Thursday 11 August 2011

Day 3 aka Game Over

Day 3 began with a lie in.  Until 6.30am! I expected to be stiff and sore so wasn't surprised to find I could barely move. I genuinely hadn't looked at the day's programme (cos I would freak!) so when I found out it was a 5 mile pre breakfast run I panicked.  But a quick test run up and down the road and a liberal amount of Biofreeze on my lower back convinced me I was up for it.  I really was.

And the first couple of miles through knee deep puddles and muddy trail were ok.  I was actually enjoying being out in the pissing down rain.  And managing to run up all the hills!  And then my knee began to get sore.  Achey at first, then twangy.  Then so painful, I had to stop running.  It was a long tearful walk back to the car.

The short version is that I simply couldn't take part in any more exercise.  So I came home, 2 days early.  My knee puffed up nicely and I limped around the house in a foul mood, periodically sitting with a bag o' frozen peas on it.  A trip to the physio suggests I haven't torn or damaged anything but there is major inflammation. Treatment is rest for a couple of weeks and start back very slowly.  He also suggested I'm pushing my body too much.

I haven't been able to blog about it until now because I was so angry. Angry that my race plans have been thwarted again.  Every time I increase my levels of training I get ill or get injured.  It feels like I'm destined not to do a triathlon or half marathon this year.

So even though I didn't complete Fit Camp I learned a lot.  I pushed myself harder and further in one day than I've ever been able to do.  I still let the crap in my head stop me from believing in myself but I'm more aware of it and I'm working on it.

I have no idea what to do now.  I don't have a goal to work towards except don't gain weight!  How can I stay motivated when I can't train?

7 comments:

  1. So sorry that your Fit Camp had to be cut short Ali - and I hope your knee gets better soon. I was absolutely gutted when I had to give up running - and I still haven't found anything to replace it. Set yourself another goal - you will be back running and cycling again once your knee's better. And, you'll be all the stronger again, having overcome another let-down. Use the time to do something else that you've pushed aside while you've been training so hard. Write that novel or something...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry to hear that Ali.

    Time to work on your swimming??

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh dear, poor you! Ali, from my side of the country and with the benefit of hindsight, it does seem to me that you've been pushed a bit too hard. Of course Clark should know what you're capable of but a boot camp is always going to be a bit of a "high risk" strategy. Most of us don't know what our bodies are capable of and sometimes a boot camp is a great way to push the boundaries but it carries a higher risk of injury than regular training.
    Don't be too disheartened though. With rest your knee should settle down and as John suggests, there's always swimming. You've also got a lovely bike that you might find that you can ride without aggravating your knee.
    I've found riding up hills (lots of them!) good for improving my strength on hill and weight loss so perhaps when your knee is a bit better you might like to spend a bit more time on the bike.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Swim girl swim!
    Hopefully your knee will recover quickly. You still have a goal, just not the date when you'll reach it.
    Fiona xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Injuries are rubbish! Swimming or aqua jogging. Xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'd like to say in my defence, Ali was offered a bike for this run having said the previous day her knee was niggling a little. I am forever telling people that if they don't tell me they are injured or struggling I won't go easier on their training. I'm not a mind reader. People come to me to try to improve their fitness and for motivation - pushing thru pain barriers is sometimes a necessary but I'd never knowingly push someone who was injured. The body is an amazing thing and only by pushing it do we know what it is capable of. If doing a triathlon or marathon was easy, we'd all be doing it before breakfast!!
    Chin up Ali, you don't know til u try. Stand up, dust yourself off and get going again!

    ReplyDelete
  7. No need to defend yourself Clarky. I totally accept full responsibility. I didn't want the bike, I wanted to run. I didn't expect my knee to be the problem. You knew it was my back that was sore but as it's always sore when I push myself it wasn't an issue.

    I am proud of what I achieved and I'll use that to keep pushing myself further. Like Fi says I still have the goal, just not the end date :-)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving a comment :-)