After an infuriating few weeks of trying to think myself fit, and instead eating myself fat, the training has resumed. The steroid injection didn't seem to make much difference until I resumed training, and then magically the pain seemed to ease. Counterintuitive, but pleasing.
Little by little, I've started to build up some kind of winter training regime, with some cycling, weights work in the gym, and tentative steps on the track. But since it's summer, the lure of competition is irresistible.
On 12 June, I turned up at a Vets match and after carefully ensuring that I could take off without impact to the dodgy foot, I competed in the high jump. With a season's best equalling 1.40, I managed 2nd in the M50, and left with a big smile.
On 17 June the entire Fleet & Crookham AC athletics contingent turned up for a Southern Athletics League match. That is, all three of us, all with some kind of injury, and needing to officiate two events and compete in around 16 of them. It was a roasting Sunday, and after arriving at the Winchester track we carefully placed our bags under a shady tree and began our travails. For me, it went something like this:
- High Jump (1.35)
- Hammer (16.41)
- Shot (6.something)
- Officiate women's javelin
- Javelin (24.58)
- Officiate women's triple jump
- 1500m (6:38.7 - thankfully recorded under someone else's name, which will teach him not to get injured)
- Discus (18.46)
- And then return to the shady tree, 4 hours after we'd put the bags there.
I now have a Fleet & Crookham vest permanently etched onto my back, despite the application of sun cream. Not much reward for 6 mediocre performances.
Back on the training track again this week, the long slog to regain fitness begins. At least there's some encouragement from my session last night: 3 sets of 3x300. 2 minutes between each rep, 5 minutes between each set. I managed to complete the session, averaging around 62-63 s. Ideally they'd all be below 60, but at least I have a starting point to work from.
Hell's Bells
It's been a bit up and down since the first session back on track a month ago. I followed up a few days later with 2k on a treadmill, and then 2 days after that a 30 minute cardio session on a bike. And then came the pain. A sharp impingement pain that had me dragging my ankle and grunting like Quasimodo.
Not to be deterred, I got back on the treadmill a few days later after the pain had subsided and happily knocked out 3k. The following day I hit the track again with another set of 5x 400, this time upping the pace a bit. Two days later, the pain was back, and I decided it was time to revisit the consultant.
In the meantime, I managed to compete in an SAL match. 5 personal worsts is better than none, with point scoring in the standing high jump, shot, discus, javelin and hammer. Looks like some upper body work is also needed.
Consultant: Synovitis is the tentative diagnosis - inflammation of the tissues in the joint, rather than any further bone problems. Another scan was booked for yesterday. In the meantime, I wanted to make sure there was something to see on the scan, so on Saturday I had another little 5x400 off 1 minute track session to punish my joint a bit more. I can see there's a long way to go...
1:30 - oops too fast for starters
1:38 - about right
1:38 - about right
1:43 - getting tired
1:45 - lost it!
When I can do 10 at 1:30, I'll feel reasonably prepared for the middle distance part of the icosathlon. Then it'll just be the sprints to sort out. And the jumps. And throws. Ummm... hurdles.
So yesterday I had my ultrasound scan, and some inflammation was detected, so they've pumped my ankle full of steroids. Now it's time to rest. Again grrrr.
