Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge

Chivito550

Just got around to reading this now. Great stuff G. Looking forward to the next instalment.

PaulieC

bloody hippy...

Krusty_Clown

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

If you want to experience something similar closer to home, I can organise a two week camp in the Bogger heartland
nt

Having spent much of the summer's of my youth in the Bogger heartland, I feel that it prepared me somewhat for the hardships of Kenya. Farm animals roaming the roads untethered day and night, locals bearing more fingers than teeth, drivers with only the most vague understanding of direction of travel, and unintelligble languages, shouted at speeds that suggested it might be a crime to keep the words locked in. To be fair though, the Kenyans are a very welcoming and friendly bunch of people.

Krusty_Clown

AuldManKing wrote:

I'm sure many here are delighted to see you capture the journey here in writing.
Having read Ardrahan Finns book and listened to him on MT, I'm intrigued to find out if what he wrote was slightly romanticised or is 'life' that 'simple'.
Is there a trip to Brother Colm on the agenda?
No doubt you'll enjoy the experience - how long are you there for?

Though my response is a little late and the trip is now well over (it was 14 days long, of which ~2.5 days were travel), hopefully I'll get some free time to capture some more thoughts. I'm in the midst of Ardrahan's book (and in fact just as we hopped into a Matatu to leave Iten, he was heading inbound to Lornah's camp, from the local airport in Eldoret). I'm only 1/3rd of the way through the book and though it was written a number of years ago, little seems to have changed and it seems to capture the environment remarkably accurately. Chatting to those who have had a number of opportunities to revisit the area, developments are measured in new buildings, rather than cultural shifts. While mobile phones are part of every day life (certainly for teenagers and beyond), mud-huts are a common sight (and are not just there for the tourists), diet is incredibly simple, and life for the athletes is much as I have read in the book so far. Native athletes stay in training camps in Iten, not just for the altitude and availability of like-minded training partners, but also to take a step away from the luxuries and distractions of modern society. To a lesser degree, we also embraced this doctrine during our trip (simple foods - no junk, up early/bed early, run/eat/sleep/train focus, limited TV/internet etc. and a general disengagement from the stresses of Western culture).

We did indeed meet Brother Colm on a number of occasions, but more by chance rather than planning. He was sitting beside me while we watched the Diamond league from Birmingham (in between power cuts) and it was great to get the running commentary from someone who clearly knows so much about the sport and has encountered so many of the participants. We bumped into him on the road on our second day in Iten, met him at the Kamariny dirt-track over-seeing the coaching of his athletes, and bumped into him again at 'the club' - where athletes gather to watch the Diamond League, and where chai tea, rather that champagne is the tipple of choice. On every occasion he was most gracious and welcoming, friendly and informative and clearly one of the pillars that has made Iten such a success. Surprisingly, he isn't infamous throughout the region (I tried to explain on a number of occasions that I was from the same country as Brother Colm, only to be met by blank expressions), but is well known throughout athletic circles. Unlike our crew of Mazungos, he is now part of the background in Iten, and doesn't stand-out as we do. He is incredibly warmly received by all of the athletes in the region (and those returning from their new-found nations abroad), but if he passes you by in the dusty street, you likely wouldn't pay too much attention. We did visit St. Patrick's school, but hopefully, more on that later.

Krusty_Clown

Technically Day 2, as we flew out of Dublin early on Thursday morning, and set foot on African soil (Nairobi) sometime around 3am the next morning, having stopped off for a few hours in Istanbul. Queued at the Visa desk (tourist tax desk) in Nairobi airport for a good 90 minutes, only to emerge and find that mine was the only case not to have reached it’s destination in Africa. Hakuna Matata as they say around these parts. When we hopped into the airport shuttle towards our next flight (a short hop to Eldoret), we got a sense of some of the mayhem that awaited us. With the doors to the shuttle wide open to allow some airflow, and various passengers clinging tightly to their suitcases to prevent them from rolling out the door, I was almost glad that I was not encumbered with my own… Almost, A short stint in the Nairobi terminal (where we should have spent a lot more time appreciating the coffee) and we boarded our little Bombardier flight, until we were disembarked a short period later, due to an electrical failure in the cockpit. Hakuna Matata.

