The Benefits of Training Outdoors Through the Winter Months

       

Why you should keep training outside during the winter months?

11 Months On from an Femoral Neck Stress Fracture

11 Months on...

It's been nearly a year since my injury and I’ve just started to get running again, I can’t believe it’s taken so long it has generally been the hardest year I’ve ever had. I just hope it makes me stronger and wiser. Every day I still fixate on my injury, and overthink it.  Any ache or pain in the area and I panic, should I still run should I stop? I hope this will pass in time. Sensitivity and phantom pains are normal after a stress fracture.

The first run was daunting and I was terrified. My last run was agony in Adelaide and I just didn’t know what this one would feel like. With the Physio there to support me I started a slow jog on the treadmill (I can’t believe how hard it was) I felt knackered after one minute! However, there was no pain. I was then put on a running plan 1 minute run, 1 minute walk for 10 minutes then adding in an extra minute run each time. This was a painfully slow process for someone with little patience like me but you have to listen to the experts.  I am now running 6k slowly but comfortably and after an initial few weeks of panics and anxiety before my runs I am now over it and am looking forward to my next run, happy to get that running buzz again!

Looking back I’m convinced now that my injury was caused by a mixture of thing;  1.  Too many miles, 2. Not having a proper rest day, 2. Letting my weight get too low, 3. Not refuelling properly after training in the morning. 4. Doing track sessions on concrete. 

It’s taught me a lot and I think I have now created a healthier view and habits especially in regards to nutrition. Food is fuel and is it needed. I had a barrier that putting on weight would slow me down when racing (stupid I know), but in reality my body needed the fuel. I had to get over this to allow my body to heal and yes I am a few Kgs heavier now but people say I look healthier and I feel stronger so going with it, except I am slower cycling up hills! I am also ensuring I do my two resistance strength sessions a week to get my bad leg,  hips and pelvis stronger.  

So what have been up too, I’ve been on my bike a lot. London Ride 100 (100 mile sportive) was the first event since my injury and I was pleased to have a slightly quicker time than last year.  I think my biking is stronger now than before my injury, just now to work on the running.  I recently won a competition and was invited to the Garmin Ride Out. A fantastic day apart from the heaviest rain I have ridden in constantly for 47miles. It was a great excuse to be reunited with my partner in crime “Claire World Champ Steels” I didn’t see her for long during the ride as the speed machine shot off with the pros but it was a great day. We met Alex Downsett and teams Merida, Cannondale and Movistar. They all rode with us, had lunch with and answered any questions we all had.

  








Alex Downsett, Me and Claire

On Sunday last week I entered the Circuit of Kent a killer 80mile sportive, where we encountered a horrible head wind throughout!  I was pleased with a 1^st in my age 15-39 year olds and 3rd Lady home. Just being back at events has cheered me up and I have a few more random ones coming up (a 6 hour mountain bike race, no I can’t mountain bike, a hill climb possibly and a few more sportives).   

Duathlons may have to wait a while until I can get some speed up but it’s good to be back on some sort of training programme!

Back to training now - Training smarter not harder.

Injury, depression and finally a little hope.... #Ashmei Ambassador opportunity?

 

So I haven't posted anything for a while for a few reasons:

1. I feel I haven't done anything exciting to write about recently due to this on going injury.

2. I've been fairly depressed for the first time in my life and it's taking me a long time to feel like writing again.

In November, the excruciating pain that was now causing me to limp when walking was diagnosed after an MRI as a neck of femur stress fracture, one of the worst injuries a runner can experience. The same injury Paula Radcliffe experienced before the Beijing Olympics. See the picture of the line below, apparently it was at grade 4/5, the next grade up is a full break.

The doctor was surprised I wasn't consuming a large amount of painkillers. I think I had become accustomed to the pain. Hiking around Ayres Rock/Kings Canyon and mountain biking were probably not the best activities to be doing on a partly broken bone but when would I go to Oz again!?

Sitting on top of Kings Canyon

I was put on crutches for 10 weeks. The worst 10 weeks of my life, getting to work on the tube was a struggle but the worse was the sudden free time I had. No training I felt lost, I couldn't easily get anywhere to meet friends. Most of my friends were cycling and running, training for the spring races, going on club runs over Christmas and all I was doing was swimming with just my arms (they are pretty muscular now) and gaining weight!  I felt very low. During my degree I studied sports psychology and was experiencing the depression and the psychological stages of injury. I have to say with 4 months off now,I have experienced the 5 stage grief response (Hardy and Crace,1990).

