visiting stuff and then returning to reality

Just returned 'home' to christchurch after a great trip to Hamner Springs at the foot off the Alps. A beautiful place, with warmer weather than we get on teh coast, mountains to look at and a relaxed atmosphere (during the week, at least - i'm told that it' s a tourist hell on a summer weekend!). The ride was 140km each way - gradually climbing from ChCh and becoming progressively more rolling and beautiful as we went along. We covered the journey out with exactly 5hr ride time, though required 3 stops en route to relieve poor steven who was suffering the effects if a heavy gym session the day before and possibly too much prior brilliance altogether during the past month as well as chivalrously refusing to let me take a turn carrying the bag o gear that we (unnecessary, as it turned out) took along. I was feeling pretty good, having displayed only very minute amounts of brilliance recently and rested well up after even those! held a steady-moderate pace, riding on HR, all the way. it was hot so i minded the stops not at all though, and was totally caked at the end of the day. fish an chips in the park at Hamner. very friendly hostel (free fruit and icecream!) tiny bed.

Woke at 5 the next morning for a 'sunrise' hike up Conical hill and around the forest tracks up there. would be brilliant for running - next time. 3 hrs later, returned, woke steven and packed up for return trip. Net descent - we covered it in 4 1/2 hrs this time at easy-steady effort. steven feeling somewhat better, and stronger through the ride. i was only just able to hang on his wheel for the final 2hrs from Amberly. i was cooked again, so had a very early night!!

I've returned from another sports med appointment. i'd gone in there with the news that the foot felt pretty much better, and i was ready to resume my run training - just wanted some decent strapping and possibly some temporary orthotics in my shoe to ensure that i dont start out with altered gait. Dr Anglem treated me to some reality there and then - the long and short of it being that if i felt nervous about running without support then i was not ready to resume, even light running. the injury is NOT fixed, but it is healing. i can count on at least 1 more week without running befreo i can start even lightly loading it. IM NZ is not a realistic prospect - as he had told me 2 weeks ago. Feeling some better this last week, and able to walk a lot, I'd guess I'd just gotten into my head that i could do it. Now its pretty certainly off the cards, i guess i can relax and be grateful that it's well on the mend, that i'll be running again soon and that i've had good treatment and advice whilst away from home.

I talked with Dr A. about possible reasons why a fracture liek thsi just 'happens' - apparently out of the blue - meaning there was no impact, no twist no sudden movement to change teh state from fine to not fine in a single footstep. But, he points out that this was building, building, building...being away from home and my usual massage, chiro regime...additional training load...extra body weight...christmas celebrations of chocs, beers, late nights and a period of relatively high emotional stress ..generally too much on teh plate and not enough resources to combat it!


sometimes, since we don't 'have jobs' when we are full time athletes, we look for things to do to make us feel 'justified', especially certain types of people who have been successful in a regular career, like you and i have where our dedication and commitment is often (wrongly!) judged on how much hours we put in at the office. It would really make more sense to say you are more successful the LESS time you spend over the project, as long as the result is excellent. I think the same is true - possibly more so, with the profession of being an athlete.

I'm no expert - in fact only have 1 year experience, but already I've learned that you need to spend as much time resting as you do training, and make your resting environment as stress free as possible. jumping straight into the emails, the study books or planning the next training session, rarely lets our body unwind when the mind is too active. i don't know, but thinking about how an injury can 'just happen' and i realize that , OK i did do a big training block - but nothing really out of this world - but take into account traveling across the planet with my most precious possessions in a delicate little box, spending Christmas away from home, having tense relationship with Steven's mother, being totally skint, ongoing negotiations with sponsor over delivery a bike to the far side of the world...plus articles to write, athletes to coach, blog to keep up to date ;o) and finding time to connect with friends and family ... The body finds a way to give you a break when u need one.

This is not the sort of break i would choose, but i'll take it as a warning. I'm glad it's just the start of the year, that i am feeling pretty fit in general so can enjoy cycling trips like to Hamner, and have plenty more races to get buzzed about in the coming year