Bundled into a taxi (everyone thankful that we had one case less than planned) we hit the road bound for Lornah Kiplagat’s High Altitude Training Centre in Iten. Nairobi is at about 1,600m above sea level, if memory serves. Eldoret is around another 400-500m higher, so as we made our way to Iten, I glanced down at the altimeter in the Garmin occasionally, as it tracked our progress towards the sky. I only glanced occasionally though, as it was nearly impossible to steer your gaze away from what was happening outside the window. I think that cab-ride alone was nearly worth the journey, as we stared out the window, trying to make sense of Kenyan life. I’ve been to Africa before, but even exposure to the townships outside of the major cities of South Africa couldn’t prepare you for the visual spectacle of everyday Kenyan life. At first intimidating, intrigue gave way to puzzlement and then fascination, as we passed each building and individual trying to eke out a living in this tough part of the world. It was extremely difficult trying to figure out where to look next, such was the assault on your senses. Eventually, the number or corrugated businesses thinned; the motorized taxis (Matatus) became fewer (though never disappearing altogether) and the crazy motorcycle passenger carriers (with helmets perched just above their ears) became a slightly rarer sight.

Finally, hitting 2,400m, we arrived at the HATC, and beyond the wrought-iron gates, a small oasis revealed itself. We were greeted warmly by some of the staff members of the HATC (all of whom I suspect have run under 2:08 for the marathon, or achieved something equally incredible over other distances or platforms). The rooms are warm and cosy, but largely functional. The blueness of the 25m pool a welcome sight in the rising heat, but hugely at odds with life outside of the HATC camp. Soon after depositing our bags (it didn’t take me long to unpack!) we were taken on a tour of the camp, and introduced to various other high achieving members of staff, each greeting us as old friends - yet to be. We saw the lounge (a really comfortable traditional style building, where most go at some point during the day to snooze, or find out what’s going on in the world from the illusive wifi), the library, massage rooms, the well-kitted out gym (thankfully equipped with only a single dread-mill), the core/strength workout room, and finally the dining room, where, like Pavlov’s dogs, we arrived as soon as meal windows opened. It may be related to our famine background, but I think you could tell the time by the religious arrival of the Irish, on cue. But the philosophy has been drilled into us - train hard, eat hard, sleep hard and largely, we have tackled each target with significant ambition.

While there had been talk of not running on our first day in Iten in favour of acclimatisation, I think there was a growing feeling that this would have sparked revolution and splinter factions, such was our eagerness to experience what we had travelled all this distance for, so an easy jaunt was planned in late afternoon. We headed to ‘The Club’, and met with our man on the ground (Willie - 2:15 marathoner), who provided a welcoming framework and set appropriate expectations for the comings weeks. Forget your watches and your meeting times, you’re now operating on Kenya time where things happen a little differently. This is Kenya. Nothing is a problem. Run hard, eat hard, sleep hard. Hakuna Matata. These were the phrases first introduced by Willie, that we would encounter again and again over the next fortnight. The essential sentiment was ‘leave your western mindset behind you, as it serves no purpose here. The sooner you immerse yourself in the Kenyan way of thinking and living, the sooner you will settle in daily life and start to realize the goals of your trip’. And it worked. Acclimatisation isn’t simply about adjusting to the altitude, but also about reigning in your expectations and making sure that your attitude is in harmony with Kenyan life. It is better to immerse yourself in daily life, rather than fighting against the Kenyan dust, the biting mosquitoes, the bland but nutritious food, and the strange creatures trying to find passage into your room. Find humour in the things that are different, rather than trying to demand and recreate the comforts of home. Thankfully, the group of runners assembled for this trip were a like-minded easy-going bunch of people - from quite diverse backgrounds and quite different in our running aspirations, but very much aligned in terms of our goals for the trip. None of us really knew what to expect, but all were happy to take it one crazy experience at a time. Next: The first steps...

tang1

That altitude training works, great time this evening.

Krusty_Clown

Thanks Tang. Were you running yourself?

