I can't believe I am already 8 weeks into this challenge and that it has been 4 WEEKS since my last 'weekly update'!! I'll try and keep this brief rather than recount day by day what I have been up to :-)
Week 5 - 29th April - 5th May - Ouch ... a lesson learned
In the last weekly post I wrote, I had just completed the 86km 'Ride the Ranges' challenge in the Strathbogie ranges. It was a great ride and apart from being incredibly tired, I pulled up pretty well the next day, or so I thought......
As I have mentioned in earlier posts I am fairly new to cycling, and am still learning the required skills, lingo and the 'rules'. I have yet to wear my clicky-clacky shoes on a real ride, I have only managed to drink from my bottle while riding once, I am still petrified of riding down hill at anything greater than about 30kmph and I can't bring myself to going 'commando' in my bike shorts.
By about lunch time on the Monday after my ride I realised something wasn't quite right.... I was feeling rather 'uncomfortable' and had started to walk a little funny.... I soon realised that my 'modesty' had caused a rather painful (albeit small) injury and that undie seams and bike pants just don't mix! An embarrassing trip to the chemist, some Bepanthen and 6 days of walking funny and sitting gingerly and I was back to normal ........ :-)
Unfortunately though I wasn't able to complete much training this week, but managed my PT sessions and a couple of yoga classes, and on the Sunday I managed a 7km run .... and then my feet fell asleep ....... sigh .......
Week 5 - 29th April - 5th May - Ouch ... a lesson learned
In the last weekly post I wrote, I had just completed the 86km 'Ride the Ranges' challenge in the Strathbogie ranges. It was a great ride and apart from being incredibly tired, I pulled up pretty well the next day, or so I thought......
As I have mentioned in earlier posts I am fairly new to cycling, and am still learning the required skills, lingo and the 'rules'. I have yet to wear my clicky-clacky shoes on a real ride, I have only managed to drink from my bottle while riding once, I am still petrified of riding down hill at anything greater than about 30kmph and I can't bring myself to going 'commando' in my bike shorts.
By about lunch time on the Monday after my ride I realised something wasn't quite right.... I was feeling rather 'uncomfortable' and had started to walk a little funny.... I soon realised that my 'modesty' had caused a rather painful (albeit small) injury and that undie seams and bike pants just don't mix! An embarrassing trip to the chemist, some Bepanthen and 6 days of walking funny and sitting gingerly and I was back to normal ........ :-)
Unfortunately though I wasn't able to complete much training this week, but managed my PT sessions and a couple of yoga classes, and on the Sunday I managed a 7km run .... and then my feet fell asleep ....... sigh .......
Monday - Rest Tuesday - PT session + Yoga Wednesday - Rest | Thursday - PT Session + 2.5km Treadmill run Friday - Rest | Saturday - Yoga Sunday - 7km run |
Week 6 - 6th - 12th May - Pesky niggles
Having not completed many kilometres last week, I was determined to get stuck into things. The week started with a 5.6km run on Monday - and my feet falling asleep and shin pain again - not as bad as before - but enough to know it wasn't right. Tuesday morning I had my PT session and in the afternoon I met with the podiatrist again. It was decided that in order to get me back on track I needed orthotics after all, so a mold of my foot was taken and an appointment made to pick them up in two weeks time. In the mean time I could continue to run using specific foot strapping and to visit the osteo for some soft tissue work and dry needling.
Wednesday and Thursday were spent at a work 'retreat' (i.e. all day meetings) with a PT session and osteo visit Thursday night. By Friday I had just 'had enough' and my couch and slippers called a little too loudly. Saturday I did a 10km run along the Murray River. The strapping helped minimise the pain / discomfort but didn't ease the foot tingling - but I managed the run.
I was still a long way from my weekly target and had planned a session on the bike trainer for Sunday ..... however ..... Sunday was Mothers Day and I was totally spoilt! Breakfast in bed, some wonderful pressies, and lunch at a restaurant in town. By the time we got home my brand new onesie was calling - as was the Sunday paper - so I took the opportunity to kick back and relax while dinner was cooked for me instead :-)
Having not completed many kilometres last week, I was determined to get stuck into things. The week started with a 5.6km run on Monday - and my feet falling asleep and shin pain again - not as bad as before - but enough to know it wasn't right. Tuesday morning I had my PT session and in the afternoon I met with the podiatrist again. It was decided that in order to get me back on track I needed orthotics after all, so a mold of my foot was taken and an appointment made to pick them up in two weeks time. In the mean time I could continue to run using specific foot strapping and to visit the osteo for some soft tissue work and dry needling.
