write articles and my fellow beginners who have their own unique experiences to share - I try and gain as much from them all as I can to better equip myself for the run.

The week of the 2nd July started poorly and, decidedly, trying to test my resolve and conviction towards adaptation.

As somebody who is used to running, at least, 5 times a week, being sick is, to be blunt, a pain in the ass. It doesn't necessarily limit your ability to run so much as it does your running ability. Sure, you wont be logging your fastest times but you'll still be able to get out there (maybe just bundled up under a few extra layers).

I would have killed to be sick like that. Instead, I had to deal with some muscle-crippling flu strain that lamed me up enough to not be able to run at all but still ok enough to warrant going to work (instead of to the doctor and home to rest until it passes). Essentially, it culminated in a depressing week of non-running and some serious agitation on my part.

02-06-14 to 06-06-14
Mon to Fri
The dreaded man-flu strikes. Monday to Thursday are the worst days with Friday being a full serving of false hope which led to some stupidity.

07-06-14
Sat-AM 5km - 18:54 (17m)
Parkrun with the guys. Chris and I set an early pace and maintained for the majority of the run. It's all better explained in their run report. Guess we shouldn't have had those vegan lamb bunny chows the night before as kilometre 3 was the striking point for both Chris and I. Stomach issues in the 5000m dash ain't nothing to mess with. Still, both of us putting in sub 19 minutes was pretty fun.

08-06-14
Sun
No run. Return of the flu. Guess yesterday's outing was a little premature. Awful weather so not much guilt for sitting this one out.

Total Hours: 6:45:39
Total Mileage: 59.2km
Total Gain: 3262m

Some of you may remember from an earlier post about how Anton Krupicka is my main inspiration in the running scene (that's not to say he is the only one, I gain inspiration from many, many sources, but Anton is my number one go-to guy) and I have been reading back on some of his musings on his blog from his past winter (our summer). Anton had been laid off for some time with a significant hip injury (although, at his lowest point, he still outperformed me - the mind boggles) and he had a hard time dealing with it. He wasn't able to hit targets that he would usually reach in his sleep. He was pushing some serious mental barriers.

I took great insight from those writings in learning to deal with my not-so-significant-in-the-grand-scheme flu. Here I was, losing a week of running and feeling - admittedly - depressed about it, whereas Anton had lost a good portion of a year to injury. For a professional athlete, losing such a significant amount of time could only amount to a great deal of internalising frustrations and anxieties. Perspective can play an extremely important role in all this. I'm nowhere near being a professional athlete (heck, I'm not anywhere near being an amateur either) so what could my week of no training realistically do to my mindset that I couldn't overcome? What makes my training and my running so special that taking a week off could merit such disappointment and tension?

Well, I don't have an answer for that and I doubt I ever will. It's just one of those things that I chalk up as being inherent to being a runner. We all experience highs and lows and nobody else's experience can or will be the same as ours nor will we ever be able to completely empathise with them. It's just too personal an experience to project onto another person. Maybe it becomes a question of dedication or passion? I'm not really in a position to ask those questions but they are things that play on my mind from time to time. For another post though.

11-06-14

Mon

No run. Coming back from flu and not wanting to push it too hard.

10-06-14

Tues-AM

The weather was completely atrocious when I woke up so I figured I'd put in a session at the gym. Started things with a warm up on the treadmill, 10 minutes at 5min/km pace. Moved on to my regular gym session after warming up. Some strength training in preparation for the climbing excursions I'd like to get in during the summer. Ended off the session on the treadmill again for some fartlek-style training. Started with an easy 400m at, more or less, 5:30m/km pace then kicked it up to 1200m at a sub 4min/km pace. Pushed super hard to break a 5 minute mile, narrowly missed out. Ended the treadmill session with a 400m sprint at 3:30m/km pace on a 15% incline. Legs felt super bushed after that. Burning sensation underfoot which I wrote off to pushing so hard on a treadmill in MT00s.

PM

Set off on an an evening run with the intent of pushing a Lions Back loop which was cut short about a kilometre into the run by excruciating pain underfoot.

11-06-14

Wed

A trip to the hospital and an x-ray revealed a stress fracture in my 3rd and 4th metatarsals in my right foot. Doctor recommends 6-8 weeks off. Frustration.

12-06-14 to 15-06-14

Thurs - Sun

No running.

16-06-14 to 22-06-14

Mon - Sun

Week 1 of 8 down, only 7 more long, frustrating weeks to go until I'm able to start training again. Not much going on right now other than a few gym sessions to work on core and upper body strength.