I reckon I was in PB shape before I headed off for Kenya (in fact, I reckon I was definitely a whole lot healthier before I left!), but I felt really strong in the race from 6k to the finish, and I think this is where the altitude training really helps. It doesn't make you any faster (you still have to do all the training), but it helps you sustain higher speeds and heart rates for longer. It also helps that I lost around 4 pounds of weight since I headed off to Iten (two pounds over there, and two pounds since I arrived back), and that's really noticeable over 10k. Delighted with how the race went and was very lucky to have other runners to chase at just the right points in the race. Weather was perfect too. One of those perfect storm moments! The next 10k PB is going to be hard to come by, but very happy to get a pay-off for the last 6 months of training.
Dunshaughlin 10k: 32:46 (32:43 official?), for 7th place

tang1

Na, Daddy duties took precident over running for once!

Chartsengrafs

Well done, brilliant result, thought I recognised the name. Excellent conditions for it. 32.46... you're up with the big boys there.

Chivito550

Wow! Savage time!

squiredanaher

Wow is right.
.any chance of a race report?

Dubgal72

Bloody fantastic. Saw your photo on the ol fb and thought you were looking pretty gaunt alright. Well done and thank you, you show us that hard work, bloody mindedness determination and consistency pushes those boundaries back and back.

Krusty_Clown

Dublin Graded Meet: 10,000m (Dublin champs)

Less than 12 hours before I hit the road bound for Kenya, I arrived in Irishtown Stadium, for the Graded Meets Dublin Championships, 10,000m. I ran a few 5,000m races on the track last year and really didn't enjoy the experience of any of them, even the one that resulted in a 4/100s of a second PB over the 5k distance! I felt that there was a small chance that I might enjoy 10,000m on the track a little more, as it's not quite riding the same physiological knife-edge between success and massive failure as the 5,000m distance. In any case, I reckon you've got to try everything once, before you dismiss it as not for you. So, myself and a merry crew of 12 people had signed up for the race, though I believe only 10 runners turned up on the day, including Myles Splitz. Got chatting to another lad, and between Myles and himself, it was great to have a bit of friendly company in what otherwise could seem like quite an intimidating environment. The Graded Meets organizers had laid on a couple of cash prizes, and this drew in a few faster runners, chasing an easy pay-off. 'You must be here for the 10,000', said the elderly gentleman taking the registrations. 'How do you know?' I responded. 'You have the long distance look'. Well that left me feeling quite buoyed! ‘There are cash prizes on offer for the first three places you know!’. ‘Really? Don’t suppose there’s anything for masters categories?’. ‘I’m sure I could rustle up a medal if you’d like one?’. ‘Ehh...Nah, you’re grand…’

Still, feeling quite buoyed by being told I have the look of a long-distance runner, I lined up, and excitedly took my assigned lane 1 position. I didn’t have high expectations for the race. I planned to go out at about 78 seconds per lap, which is what I’d been training for before I picked up a hamstring injury that laid me up for three weeks, but really didn’t expect to hold the pace or hit a sub 33 time, as training and preparations hadn’t been optimal. I’d also had a long stressful day in work trying to get everything finished up before my trip, and to add to my woes, my stomach had been acting up earlier that day, and as a consequence, my body was likely not ready for a serious assault. Over the course of the evening I gradually down-graded my expectations, and by the time I hit the track, having a 'good session' seemed the appropriate order of the day. The gun went off, and having prime position, I moved swiftly to the front, and led out the race…. For the first 25 seconds, until three runners overtook me, and started to open a gap. Had I been feeling a little better, I might foolishly have considered chasing them down (and would have suffered the consequences), but was instead happy to let them go. Hit the 200m mark in around 35 seconds which was way too fast. Another runner pulled alongside and we briefly chatted about targets to see if we could arrive at a mutual understanding, but his was too aggressive and he gradually pushed on. I’d decided to try to hit the lap marker and check my splits every 800m, and I was pretty much bang-on for the first, in around 2:37. Soon afterwards, another runner latched onto the back of me, and I thought we might have an opportunity to share the load and work off each other, but lap after lap after lap, he just remained 18 inches behind me, letting me do all of the work into the gentle breeze down the back-straight. I glanced back on a number of occasions, as if to say ‘I’m happy to work with you here, but please take your turn’, but alas, he must have failed to read my body language as lap after lap, he remained behind me, breathing heavily down my neck, as I took on the heavy lifting.

