The knee strikes back

After a steady start to the prior week including the aforementioned mile swim the week slowly petered out so to kick start the training again Saturday brought about a trail run - back to what I enjoy most. Out on to an old trusted route a thoroughly enjoyable run despite wet, slippery leaves & wood and boggy mud! The knee held out OK though I was running at a pace to protect it - it does seem a lot a better now I have tried altering my cadence upon the docs advice.

The rain held off (mostly) but the river was in full flow from recent downpours, the fields fairly forgiving too and ever the trail runner looking for the boggy puddles and stream crossings to splash the filth everywhere!!!

Sunday was a different story, a lack of motivation of any kind and a keen sense of staying dry warm.

Monday and back to work with a tower climb on the cards something I've not done in far too long. All was well until the knee packed in 20m up. Having limped off the tower to do some ground level duties it started to feel ok again so squash on Monday was still a green light!

Despite Mondays tweaks in the knee Tuesday brought on a somewhat forced run cut short by the return of the knee - initially feeling it at around 50m I endured it throughout the 4k entirety. That night it was a s sore as it has been in a long time and I can only hope it was from doing too much after hurting it on Monday. Today has been another rest day! but tomorrow back in the pool and hopefully Friday another run. Xmas festivities on Saturday and maybe another brick Sunday!

More stupid ideas...

Over the weekend 7/8th December Helen asked me to investigate the Great North Run entry procedure as she quite fancies it next year - the only problem with that is it led me to find the Great North Swim and Great Trail Challenge events:

Great North Swim

Great Trail Challenge

Hmmmm, I thought a bit open swimming competition might just be the motivation to get up to Jackdaw Quarry or Fell Foot Park for some training ahead of maybe an open water Tri later in the year. Right lets enter it I though thinking a lovely half mile swim would do - but after weighing it up I realised that is only 800m and something I feel pretty comfortable achieving lets go for a mile! Wait, can I actually swim that far a) in 1 go and b) without drowning. The 11k Trail Challenge is also an interesting thought having run the 10k at Coniston earlier this year it is one for the calendar I think - if the knee progresses

So around rolls Monday and with a late squash cancellation I take to the dark, dark streets (it was night, it's not a seedy urban underbelly or anything like that) for a run. Not content on the normal 5k flat route and the with the knee feeling good up the Big Dipper I go to add some distance and hill work to the run. It was a) very dark and b) very cold so whilst no World Records* were going to be set I aimed to enjoy it as much as possible.

Big Dipper 8k

Feeling good after the night before's run Tuesday saw me take to the pool again to get some lengths under my belt for the Tri-Ology events. After a 500m set at what is now my standard pace and 250m set at 6mins I thought

 "I'll just do 500m and head home for some tea"

So 20 lengths later (500m) I keep going to 30 lengths, still feeling good I aim for the full 1k - 40 lengths! Strangely at 40 lengths (furthest distance to date) the thought of The Great North Swim popped back into my head 

"It's only another 24 lengths to hit a mile"

I said to my self (ridiculously). Already quite weary I continued and head for 50 lengths

"No point stopping now"

As 60 lengths tripped on the odometer just 4 to do the agonising cramp kicked in, luckily I managed to kick it out mid swim this time. As I get to 64 I have a niggling thought that a mile is just over 1600m so 66 lengths in total just for good measure in 43:43. As it transpires a mile is 1609m so a good job I added the extra 50m, and in answer to my earlier question apparently I can swim a mlie - now do I enter or not?

Big Swim

*Had it been light and warm NO World Records would've been set either!!

A week off

Having taken a week off work I expected to get some training in most days - but as we all know it often never happens this way what with sofaitis and 'I'll go tomorrow' syndrome. That being said I did manage 3 days of 'training'.

After much procrastination on Monday I eventually got out for a quick run in the afternoon having learned that my squash game was cancelled (the reason for my procrastination). Not wanting to push the knee too hard I set off on the usual flat 5k - by the time I returned home lo and behold a new PB for the 5k! Admittedly still not particularly quick but a PB is a PB!

Monday's 5K PB

After the joy of Monday's run I took to the pool on Tuesday afternoon for some more technique training although it does appear I have hit my wall with distance versus speed - more research and training required.

Tuesday's Swim

After the swim I had also arranged to pick up my new training tool - report to follow!

Wednesday rolled around and the girlfriend had headed out for an early morning epic half marathon, after her return and imminent 'Ouch, ouch, I'm going for a bath' set in I decided to take advantage of the daylight. As the nights have been dark, dark and darker I have missed out on the trail running I used to enjoy so off into the fields I went. Again, not wanting to push the knee too hard but up my distance I stuck to a relatively flat route. Not exactly a record breaking run but very enjoyable - which is why I started!

Wednesday's River Trail

Next came Thursday and this it where it all headed south - quite literally. Xmas shopping at Liverpool One, by the time we returned home with a noodle dinner in the belly and plenty of walking around the thought of a run had disappeared. An early morning appointment on Friday and the usual pool closure wrote Friday off to the sofa and a film with the other half.

The weather was the only excuse I needed to put pay to the weekends training!