In my last post I was awaitng the results of my MRI scan on my foot, and the start line of Transapline was hanging in the balance. So I thought an update was due. (I know how you all worry about me dear readers).
So MRI results showed tenosynovitis which for those that dont know is basically fluid between the tendon (peroneus longus) and the tendon sheath. The consultant at London Bridge hospital didn't seem to think that training on it would cause any long term damage, or make it any worse, but referred me to a physio for the final go ahead to start training/rehab-ing. So I went to see my physio Jay at Puresports Medicine who had already worked wonders on it. He stuffed me full of pins, vacuum suctioned the crap out of the tendon, wrapped my foot up nicely and told me to go run. I didnt need telling twice so I shot out of there and within a matter of hours, Andy and I were trotting happily around the Ashridge estate in the sunshine. 15 miles later, no sign of foot or back pain so we went out the next day too. 11 miles and still feeling fine. I was good to go! A few runs later and a session with my trainer Will (I made the mistake of telling him to work me to the verge of tears in a bid to make me as strong as possible in the little time we had left) and my legs were in agony. DOMS had set in big time and I found walking and getting up and down off the loo pretty challenging. An epsom salt bath or 2 later and a daily stretching routine has made me feel a lot better and this mornings run was pretty good.
So, I now have exactly 2 weeks until the off and whilst I am over the moon about being able to compete and share the building excitement among our little group, I am fully aware that I am less than ideally prepared for the event. Andy, as ever, is full of optimism about my ability to make it to the finish and still enjoy myself, though I have nagging doubts about going into a 200 mile race over the Alps with 3 weeks training. But, I am thankful to be able to stand on the start line, so will just take each day as it comes. I mean.....how bad can it be...???
I am also hoping that my consistent POWERbreathe training will stand me in good stead for the race, which is something that I've been keeping up since before Roth. I'm nervous about the altitude and how I'm going to deal with it, having never been up that high before (well, in a ski lift but I wasnt exactly up there for long). But, the benefits of the POWERbreathe should out-weigh the risk. Some science for you;
At altitudes of 2,000m, there is less oxygen. 20% less apparently. So the body breathes harder to get its usual amount of o2, thus putting more workload on your respiratory muscles which fatigue more quickly. These muscles also provide stability to the trunk of the body so when these arent working as effectively as usual, you are less stable and use other muscles to compensate. Working muscles that are not desgined for that job over 200miles on tough terrain, you are staring an injury in the face.
So as opposed to sea level when our ability to exercise is limited by our heart's ability to pump blood round the body, at altitude, the limitation becomes ones ability to pump air in and out of the lungs. The stronger and fitter the breathing muscles....the better. And lets face it, I'm gonna need a lot of air to be able to moan at Andy for 8 days........
So this weekend I will be heading out again into the August sunshine to clock up a few more miles with Andy, Sergio and Jaime (our Spanish contingent) and carry that on with a large block of running next week and into the bank holiday weekend. I'm aiming for 70-80 miles over the next 7 days and now that my body has woken up from its little (or rather large) break and has remembered how to run, I just hope she behaves!
So whilst my next post may be full of moans and whines about how tired I am and how much my legs ache, I will always keep in mind how lucky I am to be able to run at all. That ought to keep me motivated for the next 2 weeks!
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