I wasn’t hugely surprised to see my splits gradually erode, as there was nobody to chase.. Just me and heavy breather and the wind down the back straight. Motivation wasn’t great and I wasn’t really prepared to psyche myself up sufficiently to try to maintain the splits (I’m really not a long distance track runner). 2:38 became 2:39, 2:42, 2:43, 2:45.. Somewhere around the 5k mark (16:39, if memory serves) I got lapped by the leading three runners, but I wasn’t emotionally engaged, so it didn’t affect me significantly. After what felt like days, things improved a little. Firstly, the breather must have had a mini-self implosion, as coming down the back-straight I heard his steps falter and then fall-off… Then he was gone… I also managed to lap a couple of runners. I took no joy from it, but it just helped to have a target ahead of you to chase down. Finally, the guy with the lap board indicated that I had just 8 laps to go. I kind of convinced myself that it was the same thing as that feeling of having just 800m to go, but at least finally I could start counting down. The splits picked up a little as a consequence, with 2:40, 2:42, 2:42, and I finally closed back where I had started, with a 77 lap. Crossed the finish line in 5th place, in 33:40, which ranks as one of my poorer 10k performances in recent years, but I wasn’t displeased, as I’d hit the goals I’d set out for myself, which were really about completing a 10,000m race on the track, and hurt myself a little bit before heading off to Kenya, so I wouldn’t be too upset about missing out on some runs/mileage over the first few days of the trip. So job done… And actually, I did enjoy it a lot more than the 5,000m experiences on the track. I’d consider giving one another go, if the field was suitably stacked and there were other runners to chase. At least now I have a Highgate Harriers qualification time, so maybe next year….
Summary: 10,000m in 33:40

aero2k

Time for another log update surely?

Nice work on Saturday, fantastic time. Berlin beckons...

AuldManKing

aero2k wrote: »

Time for another log update surely?

Nice work on Saturday, fantastic time. Berlin beckons...

and his casual 26.3m run on Sunday. The day after his PB.

Krusty_Clown

Haha.. Cheers Sean. I think I've abandoned all hope of getting the log up to date. The only solution would be to switch to a UM1-style of logging, and there's only room around here for one Ultraman!

Mon...10 esay, loop Dnudrum. 5 esay carrigolgan
Tue...5x2 at mp. felled scik. 4 on the baech...slow
Wed..9 easy around bray.....9 esay carrgoglan
Thu....7 new shoes...fastish
fri...4 slow, loop racecourse
sat...Tullymore 13.1....1:12:41 pb....turd.
sun... 26.. slow.... 107+

Ecoenergy

How'ya Krusty,
A quick question if you don't mind on your running shoes. I know you've worn Kinvara's in the past for marathons, and I've worn them myself for a few marathons but I'm finding them harder to get these days. Could you recommend anything similar to replace these? I'm targeting DCM. I've tried Adizero in the past and I didn't find them as good as the Kinvara's but if I'm stuck I'll try them again. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Krusty_Clown

To my eternal shame, I ran the R&R half marathon (because it was the national half), a few weeks back. It was never going to be a good time, given the heat of the day, the 11 miles of head-wind and the uphill nature of the course, so the goal was to aim for a national category medal. Spent way too much time leading into the headwind, and when we finally turned and had the wind behind us for a mile, the temperatures rose and despite picking up the pace, I got dropped like a hot snot. Ran the next 6 miles on my own, except for the last km, where I got passed by three runners... That never happens in races... Definitely not a good run for me. Finished in 1:14:59, and picked up the bronze M40. Took it for what it was.. A good session, at what I optimistically hope will be marathon pace.

Tullamore:
Fast forward through lots of training, peaked my mileage last week, and I still wanted another go at a half marathon, just to see if I'm in better shape than I was last year. My PB was from Charleville last year, where the conditions suited me perfectly (cool - wet), and had a fantastic crew with me (Jebuz and TRR among them), to work together to the finish line. Last year I ran Tullamore at planned marathon pace and finished 5th, so I reckoned running a couple of minutes faster, I was unlikely to have a big crew of runners around me.