1. Denial (walk or run it off, it will go, train through it!)

2. Anger (why me, what did I do that others didn't to deserve it?)

3. Bargaining (wanting to come back too soon, mood swings)

4. Depression (loss of identity, lack of confidence, fear I will never return to my sport, isolation) 

5. Acceptance (positive outlook and coping, a sense of progress).

So how do you avoid these feelings, research suggests relaxation techniques, talking to specialist, setting new goals, visualizing yourself coming back to your sport, staying active as much as you can, meeting up with old friends again, trying  new hobbies (I've been on a bike maintenance course so I can now fix my bike and change a puncture on my bike when I ride again),  learning about your injury and your anatomy and  finding out why the injury occurred are proven to reduce these symptoms. Talking to others that have experienced that injury also helps (no, I didn't manage to talk to Paula Radcliffe!)

My weekly plans!

After three months I had a scan, not bad news as such but I felt it put me back to the depression stage. The leg is healing but taking longer that expected to heal. This would explain the pain I still experience occasionally. I felt all the previous emotions return to me especially when withdrawing from Europeans which I had trained so hard to qualify for. All I can do is wait.


With such a long time now off running I need to strengthen my muscles used for running before I start again. I've been lucky enough to try an anti gravity treadmill and  am starting incredibly slowly-  15mins of running with 20% off my body weight, when no symptons occur afterwards I can build this up and re sculpt the muscles (they've all got very squidgy, which has lowered my body confidence completely) baggy tshirts it is now! The machine is hilarious, it lifts you up with air, on the first attempt I couldn't put my feet on the floor. I feel like Mr Blobby running on the moon!

I am trying to stay positive from now on and to set myself some new goals for 2016. I have applied to be an Ashmei Ambassador and was delighted to be shortlisted to the Meet and Greet Day (this includes a trail run which I'm gutted I can't do!) I'm very much looking forward to meeting everyone though and finding out more about the company. We also have homework to do for this day which includes bringing two polariods.

1. A picture of yourself.
2. A picture of a training object that means something to you.

I've been looking through photos from last year trying to pick the best ones.
They are all special to me, most of them a first experience of any race,  a podium, a proud race completion or fun training session. This saddens me slightly. Will I ever be as quick again, will I be able to run up this hill again? I have to feel proud of what I've achieved last year and if I can do it once, it may take time but I can do it again! Anyway the two pictures I have picked are below;

Let me know your thoughts. Hopefully next time I write I'll be jogging around the woods with Mango again!

ITU World Triathlon - a novice having a go! Race report...

Race Report – ITU World Triathlon London – Open Sprint 30th May


Nervous starters!

This was my first, large triathlon and I couldn’t believe how big the event was, with over 1000 competitors in my race – Sprint (750m swim, 22k bike, 5k run). The site at Hyde Park was huge with a large spectator stand (to watch the pros the next day ) and an a Expo selling anything and everything triathlon related. I turned up at 2:30pm (my race wasn’t until 4pm, which isn’t great as for me as I like to get up early and go) but at least the sun was out and there were no rain clouds! I met Juliet, my friend who was competing too and we got to work attaching all our stickers and sorting all our gear. Being in the centre of London I cycled to the event (this was a good warm up, but meant I had limited equipment, all squashed in my back pack).


The spectator stand...

The transition area was well labelled and we set our bikes up, getting nervous as some very serious competitors had started appearing! We applied our body glide and struggled into our wetsuits. As we stood chatting and having a few pre race pics,  we suddenly realised our wave had lined up by the water. Charging over, trying to put on our swim caps and googles as we ran, we didn’t feel very prepared. Juliet also still had her flip flops on, and I don’t think she ever saw them again! We also noticed that we were possibly the only two woman in our wave…

Swimmers...

The marshals then told us to enter the uninviting Serpentine. It was a mere 15 degrees celsius and I heard a lot of gasping and moaning from the men as they entered, man up men! I was nervous by how far away the buoys were, this swim looked very daunting and dunking my head to acclimatise, the water was very murky. Vision; poor.  Holding onto the pontoon for over 5 minutes I started getting chilly, plus my arm was aching! The horn blew and we set off, having never done a mass start this scared me and I slowed to the back as the kicking and splashing was making me panic, I then settled into a rhythm; a mixture of breast stroke and front crawl, not the best but at least my head went underwater this time and by 400m in, I was pleased to maintain my front crawl (except when I got kicked!) The swim seemed to go on forever (which it did for me as my time was slow). The run from the swim to the bike was long about 800m, but this was all carpeted so nice on the feet! Juliet had a fantastic swim, she was off like a shot and one of the top competitors out the water.


