Listening to my body 11- 17 May 2014

It was a week of pushing through training. 

Sunday was my rest day.  I adore Sundays.  Church followed by Roast Dinner and a highly calorific pudding and then ahh!  nap time.  I descend into the arms of sleep either on the settee or sinking into the glories of my memory foam pillow for a least an hour of restorative sleep and digestion time.  I generally try to not actively train on two days a week, usually Friday and Sunday but, those rest days are not about sloth. We must always remember that rest days are just as much part of race preparation as the training days.  So, I am learning to cherish them.

On Monday I did the first double session I had done in a long time.  The morning saw me out on my bike to do a fast couple of circuits  totalling just over 15km in an hour and that ended up with the school pick up (multi-tasking is my middle name) and this was followed up with a pleasant run of about 8.28km.

Tuesday I was at a conference all day but pottered down to the canoe club after dinner with all my boys in tow. Youngest one is yet to do his paddle power so he ran alongside us on the tow path. Ross joined us and we pootled about for about 1 1/2 hours.  It was lovely and yippee, I didn't have to capsize, nor was I in any danger of doing so!  Taking the assessor's advice I am trying to change my paddling style to use more core and less arms.  I have straightened my arms a bit and it is helping.  It is a good thing too because of a nagging shoulder and neck nerve injury I have lived with for years which was exacerbated by the car crash of a few weeks ago.  Anyway, it was a gorgeous evening for a little paddle and fab family time.  It is quite tough having so many family members in training as it really eats up into family time so I am always looking for creative ways to include the children in my training.

Wednesday, due to my lack of car, I decided to meet a friend via peddle power. It was a lovely ride but as I treated it as a commute, I didn't drink enough which had a rather horrible knock on effect on Wednesday night....

On Wednesday evening I met up with my running buddies Kate, Abi and Asia.  It would be the first time in ages we would be able to coordinate to run together.  I was really up for it, full of energy and excited to run.  I had my kit on and was raring to go.  600m from home it started - CRAMP.  All the muscles in both my legs went as stiff as planks and no amount of rubbing or stretching was sorting it out.  Within 700m of leaving home I was squeaking and howling in pain.  (Apparently this caused some hilarity among my friends)  I soldiered on, I mean it should wear off in a minute and I am training for an endurance event.  Unfortunately by the time I was just over a kilometre from home I could barely walk.  Quite frankly I was walking with very stiff legs, at a distance apart that made me look a bit like a cowboy and as if I had done something unpleasant in my knickers. 

The ladies said I should turn round and go home.  So I did.

A friend drove passed me as I walked home and her children commented,  "That's Emma.  She's not going very fast is she?"

Oh dear! 

Lesson learned.

After that rather unpleasant experience I gave myself Thursday off.... I needed it, my body said so!

Badge of Honour 10 May 2014

I sat there, the rain drizzling enough to smear my glasses, contemplating what was coming next.  I had done this before in order to achieve my one star qualification;  but, in my usual style, I had lost the paper work and needed to be reassessed before the club, I had just joined, would let me loose on their equipment. 
 
It has been a long held desire of my to join the local canoe club and the race seemed to be the perfect excuse.  It is also something my whole family from the 8 year old up to my husband can do together.

So far that afternoon, I had proved that I could paddle forwards and backwards  and in a figure of 8, scull sideways, do an emergency stop in both directions, steer and use my paddle as a stern rudder.  I demonstrated that I could safely get in and out of my kayak. I was able to explain the etiquette on the canal, discuss hazards such as Weill's disease and licencing of craft.  I was almost there.  There was just one more little test I had to do...

I handed my glasses over to my little boy Timothy, who was sitting in the assessor's Canadian canoe, grinning and thoroughly enjoying his afternoon.  Alongside me in their own closed cockpit kayaks were my husband and 12 year old son, Jeremy.  The time had come.

I chickened out,  I made my 12 year go first.  I know, what kind of a parent am I?  My husband urged me to go.  You have got to be joking! No.  He had to go before me.  Now it was my turn.

The time was now.