The day was warm and getting warmer around 17'C when we started, rising to around 19-20'C. Some familiar faces at the start-line, including Matt who'd finished a good minute and change up on me over a 10 mile race 5/6 weeks ago, BM (who has not had a great year, seems to be on a comeback, but well below his regular times and potential) and a handful of runners who'd finished in the top 10 last year. I had planned a long run the next day, so the goal was to run well, run within myself (do nothing that would jeopardize Berlin in 4 weeks time) and see if I could nip-in a PB and potentially a podium spot.

Race started and I quickly found myself in the top 2-3 runners, heading up the gradual drag. First mile ticked off at around 5:36, which was a little slow, but it's an uphill mile, so nothing to worry about. I was feeling nice and comfortable so the plan was just to cruise as long as possible. Four of us had detached from the rest of the chasing group, with Matt, BM, myself and a runner I didn't recognize from Celbridge AC. The pace started to pick up as we headed on the long straight, away from the town. A couple of miles ticked off and the lads were picking up the pace slightly. A glance at my watch told me we were averaging 5:26, which was outside of my plan. Sticking to this pace could mean a podium spot, but it could also spell disaster with the rising heat, and 4 weeks from Berlin I couldn't afford to be a dribbling mess crossing the finish line. The plan was a PB. The lads started to open a gap. First 20m then stretching out to 50m. I was still feeling really good and even better since dropping off the pack. Such a great feeling to be ahead of target pace, and easing back not because you need to - but because you want to.

Eventually we turned off the national road, and hit a country road with an overhead canopy of trees, that both offered shelter from the sun and oxygen from the greenery. I was really cruising despite another drag, and something strange happened.... The leading pack started coming back to me. I was still cruising, but gradually the distance was closing. Soon enough I found myself back amongst them and was still feeling great. Then even stranger, keeping the effort level consistent, I gradually found myself in front.. Leading out a half marathon at the 5 mile mark had never been in the plan! Gradually though, Matt and CelbridgeAC eased past and left myself and BM trailing slightly behind. We hit another turn and found ourselves back out in the open and heading for the mid-point, where we got a rousing cheer from the relay runners. I noticed that BM had drifted back and I couldn't hear any footfalls so it looked like we were down to three, though in reality, the other two guys were widening the gap once more. Nothing sudden, but gradually the distance between us opened up. Now that a podium was potentially on the cards, the focus shifted slightly to running a more comfortable race to make sure that I held on to that top-3 spot, so I stopped looking at the watch and worrying whether or not I was on for a PB.

Hit the 10 mile mark in low 55s (maybe 55:20), which was a good 30-40 seconds faster than the recent 10 mile race. I could see that Celbridge AC had opened a gap on Matt, so there was now approximately 50m each, between 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I was really beginning to feel the heat and effort, but I remembered that the final mile was slightly downhill, so that didn't count (the mind-games we play!), so only had two miles just to stay as comfortable as possible. Occasionally a few supporters would let me know that there was nobody behind me, but with a strong runner like BM you just never knew when he might find another wind and cruise past you and the next two runners to take the win. That thought kept me tipping away at what felt like a decent cruising pace - fast enough to maintain the distance on Matt, but not fast enough to implode.

Eventually we hit the bend and the downhill. Celbridge had widened the gap, but Matt was still around 50m ahead of me. Picked up the pace as much as I dared, ever-aware of the need to stay comfortable. Rounded the bend on the main road towards the entrance to the Harriers facility and once again was struck by just how long that 100m stretch of road felt - I'd swear it took 10 minutes to negotiate that short piece of tarmac. Then we were inside the Harriers facility heading for the track. Celbridge was heading down the final straight, Matt seemed to be half way around the track. The track felt like cotton-wool under my racing-fat-feet and while I still had no idea if I was on for a PB, felt it was necessary to to maximize my potential as much as possible, so picked up the pace as much as I dared. Eventually I could make out the clock, which was showing 1:12:30, sprinted to get under in around 1:12:43, for 3rd place overall and around a 20 second PB.

So, was well happy with that result. I think I can run a lot faster on a cooler day, with a deep field, when I'm no so concerned about upcoming priorities (in other words - the perfect race), but for today, that'll do very nicely. Some very encouraging signs: HR was in and around what I'd expect it to be for the marathon, and after some massage, I was able to comfortably complete my long run the next day. Was quite stiff last night and early this morning, but easy running until Wednesday should look after that.

