mr b's latest comeback

[mr brightside]

Today's battle- KWL Firbank, 2 or 3 miles/a foot or two

Really had to battle to hold my position today, the place was ruined- a complete quagmire. You place your foot and it just disappears, try and push off and slip, it's been better in previous years when it's been frosted up. I'm beginning to be able to actually answer people on the hills, my leg power has increased over the back end of the year and i don't see a lot of Patella Cartilage problems, but the extra power and using it is giving me regular symptoms of Quads Tendonotis in the right leg. I can self manage it on these XC legs, but some of the steeper counters might see me having to either back off or tape up again; i remember Fairmile turned out to be a masterclass in how to give myself lots of knee pain. The aim is to do every race, especially the XCs, this is where i can finish highest.

[CalFerguson]

Keep plugging away mate. I found it really tough going doing XC when I first started racing last year. I'd come from a football background but had an ACL reconstruction which suffered complications (cyclops lesion to be precise - Google it, very rare!)...this left me with a bit less extension in my right leg, meaning my right quad isn't as strong as my left one (visible on close inspection).

My right leg used to ache like mad in races, particularly XC when I needed more leg power to plough through the mud but it now seems okay and I feel a bit stronger with each race (still near the back though, haha!)

[B.Bill.]

Have you tried any KWL races Calvin ��

[mr brightside]

I hate cross country, it's a joke, my left ankle kills and i've not even rolled it, just the constant twisting and pressure under full inversion/eversion. I hate it!

[B.Bill.]

I hate cross country, it's a joke, my left ankle kills and i've not even rolled it, just the constant twisting and pressure under full inversion/eversion. I hate it!

Mr B why not invite Calcin up for the next one he could give you some one to one coaching then ...infact I fancy one being in Bolton I could pick Calvin up from dirty Darren ont way ��.

[mr brightside]

Today's run- KWL Giggleswick School, 4m/450'

Much better conditions this time, firm, had a good run all in all; though Wharfee was heard to be complaining about the "lack o' stodge, lad, i need more stodge really". A light snowfall overnight left a very picture postcard landscape, high cloud and no wind to speak of. The course is an impressive, classic school XC circuit with 2 laps of the long course for the seniors, mudclaws got an airing- it's too wet for Walshes everywhere at the minute. I had a strong first lap, but faded badly on the second and must have slowed up by at least a minute. I have an ankle eversion sprain that was showing its hand a bit on the rough outer course, but hopefully it'll clear. I've been running tape free for 3wks now after a bad patch with quads tendonitis on the bad knee again, i'm voodoo flossing it every morning.

[mr brightside]

Shock, horror i have a right knee Patella Tendon strain. Not a strain i've ever had in my history of knee issues and not sure how it happened or why the quads tendon didn't go aswell. Looks like it's a full weekend of car work or a bike ride.

[mr brightside]

Just a ride today, 24m or so on the Orange. My knees still don't like cycling, they sound like castanets. Hopefully normal service will be resumed next week.

[mr brightside]

One ACW lap of Thruscross reservoir today, starting at the carpark at the top end of Fewston, 8mls or so with about 1200'. The path out up the Washburn was like The Somme. I'll have to decide if it's a training run next week or whether i go to Fairmile, i can still get 7 counters if i'm clever about it but i'll be down and out if i push it too early. I'm pissed off about missing Birkrigg, i wanted to do all the flat and fast ones.

[mr brightside]

My Chiropractor says the recent full right knee strain was down to compensation for the left ankle eversion sprain i was carrying from the week before. There's a lot to be said for being clever about how you manage injuries. I felt like crap yesterday; my back hurt and i was getting hassle from both ankles, and for some reason my right hip flexors hurt so badly today. He says pretty much every part of my body was shunted out of alignment in some way from compensation stresses, even my neck.