Review at end of August 2019

This spring was disappointing in terms of exercise as a niggling left achilles became an issue I felt needed rest (if nothing else) and my left arm (seeing pattern here?) was only barely coping with swimming.

By taking some months off running I think the heel is much improved. I'm now starting to bring back in running and I've managed 20 minutes in a single easy run and 17 or so as part of a 80 minute brisk walk. I'm aware of minor discomfort of this level of use but it seems to settle. I also moved to Altra zero drop, yet cushioned shoes, which feel less stressful than Vivobarefoot, whilst offering lots of toe space. I'm disappointed not to have been able to do multi-hour runs through the summer but I hope that I'll be ready for 2020.

In early summer I started with a new swimming teacher  who is very local which is a blessing. He's also a bit lower cost which means that I can have afford more frequent input. We're still consolidating many aspects of my stroke, I feel the most important is my head position when breathing but I'm not sure how to conquer that. I've only been to Hatfield a few times but have supplemented it with other lake, lido and sea swims and I'm getting more confident of my ability to manage a little cold and the vastness beyond indoor pools. I wonder if my notionally 'warm' Appkit wetsuit is a little large for me as I feel more flushing than I do with the rather tired HUUB, which therefore isn't as cold as I feared it might be.

The circuit sessions and recommended exercises from the physio are important adjuncts and even help when there is hedge trimming to be done.

August 2015 Week 14 Session 2

The interval swim showed very nice distinction between slow and fast lengths but this was perhaps due to the background pace being a little slow than usual. There was some fade too! At least I managed a few lengths faster than 2:00min/100m and some very close to that pace. It is possible that I'm tired from circuits yesterday evening as it was quite demanding, especially of the core muscles.

I thought the warm-up had gone nicely but that was on the slow side too. I know I can break the 5:00 'barrier' but it is there once again. At least today I did pick up pace over those 6 lengths rather than start fast.

A wet trip to circuits

This June has been terribly wet, and although I believe that it always rains on Wednesday evenings, tonight was unusually wet. I think the cold air and rain encouraged me to go a bit faster as I even managed a PB on the fast straight of Psalter lane.

I knocked 5 seconds off my previous time even though I took care to slow down to check crossings. The return journey home wasn't so speedy as the circuits session was reasonably tough.

A sign of recovery?

Over the last few weeks, as I've felt able to run again I've noticed  that my knees and ankles giving the impression that they are improving. At circuits the lunges and squats have been tiring but not unpleasant. There's been the odd awareness of irritation but nothing more and only transient. Likewise my right ankle is clearly not 100% but it's coped with fast runs, long runs and gym work without being worse at the end than it was at the outset. Both of these behaviours are signs of improvement.

On the run to circuits I've felt able to go a little  faster with a bit more power and this has been helped by the lighter evenings making it easier to avoid potholes in the pavements. The Strava data above show that I have been achieving better pace for the last few weeks and indeed this evening was my fastest ever.

Now I must be careful not to do too much...

Is it getting better?

I'm loathe to consider that my right ankle is improving but it just might be. On Tuesday I ran on the road for an hour. On Wednesday I ran to and from circuits and of course there was the circuit itself. All of this was done wearing Roclite 315s; although 2 pairs of different sizes.
At one point on the way to the class I was aware of a rub but that was all. Perhaps my ankle is settling.
My left knee has reappeared as an issue and made its presence felt in squats and sometimes in lunges. There is an element of technique as by adapting my posture I could modulate the discomfort.  Perhaps I just need to be stronger?

Runner's circuit

For the second week in a row I've done some of the stations without shoes. This has allowed me to do calf raises, both single and both legs and squats though a good range of movement and without the support of shoes. Considering that my ankle was almost painful after the orienteering I was very pleased that the circuit work actually seemed to be beneficial. It almost seems that too much support is as bad as too much loading on my ankle as both are irritating. Some flexion seems to be most comfortable. There must be a lesson in there.

Runner's circuit

After Tenerife I needed to restart routine and this was the strength session. The run there and back was hard work, it felt slow and it was! Like wise the stations weren't easy, perhaps I'm still a little fatigued from the walks?

Last week the physio suggested some exercises for my ankle, mostly basic things such as calf raises - but to be done without shoes so that I have to support the load though my foot and not shoes. The exercises today didn't feel too different, nor difficult, but might have been tiring to smaller muscles. I suppose that is the idea!

Circuits

This evening's circuit session was a refreshing change. Many of the stations were as usual but the inclusion of some single leg deadlifts and descending lunges worked the upper legs very well. Concentric contraction of the hamstrings and gluten and eccentric contraction in the quads should be far more frequent parts of my strength training.

The run there and back went pretty well too showing that I usually have a background of tired legs. Actually, for the first few hundred metres by legs felt very tired, they must have just been asleep and not expecting to run!