Possibly one more race before Berlin, but if I do participate, it'll be more about simulation and not a race mindset. From here on in (just less than four weeks), mileage is dropping (107 last week, 93 this week, 80, 70, race), lots of MP stuff. The plan is still to shoot for sub 2:30. My times don't suggest that it's currently in my range, but f**t it - I haven't spent the last 6 months training to be the fastest runner across a range of distances - I've been training to hold 5:42/mile pace for as long as possible and for better or worse, that's the plan I'm going to stick with. I'm definitely a faster runner this year than I was last year -but if I'm to have any hope at all I need a perfect day. I can't really control that, so nothing for it but to keep getting ready.

Krusty_Clown

Ecoenergy wrote: »

How'ya Krusty,
A quick question if you don't mind on your running shoes. I know you've worn Kinvara's in the past for marathons, and I've worn them myself for a few marathons but I'm finding them harder to get these days. Could you recommend anything similar to replace these? I'm targeting DCM. I've tried Adizero in the past and I didn't find them as good as the Kinvara's but if I'm stuck I'll try them again. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Hi Ecoenergy, the URL="http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1412"]Gear and Equipment[/URL sub-forum is definitely the best place to get shoe advice, but for what it's worth, I've moved away from the Kinvara myself as a marathon shoe. I switched over to Mizuno Hitogami 2, as I really liked the fit, they were light, and most importantly, they were cheap. I've recently started breaking in a pair of Hitogami 3, but they're not quite the same snug fit and remind me a little more of the Sayonara, or something like that (feel more like a training shoe than a racing shoe, but that could be just the fit). Beepbeep recently put me onto Adidas - a brand I've not really worn, and I seem to get on well with some of the racing shoes. Picked up a pair of Adidas Takumi Sen for cheap enough (they seem pretty rare), and wore them for a treadmill session, road run, and the above-mentioned half marathon, and I've survived, so they're currently top of the pyramid for the upcoming marathon. But they're very light - definitely not for everyone - and may come at a significant physical cost.

Krusty_Clown

I'm not looking for sympathy - I hate sympathy (so please don't). I'm a pragmatist and I belong to the school of thought that 'stuff happens' and you just need to re-direct based on the new set of variables/circumstances. I also like a bit of drama. Wrestling victory from the jaws of defeat, as one former visitor to these parts put it. Rather, I'm writing this, because I find it amusing. If taper madness were twice-distilled, converted into a fine mist, packed into a small bottle, then I would be spraying it all around me and breathing it in deeply, letting it seep into every pore.

I've been very fortunate from an injury perspective. In 2009, I strained the top of my right calf - an injury that stopped me running for 5-6 weeks. Earlier this year (April), I did something similar, straining my right hamstring. That took 1-2 weeks to get over and I found that difficult, because apart from a few days off after every marathon, I run 365 days a year and average around 10-11 miles per day. That's pretty much it from an injury perspective. A few knocks and creaks here and there, and otherwise I've been largely injury free. I put that down to both luck and consistent mileage, in equal measure. Well, I recovered well from my most recent injury and my marathon training phase has gone particularly well. I've averaged around 100mpw for the last 7/8 weeks. I ran a comfortable PB in a recent Half Marathon. I managed the infamous 3x5 miles @marathon pace with 800m steady. I followed it up with a Kilomarathon, running the first 12 miles at marathon pace, before easing back as planned, when the hills started. All very positive indicators of PB potential.