No really, it was definitely going to maybe happen now in a minute....

I hate this bit. I really hate it. I really, really hate it.  Yes, I was going to do it.

I contemplated the dark watery depths pockmarked with raindrops.  I know I can do this, for goodness sake! I have done it before.  

I held my breath. I loved the inside of this kayak.  It felt warm and safe and...dry.  I gingerly lay my paddle down in the water alongside the kayak.  I leaned over to the right of my kayak and looked into the canal.  I held my breath.... I held my breath....I held my breath....and....I let it out. I caught hold of my paddle again and held it across my body.  I was praying desperately,  "oh God! help, help.  I can kayak. I love kayaking.  I am just so scared of this bit.  I need to do it so I can use the club equipment and practice for the race. Oh God help me do it please help me do it..."

I lay down the paddle in the water to my left and  looked again at that horrible dark and - previous experience had taught me - cold water and felt a shudder of terror run through me.  "Oh for Pete's sake. I have got to do this.  I am not going to let this last hoop I have to jump through prevent me from kayaking."  I thought to myself.  Determination gripped me.

I tilted to the right again, took a big breath and felt the boat slowly start to list and roll.  Then it gathered speed and I was on my way to a controlled (ha ha) capsize.  The water rushed up to greet me and swallowed me up in a loving embrace.  I felt myself slide out of the cockpit and with only a small(phew!) amount of water up my nose and down my throat. I surfaced, treading water and started to swim, pushing my kayak to the bank.  Yes!  I had passed!  The assessor reissued my 1* certificate and let me loose on the Basingstoke Canal.

One more hurdle crossed in my training.

Two hours I spent on the canal on that Saturday.  I have never been so exhausted in my life!  I came home, ate everything in sight and lay down on the settee to recover.

It was only when I stood up I realised my left leg was a little tender to the touch.  I rolled up my jammie leg.  Wow!  What a badge of honour.... another bruise to add to the many I have sustained training for the Beast of Ballyhoura.

'Badge of Honour'







Brick session 9 and 10 May 2014

Will: after brick session

William: 9 May after college brick session

 It's been a busy few days for the team.  Friday saw William do his first brick training session, on his own.  He was absolutely zapped after it.  He came in after college and was out on his bike very quickly, completing a 42 km cycle.  He dashed inside at transition and demolished all sorts of food, moaning that he was starving and running on empty.  Unfortunately, he was quite miserable with hunger which meant he didn't take too kindly to some good natured teasing from his Dad.  Oops!  Consequently, Ross dashed after him on his bike and I did some quick phone calls to hear the news that he was cramping a bit on his run.  Ross managed to catch him and cheer him on and Will persevered with his run to complete and off-road half marathon distance run.Not many 19 year olds would do this so hats off to him!  He was pooped when he came in, longing for the post-race endorphins to kick in.  After a quick shower he was out to the pub, with his friends for some nachos and a cider or two... Nothing like being young to help you bounce back.  Although,  he did beg for a lift to work both Saturday and Sunday because he was a bit stiff on Saturday and Sunday.  Slacker!!

Some of his comments after training:

"On the run I was so desperate for something to eat I found an old gel in my bag and ripped it open and licked it clean"

 "I was  so hungry I ate chicken mixed with granola.  It tasted so good.  I don't even like granola,"

I think there is a lesson  for us here...take sufficient food on the race and in training.

10 May: Ross and Andy brick session

Ross and Andy finalise their route

On Saturday Ross and Andy took to their bikes from outside our house for a 60km cycle followed by a run.  Unfortunately, after a hard ride wobbly legs kicked in and they only managed a very short run.  Much to William's delight and feelings of superiority. Now the boot was on the other foot. He gave his Dad a bit of a hard time.. I would call them even on that score!  I must say Ross wasn't great company on Saturday evening... he took up a lot of room on the couch and fell fast asleep. I watched t.v. accompanied by gentle snoring.

 This training wrecks havoc on any sort of social life!

And me?  Well that is another whole post....

