Decision Made

I’ve quit triathlon. For the third, and possibly last, time.

I’m going to sell my fancy pushbike.

I was deliberating and torturing myself over it. I really wanted to get the benchmark sub 10 hours, but I can’t get past my loathing of the swim. And my biking isn’t much better. I could do the biking in the shed on Sufferfest, … stop it!  Decision made. I’ve done 3 and 2/3rds triathlons just going for a finish, if I can’t go for benchmark there is no point in forcing myself to do stuff I hate.

I’m over it. Moved on. … Mostly.

So now it’s the running. Which I enjoy. It is a constant, direct challenge. And it’s relatively short. A 3 hour run is a long training run (20+ miles) whereas on the bike it’s only a short ride (about 45 miles) and in the pool it means I’ve drowned.

I’ve been suffering from pulled tendons on the top of my left foot (extensor tendonitis, Doctor Google informs me) since January, but it hasn’t got any worse so I’ve ignored it and carried on.

I had a week’s rest before my tri then ran the marathon on race day (Sunday).

The next week I had the Monday off to rest, and the Wednesday (as I did a 14 hour shift, with an hour’s commute). I still put in a 54 miles running week.

I threw everything at it. Previously when I was trying for speed work I’d built up to 5 miles, holding as near as I could get to my target pace of 6.48 m/m. I’ve been reading a book that says most of the tiredness and resistance to speed is your mind trying to pace your energy, not your body tiring. So, 4 days after my tri/bi marathon, I went flat out for 5 miles.

I got a PB (Personal Best) for 5K and 5 miles. Not too shabby.

I did some 8 mile runs then a double pack run day to work, 17+ miles round trip, and an 18 mile long run.

It was a good week. But, as usual, it was too much, too soon. My foot got a lot worse. I had to give in and rest it for 6 days. In that time I read up on extensor tendonitis. The big contributory factor everyone agreed on was too tight footwear, causing the tendons to rub as your foot flexes. I’ve been in the habit of lacing my boots tight since the army. The leather shapes around your foot and becomes like a foot glove. In theory. Also, I have to buy motion control trainers as I overpronate (my foot rolls inwards when I run) which I assumed would mean they had to be tight to do the controlling of motion thing.

It’s worth a shot. So for the last 6 days my motorbike boots and work boots have been as slack as I could make them (and I’ve been using ibuprofen gel and a compression bandage, obviously). Today my foot was the best it’s been in months so I decided to do a test run.

I slackened off my trainers and set out to do a 10 mile PB. I was aiming at 7m/m for the 10 miles. I set off at a cracking pace, I was running at 6.47 and it wasn’t killing me. I’d like to say “comfortable”, but there’s only so far you can stretch the definition. Then I turned the corner into the wind. Like running into the back of a bus. I tried to keep on pressing on with my time but it was no use. I settled for completing the 10 miles.

The great news is that my foot was fine afterwards! It’s had time to set and get a bit sore since, but nothing bad. I’m hoping I’ve cracked it. I will be so happy if it’s mainly the footwear and I can work around it.

I’ll try another run tomorrow to confirm it.  With any luck it’s manageable damage and I can keep on training. With a heap of luck it’s just the footwear and I can train and it will get better. We’ll see. The good news is it can’t be that bad if 6 day’s rest more or less cures it.

The exciting thing for me now is the Warrington half marathon in 5 weeks. It’s a bit short notice but as I’ve got a base of 5 miles at the right pace, it’s possible, if I actually have more in the bag right now, that I could get up to a 1.30 half. That would be awesome.

That’s probably not going to happen in time. But it’s certainly a benchmark goal.

In other news, Wendy asked me to go for a ride in the car with her as there was a funny sound. She only did about 2 miles. When we got back the nearside rear brake disc was too hot to touch. And has a scratches scored in it. Oops. I Googled it and it seems it’s a common fault. Rust builds up in the barrel around the brake piston and it eventually seizes. They said it’s probably going to need a new brake caliper. Less than ideal, but at least she caught it before it did any serious damage.

The other thing is; another handle has snapped on the windows of our house. The one in the bathroom has been broken for at least a year, longer in the spare room. I’ve been putting it off and swapping bits around as I’ve not idea where to start with model of double glazed windows and fittings and such. Tonight I had to do another one and I’d had enough. I hit eBay to start the process of working out what I needed.

They are a universal fit. Any of them will work. D’oh!

I’ve ordered 4 handles, with the bar that fits in them, the screws to attach them, their own keys, and postage and package for £11. All in.

Years.

*bangs head off keyboard*

I forgot to say; it’s a huge weight off my mind now I’ve quit. I was hating the training but badly wanted the result, then I felt I’d made a commitment and I had to follow it though. Now I’m focusing on running, and I’ve moved on, it all feels good again. If my foot doesn’t get any worse I am going to batter this!

Later,

Buck.