Monday (T minus 13 days): 5 miles + 9 miles easy: Noticed some tightness on my right hamstring on leg lift. A niggle. I have 13 days. Nothing really to worry about.
Tuesday (T minus 12 days): Given the hamstring niggle, felt it would be wiser to head to the gym/treadmill to do the planned session: 7 miles @MP with 1 minute @LT every mile. Pulled the plug 2 miles into the session. Was feeling great, but the hamstring started to tighten. No point risking anything with just a short spell to Berlin, so I hit the showers and went back to work.
Wednesday (T minus 11 days): Decided to take my first running day off, since the injury last April. Had a sports massage booked for the evening, so a day of rest would likely serve me (and my hamstring) well. At lunch-time, I decided to head off and do some indoor rock climbing, to take my mind off the hamstring. I generally climb twice a week and figured that this would be the last time before the marathon, because of the risk of injury. In the middle of a tricky climb, I shifted my weight onto my hand and then slipped, pushing my entire body weight onto my thumb. After hearing the audible sounds of cartilage and tendons stretching, I dropped to the ground, nursing my strained digit. I changed out of my climbing gear and hopped on to the motorcycle, racing back to work before the thumb seized up and I could no longer operate the bike's clutch. The sports massage went as expected, though the masseur seemed more concerned with my thumb than my hamstring, despite my insistence that the thumb was an unnecessary appendage and wasn't needed for the big day that was approaching rapidly.
Thursday (T minus 10 days): Things are looking up. Some movement in the thumb... It's gonna be fine. Hamstring is still 'pulling', but I've got another 10 days to get it sorted. Get through a 4 mile early morning easy tester, then meet up with running buddy for a 7 mile easy run, recounting the laughable exploits of the last few days. I think I should be good for my final marathon pace run on Saturday.
Friday (T minus 9 days): Up early to drop daughter off to the DART (bus strike!), a bit of foam rolling for the hammie, then hop into the shower. Reach for bottle of shampoo when something in my lower back 'twists'. I know this feeling. I can't beleive it. I've been here a few times before. I've herniated a disc in my back. The pain isn't too bad, but I know it will get worse. I can't stand up straight and I can't bend over. I definitely can't run. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I make my way to my local GP, explaining my marathon predicament, and I leave 5 minutes later, stopping by the pharmacy to collect my anti-inflammatories, gel and muscle relaxants (all verified against the WADA list, I might add!).

So here I am, feeling like I've never been healthier. I'm down to race weight, I'm bursting with energy, and feeling extremely positive about giving the race a good rattle... Except for the fact that I can't run, am nursing a pulled hamstring and don't have full use of my thumb. At times like this, you've got to laugh. If I had to choose a time to pick up these three injuries, then these last few days would have been that time. I'm still quietly optimisitic. I've herniated a disc before and been back running on the third day. The Difene may even help with the hamstring. And the thumb? Unnecessary appendage!

So like I said, no sympathy. Small complaints in the grand scheme of things. Plan is to get on with it, get over it, and head to Berlin very, very well rested! C'mon taper madness. What's next? Let's be having you!

squiredanaher

ok, i was afraid that i was going to read 'no hope' by the end, but thankfully there is at least 'hope'

good luck with it.

dna_leri

it official, tapers are bad for you

Rolex_

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I'm not looking for sympathy - I hate sympathy (so please don't). I'm a pragmatist and I belong to the school of thought that 'stuff happens' and you just need to re-direct based on the new set of variables/circumstances. I also like a bit of drama. Wrestling victory from the jaws of defeat, as one former visitor to these parts put it. Rather, I'm writing this, because I find it amusing. If taper madness were twice-distilled, converted into a fine mist, packed into a small bottle, then I would be spraying it all around me and breathing it in deeply, letting it seep into every pore.

Sit back, relax, make a cup of tea... crank up the laptop and watch this at least 3 times over. Then make a deal with yourself that you won't lace up your shoes til Tuesday or Wednesday (I know, I know-it's hard ) . The work is done, trust in it. Give the body the best chance to recover. Might see you in the Tiergarten!

PS No sympathy offered- as requested!

RayCun

Ow. ow ow ow ow ow.
You should probably cut the thumb off, just to be sure. Also, less useless weight! (other hand too, so you don't get lopsided)

Itziger

(all verified against the WADA list, I might add!)

Nah, I dunno mate, I think I'd still go for an ould Wiggins-like TUE, or two.

ThebitterLemon

This is a running forum, why are you even mentioning your thumb, were you planning on hitching to Berlin

I'll sure it'll all come good

Best of luck

TbL

AuldManKing

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

why are you even mentioning your thumb

you ever try to open a PB beer on the finish line with a dodgy thumb??

jamule

AuldManKing wrote: »

you ever try to open a PB beer on the finish line with a dodgy thumb??

I did!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf8FCBptUz4

Younganne

oops, time to take out the cotton wool!!!;)

Dubgal72

Extreme sandbagging implications aside, GWS