Camicazi Cycling. 8 May 2014

Last night after playing  'in-door baseball' with a bunch of church kids I came home to get kitted up for my first training session since my car crash. Yippee! What better way to start training again than with a session of hill 'sprints' on the bike?  (Well, I can think of a lot of better ways, the first one being riding to the nearest costa for a restorative muffin and mocha)

Anyway, when I got home, I found Ross had pumped my tyres up and had all 3 bikes out ready for us to go.  This was a session that 3 team members were going to do.  Those three were Ross, Will. and me. Andy meanwhile was out running near his home.  It was nice to do some training with  the others. 

Ross mounted my Christmas present head torch on to the bike attachment and I put an old red light head torch around my waist to light up my rear and we were off.

It occurred to me as I rode along behind Ross that my legs were flying round manically and his were smoothly go at half the speed.  I was giving it my all, going up the hill towards our training spot and he was pootling along ahead of me.  He disappeared about 1/2 km ahead of me and reappeared going the other way having slung-shot the mini-roundabout.  He sailed passed me, all the way down the road and then came back up behind me.  It was then it occurred to me that I might be going a bit slowly and may be in some trouble!  I felt a bit depressed about it as I was really going for it. In my defence he is 6"2 and I am 5"3 and off course, I am coming back from injury.  I know that is no excuse.  I think it might help if I had a better bike, perhaps one with bigger wheels...

Anyway, I eventually caught up with him.  No that is not right,  to be honest, he waited for me and we crossed a main road together to enter the gravel track that runs parallel to the fence surrounding the military ranges near our home.

I felt really good going along that nice flat top track, like I hadn't had 2 weeks mostly prone, feeling sorry for myself feeling stiff and sore and as dizzy as if I was on a carousel all the time.  I even had time to notice a deer, it's antlers growing and which would, by the rutting season, be magnificent.  It was the last chance I had to pay any attention to the world around me until after the hill sprint session.

We came to the top of the hill that marks the beginning of the 1km sprint.  It is a stony and gravelly track that is quite slippery if you go on the wrong path.  I am always wary of this bit of the path and have a love-hate relationship with it.   There is a steep descent followed by a short flat and then a  long hill down to a cattle grid which has some wickedly deep stony bits just after it and then a sharp incline to a horribly steep hill that, in my mind, I call One Tree Hill because it has a lone tree standing, on the left hand side, almost at the top. At the top we turn around and reverse the process back up to the start point which is a sign on the fence that says, "Danger:  explosives"  Rather apt because I always feel a bit grumpy at the end of the slog back up that hill to the start point. And then we are meant to do it all again.

We met William who had gone a different route ,at the start point.  He had already completed his first split. By this point it was dark, but that was ok.  I was rather excited.  I had never ridden in the dark before, let alone off-road in the dark.   I don't have the best night-vision and I wear glasses but I was full of confidence.  I could do this and besides, I hadn't really thought through the dark part.  Launching myself off the top of that hill, going at break-neck speed in the dark, with only a tiny head torch to light my way  was one of the most hair-raising things I have ever done.


"There are two runners coming up the hill there, Mum." William yells over his shoulder as he disappears down the hill, to do his second sprint.  I catapult myself down.

You go from zero to crazy speed in no time flat on that hill.

As I whizz passed the two runners I hear them call something that sounds like a shout of encouragement, well I hope it is that and not a scream of terror.  I feel an involuntary whoop of joy explode from my mouth at the speed. And then,  I realise how fast I am going... in the dark... down a hill... on gravel.  I am pretty sure my heart's migrated from my chest to somewhere in my throat.  My glasses have literally steamed up - I don't know if it is hot breathe, or sweat but for what is only a few seconds but feels like an eternity I cannot see a thing. 

Oh help, I can't see a thing and I am flying down this hill on a barely controlled runaway bike!

Just as suddenly the cool night air clears them.

Standing up in my saddle to ease my behind, balanced on my peddles and gripping the handle bars determinedly, whilst my fingers reflexively twitch on the breaks, I bump rapidly down the first sharp slope.  This slope is fast and has a mixture of large stones and loose gravel that you have to hit just right so as not to slip.  I keep thinking, "if I fall there is only a thin layer of lycra between me and pain!"