T1 was a disaster! As I got to my bike, I dried my feet (I know not to do this now, just the thought of wet feet on the bike!) and started the run with my bike to mount. During this run,  a guy decided to throw his wet suit right in front of my bike. Comically, I then tripped over the wetsuit, fell over and wasted time re fixing my shoe to the bike. He got penalised by 2 minutes but this just slowed me down!

The bike course was fantastic, 3 laps, fairly flat and lots of tight technical corners and I grew more confident with each lap. With the closed roads I felt I was flying round and overtaking competitors as I went, finally all those hours sweating it out on the Watt Bike over the winter have started to pay off. I also caught Juliet in the fourth lap just at the end so that spurred me o

Happy Runner!

Bringing it home....

T2 was fairly smooth and the run was two laps around the Serpentine. My legs felt tired on the first lap and I thought I was running very slowly. Lap two - I picked up the pace and started overtaking, coming to the finish there was a great crowd. I’ve never had such an exciting finish with the spectator stand and the speaker calling my name saying I was in the top 10 woman and I sprinted to the end. Having received my results, I am so pleased 7th Lady of the day, 3rd in Age Group and the fasted lady runner of the day. My run was 19th overall (this includes all the men!) I just wanted to finish and am thrilled with these results and my 5k time. If I could just speed up my swim I wouldn’t have to spend the whole race chasing!

Recovery Drink...

I now think I have the triathlon bug and can’t wait for Blenheim next week. This was one of the best organised and most enjoyable races I’ve done and I recommend it to other novices for next year! I’d also like to thank Juliet for being such a great race buddy and Jo for his fantastic cheering on the side lines and photos.

Spring New Forest Wiggle Sportive 11/4




Happy Finishers

 

Waking up in the middle of the new forest to the rain on Saturday morning was not what I wanted to see. The sky was grey and I couldn’t see any blue sky. We unenthusiastically pulled on our winter cycle gear and headed to breakfast, I had fruit, yogurt, cereals and of course  peanut butter to prepare for the 70 miles that lay ahead. The owner of the B and B and another cyclist staying seemed sure the rain would stop at 9am, I wasn’t so sure, my phone told me 12! I was seriously considering ringing Wiggle to change our entry to the Sunday.

Once arriving at the site we registered. This was very well organised with no queuing at all. I did forget the one thing I needed (my helmet) so galloped back to the car in the rain to grab it. The start was done in waves which moved very quickly, after a clear race briefing we were off... 5 minutes after our departure the sun came out and yes at 9am!

The ride was very pretty through the New forest and Moorlands, until the first feed station it was fairly flat. After 30 miles I started to feel my energy drain, but was certain when looking at the map there should be a feed station soon.  After a tough bit against the wind at 32 miles a marshall shouted "just 8 miles to the feed stop." Misreading my map the station was at 40 miles not 30. Glad I had my peanut butter! I had lost Dad for quite a while now but decided to wait for him at the station. Making a friend called Colin from Basingstoke we chatted and maintained a good pace. I was surprised to be at 40miles in just 2hrs 10, I don’t think I’ve ever being that fast?

The first feed station was amazing! Proper toilets, bananas, flap jacks, chocolate and the old school fig rolls. I filled up (maybe too much) and waited for Dad. The next leg was a little more hilly with a few humps, I was surprised to see some walking up these. I quite like hills, it was the 20mph winds in the open I struggled with. I tried to cling on to a few back wheels but even powering at a full effort it was depressing to see my speedometer say 8mph! This went on for about 8 miles.  I then saw a sign to give me some motivation stating “Still away to go, but your nearer than before” great!

The rest of the ride was well signposted and enjoyable, lots of donkeys and ponies to see and a few locals supporting the riders. At the last 3 miles I passed a rider on  a Spotter in jeans going at an impressive pace. I also followed a man without a seat; whether he lost this on route or started without one who knows! At the end I was happy with my time of 4:27 moving and was met with a medal and protein bar. I waited for Dad to finish and then trotted off on a 20 minute brick run. I wasn’t the only one doing this, must of being a lot of triathletes training. I would say I felt the jelly legs for the first 2k. Once returning I felt full knackered! After refuelling we then went to watch the Grand National no wins for me L

 

Overall the Sportive was a great event, a beautiful route, good signposts and for the amount of participants very well organised.

 

7:30am on Sunday morning (no lay ins for me!) I set out on a 12k run but my legs felt very heavy and my splits were slow.  We then planned a relaxing off-road ride through the forest. My oversized tractor of a mountain bike made this pretty tough and an easy 18 miler turned into 27 miles. By Monday I well and truly needed a rest day!