mr b's comeback

[mattp]

Good to hear of someone who has such long term injury problems still getting out and enjoying the fells. Gives me a bit of motivation to keep working on my own issues. Long may it continue for you.

[Heaning Hobbler]

Today's run- KWL Fairmile, 2.5m/1400'.

I'm on a self-imposed SUFD regime for these steep runs, that's slow up fast down. It just means i have to start at the back and climb like i was out for a walk, but it seems to give me just enough breathing space. Went for k tape and Leukotape today, didn't want to take any chances as i have quads tendon soreness still bugging me more than 2yrs on if i push it. I definitely think the tendon problems and the patella cartilage problems are connected and will both go away simultaneously or never at all.

The views from the col and the summit were a sight to behold. The inversion layer was up to around 450m above sea level meaning the view was one of a sea of clag with islands of snowy summits peeping out of the pea soup.

Out running above Troutbeck this aft' clag to about 1400ft then clear as a bell, full panorama of snowy tops from the Old Man round to Kentmere pike, stunning.

[mr brightside]

Good to hear of someone who has such long term injury problems still getting out and enjoying the fells. Gives me a bit of motivation to keep working on my own issues. Long may it continue for you.

It takes some patience and discipline i can tell you that for sure, and it began with a year of nothing but sitting around doing nothing- even swimming was too much. Your whole life goes into freefall, prognosis periods go out the window and all you can do is wait, fighting it just delays the inevitable. I'd liken it to spending a year in the hotbox on an 1880's deep south plantation.

[shaunandrachel]

brilliant comparison there Luke-only a mere 16 months out for me and know that hotbox far too well.....

[mr brightside]

brilliant comparison there Luke-only a mere 16 months out for me and know that hotbox far too well.....

Fear not Rach, you've picked yourself up and started on the road back. Just remember not to force it, one slip-up can cost you months of progress. I could undo about 4-5mths of progress in 20mins if i weren't completely committed to the program i've set out.

I changed my training diary sheet today for a fresh one and was able to sit down [hide behind my pump!] and assess the last 8 months of rehab work. It's been 3 months or so since i recorded an 'easy' graded run and my periods of acute pain causing me to miss a weekly session are decreasing at an exponential rate. This might look like pittance and i wouldn't have to go far to hear someone ask me "have i ever wondered that maybe i'm not built for running?", or "just run through it you soft tw@t"; but these are the two types of people i don't listen to. It's a war of attrittion, all i need to see is the problem trending long term towards better and i know a win is inevitable.

[mr brightside]

Today's run- KWL Sedbergh School XC, 3.5m or therabouts.

Ran hard, it's usually climb that causes me knee problems so i went as hard as i could to see what the outcome was. Proper ankle snapping terrain, felt like i was on the ragged edge what with carrying the back end of two different ankle problems. Needed a weekend off last weekend as Fairmile caused me some sore clicking problems in my left knee when i press the clutch in the car. It usually takes 2 weeks to dissipate this sort of problem, if it happens again i won't get enough counters in, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

[mr brightside]

Today's ride, 37m/3500' in miserable weather.

Picked up a slight Posterior Tibial Tendon strain after last week's ankle bashing at Sedbergh, so i had to miss Cunswick and now don't have enough counters left to get 7. It doesn't matter thought there's always next year, and getting going again properly is more important. Some familiar knee pain came on in the latter stages of the ride, there's 2 big climbs in the last 10m so maybe a route better done in reverse avoiding the big Chevin.

[mr brightside]

Todays run, 1 lap of Thruscross Reservoir- 4.5m 1000' ish

Another missed session last week due to engine modification work on the Skods; though i did put in a ride to work on the friday, 2x8m, and a mad dash to the other side of Horsforth for some carbide burrs. The flipside is that the ankle injury i picked up at Sedbergh XC has been rested and done away with, my ankle turn from the Strid Wood in november is gone, and my Achilles thing from before xmas is also gone. So i'm officially injury free again after an intense 4mths of continuously hurting myself.

Thruscross is a good course for someone in my situation. Hard climb is my undoing, but the undulating and steep nature of the circuit gives a good compromise. Last time i went round it was about 4yrs ago and i was not strong enough to run the lot. Now it's all runnable, even the big haul up to the fell after crossing the Washburn.

I've also started getting up 15mins earlier in the week to work on a new exercise- bouncing on my achilles using the spring in the tissue chain not calf muscle power. I'm hoping this will add density to the connective tissue faster than running, and result in me being less prone to more achilles/PF problems as i resume using a flat-fore foot strike where the ground allows it.

[mr brightside]

Today's run, Strid Wood timed 5m/650' very runnable.

Second of these timed runs today starting and ending at the Cavendish Pavillion along the top paths. Last one 4mths ago came in at 35.07, today i clocked 33.50 which is a significant improvement. Came up against some serious calf burn 2/3 of the way in, always get that with these flat trails. Just need to keep moving forward sensibly over the next 4mths and see what the next one comes in at.

[mr brightside]

It's been a while since we had a leg shot on this thread and i know Shaunaneto gets rattled if offerings begin to dwindle, so here's a K-Tape setup i'm going to start experimenting with...



I keep suffering straining of the tendon where VMO connects to the kneecap, it gets sore and the inflammation causes clicking from under the edge when i do the clutch in the car. Seems to be linked to high levels of exertion, but not limited to steep terrain.

Today's run, KWL Elterwater Common 3m/1300'

Nice route with a good gnarly final drop off a cairn. This puking bug still has my guts in a bit of a twist and i was feeling off it today. My bumbag strap giggling and pressing on my abdomen was giving me nausea and discomfort and i couldn't even pull away into a run on the flat bits. The view from the top was misty, but quite a few craggy little lumps and bumps could be made out and it looked like a nice area. I managed to pull myself together and sailed off the last turn with some reasonable speed.

Erm, only real men use pink k-tape