The slope levels out with no reduction in speed until I hit the first puddle which is rapidly followed by a second.  These check my pace very slightly, due to their depth and the natural, speed resistant effect of the water.  I am rather happy about that! Muddy water splashes, unnoticed, up my shins.  There is the third puddle which I need to steer round on the left lip.  With a few minor twists, lots of slippery gravel, its down hill all the way to the cattle grid where the hill bottoms out into the valley floor.  A teeth rattling, helmet bobbing ride, at top speed, over the cattle grid and I am immediately changing gear from third to second front cog.  The very rocky surface straight after this slows me right down and I need to move through the gears to keep my momentum. The hill rears up in a sharp incline and I am pushing myself to keep going.  I haven't done this ride for a while and I forget to change down to first cog at exactly the right moment which causes me to slip slightly.

"Ah man!"  I shout as my foot goes down on the ground about 20 m from the top of the hill.  I'm on those pedals again straight away, straining to get myself up that hill.

"I can do this,"  I grit my teeth and slog it up to the top. As I pass the lone tree, I know I'm going to make it.  At the top  I turn around, slurp some water and immediately head back down the hill. The trick is to not put to much energy into pedalling down One Tree Hill, get the bike into second cog on the front and 4th on the back and free wheel down to that stony section before the cattle grid because if your hit it wrong, which I did on the second run, your back wheel slides out from under you and you get a case of the wobbles and heart in the mouth!  Bang across the cattle grid, sounds like a fork being dragged across a metal sink drainer.  And then that up that long slope that seems to go on forever.....

Slog
Slog
Slog

Thighs screaming, Lungs burning.  Why am I doing this?    I could be at home watching Master Chef, in my jammies.  Teeth gritted in determination.  Push myself, push myself.  Go.Go.Go.

And I go on, I feel sick but I am determined to get up this hill without stopping
 
The incline on the slope steepens with every push of the pedals. If I just get myself to the flatter bit, I can do this.  Keep on going round the first puddle then through the second and third puddles.  Slope horrendous now.  1 and 1 on the gears.  Stand up but keep your weight back to stop the back wheel slipping on the gravel and losing traction.  Where is that flippin' sign?

Puff
Pedal
Puff
Determination
Puff
Endure
Puff
Pedal. PEDAL!

I am going to make.  I am NOT going to get off and push my bike.  Closer. Closer.  Yes there is.  Phew. I stop.  My breath is coming in short gasps.  I concentrate on slowing my breathing, guzzle some water and then,  I'm off again, launching myself into the dark over the precipice, charging down the slopes and slogging up the hills. 

***

Will said he thought to himself as he passed me on one of the runs,  "If she doesn't open her eyes, she's going to crash."  I didn't have my eyes closed in terror I am sure...at least, I don't think I did!


I did two runs I would have gone for a third but Ross told me to stop and come back to fitness steadily, which is wise. I was actually only meant to go for a gentle cycle. Will did 5 and Ross 3, he had a blow out on his third run.

Ross walks his poorly bike home and I pedal back feeling very chuffed with myself.  I get home and feel a bit light headed when I get inside.  I ignore it and do a good post workout stretch and wipe the mud of my legs.  I  have a delicious  after workout snack of some mixed nuts and a yogurt coated fruit biscuit. The night is not yet finished... Tonight Will wants us to start our core and strength training exercises which I abandoned about 6 months ago.  He is a slave driver.  No quarter is given to his aged parents!  5 sit ups, 5 push ups (which is tough with a slightly weakened wrist from the car accident) and a 15 second plank.  The plank is a cynch.  I love it and was doing loads of them last year till I got lazy about them.  Time to get ready for bed, washing and teeth cleaning done, I snuggle down in bed with a cup of black tea and my marathon training magbook.  I am going to sleep well tonight.

I can't wait for the next session which is meant to be a brick session although I am going to enjoy my rest day first.... I earned it.