Wednesday and Thursday were spent at a work 'retreat' (i.e. all day meetings) with a PT session and osteo visit Thursday night. By Friday I had just 'had enough' and my couch and slippers called a little too loudly. Saturday I did a 10km run along the Murray River. The strapping helped minimise the pain / discomfort but didn't ease the foot tingling - but I managed the run.
I was still a long way from my weekly target and had planned a session on the bike trainer for Sunday ..... however ..... Sunday was Mothers Day and I was totally spoilt! Breakfast in bed, some wonderful pressies, and lunch at a restaurant in town. By the time we got home my brand new onesie was calling - as was the Sunday paper - so I took the opportunity to kick back and relax while dinner was cooked for me instead :-)
Monday - 5.6km Tuesday - PT Session + 2.1km treadmill run + 20km Wind trainer session | Wednesday - Rest Thursday - PT Session + 7km Wind trainer session | Friday - Rest Saturday - 10.2km Run Sunday - Mothers Day |
Week 7 - 13th - 19th May - Event two: Achooo! - Mt Beauty 10km run
With two weeks in a row of not meeting my training km targets, I was again determined to regain some ground this week. The week started well with a wind trainer session at home in the shed on Monday, followed by 'triple training tuesday'! I was on a roll and feeling good ....... until Wednesday morning .... Wednesday I woke up with a killer sore throat and a head cold and felt miserable. Knowing that I had the Mt Beauty run on Saturday I decided to lay low until I was feeling better.
Unfortunately that didn't happen until the following week!
As pledged I completed the 10km Mt Beauty run on Saturday, despite feeling miserable, and didn't do too badly all things considered. As soon as I got home and showered, I spent the rest of the weekend in my beloved onesie dosed up on herbal cold tablets, curled up on the couch.....
With two weeks in a row of not meeting my training km targets, I was again determined to regain some ground this week. The week started well with a wind trainer session at home in the shed on Monday, followed by 'triple training tuesday'! I was on a roll and feeling good ....... until Wednesday morning .... Wednesday I woke up with a killer sore throat and a head cold and felt miserable. Knowing that I had the Mt Beauty run on Saturday I decided to lay low until I was feeling better.
Unfortunately that didn't happen until the following week!
As pledged I completed the 10km Mt Beauty run on Saturday, despite feeling miserable, and didn't do too badly all things considered. As soon as I got home and showered, I spent the rest of the weekend in my beloved onesie dosed up on herbal cold tablets, curled up on the couch.....
Monday - 17km Wind Trainer Tuesday - PT Session + 3.1km Treadmill run + 17km Wind Trainer | Wednesday - Rest Thursday - Rest Friday - Rest | Saturday - Mt Beauty 10km run Sunday - Rest |
Week 8 - 20th - 26th May - What happened??...
I'm not sure what happened this week..... I think a combination of recovering from last week and losing a bit of my mojo due to all of the stops and starts and injury niggles resulted in a pretty quiet week. Nothing much to mention this week really... just wasn't feeling the love. I picked up my new orthotics on Tuesday and had a couple of short test runs in them. I wasn't up to anything too big as I needed my feet and body adjust.
By Sunday though I had found my stride again and knocked out 58.6km on the wind trainer! Next week will be a better week for sure!
I'm not sure what happened this week..... I think a combination of recovering from last week and losing a bit of my mojo due to all of the stops and starts and injury niggles resulted in a pretty quiet week. Nothing much to mention this week really... just wasn't feeling the love. I picked up my new orthotics on Tuesday and had a couple of short test runs in them. I wasn't up to anything too big as I needed my feet and body adjust.
By Sunday though I had found my stride again and knocked out 58.6km on the wind trainer! Next week will be a better week for sure!
Monday - Rest Tuesday - 4km Treadmill Session Wednesday - Spin Session 12.5km | Thursday - PT Session Friday - Rest | Saturday - Yoga Sunday - Shed Session 58.6km |
Lessons learned:
I learned a number of lessons over the past four weeks and have realised that winter is going to present a few extra challenges. The biggest lessons I have learned though are that:
I learned a number of lessons over the past four weeks and have realised that winter is going to present a few extra challenges. The biggest lessons I have learned though are that:
- Bike pants and undies are not a great combination!
- Some weeks are going to be better than others!