BACK ON FEET

I ran in the Riga orienteering championships yesterday. It was great feeling to run through a fresh spring forest in the warm and sun. The colours were wonderful and for a change the course was challenging both for my brain and body. OK - truthfully I made loads of silly mistakes. Most of these were because it is really 2 and a half years since I was in the forest last, in Estonia. My mistakes were mainly drills and lack of practice but lack of self confidence also played a part.

Anyway I go to Finland in June for another go and I must do some more training before then. Lets hope my body stays whole and I can train properly and well.

BACK RUNNING

At last, am back running properly again. I was wary of writing anything until I had handled a couple of days of steady work over 40 mins. This calf tear has taken 2 months to cure. the problem was simply that the right calf was so strong that I could not reach the deep muscle to stretch it. When i worked on it with my thumb and ice i could break up the tissue but then the next day I could not keep it stretched so it reformed. very frustrating.

I found the best way was to stretch on the up escalator because the metal edges were able to hold the sole of my shoe tight without slipping. But I could not go up and down all day. I had to make special vists to centre shop and go to the top floor just to dig at the calf.

Anyway today I ran a bit faster and it all seemed OK. I would like to run the Riga half next week but that may be risky. We shall see. I have Jukola Orienteeering in Finland in 4 weeks as well. I missed last year with fever so I dont want to miss another year.

CALF TEAR

The calf tear I picked up when I fell in my ski race back in February is lingering. I am doing all the right things I tell others to do but it persists. I knew it was bad at the time because It really hurt and that is unusual for me. I am jogging slowly, stretching, ice, heat and rest and trying to eat well. Hopefully it will recover stronger than ever. I would really like to have a season on the track as a 55 year old. I am ready apart from the calf. very frustrating indeed.

SNOW - AGAIN

I left my scarf in Loughborough by mistake and told Alex that it didn't matter as spring had come to Latvia. So here we are again - it snowed again in Riga last night! Today was my first serious run since I tore my calf and the woods were beautiful, warm and white. Underfoot was seriously slippery as it was powdery wet snow on ice. I nearly went over a couple of times. I think I have jarred my neck in the process. It really hurts now. What we do to be athletes!

BAD LEG

After an amazing ski on saturday in near perfect conditions I have been forced to be idle since then with a bad calf. I am doing al the right things, ice, heat, stretching, but it refuses to heal. My problem is that my calves are quite strong so I cannot get past the muscle strength to stretch them fully. I need to be doing this constantly but when I am injured it becomes really hard to get it right. I shall rest and stretch today and then try running again thursday. If that fails I shall just run and suffer until it sorts itself out. it always does work this way but it does hurt doing it.

Loads of snow and plus 4 so park is completely hard running on ice, water and slush. Oh well!!

NOT RUNNING

Running has taken a back seat to life and work this week. A torn muscle in my calf from the fall I had in ski race last week has not helped (I got cramp 1km from the finish and lost balance) I have kept busy doing squats and some elastics exercises. The good bit is that this has coincided with snow and bad running conditions so If I was going to miss a week this was it. Hopefully I shall be back moving next week. I am now looking forward to a ski tomorrow and then maybe the forest paths and roads will clear and I can start running faster again.

COLD - EXCEPT THIS TIME ITS MINE

Friday I hada good run round South London with Alex Byrne. Then I went on 4 day spree of shopping, watched the National Cross Country, worked for Athletics Weekly and was drinking good wine with Alexes parents. Now I have a cold! My fault entirely. Mind it is raining heavily outside and the snow is slushy everywhere and not much fun at all. I hope it doesnt freeze again or it will be glass like everywhere. Anyway I am now itching to get back to running. I really feel ready to put in miles and race somewhere. I think I shall aim for the Riga half marathon in May. Hopefully though one last ski in Mazsalaca this weekend.

I might also run in the veterans competition in Tampere in August. It is time to remind people I am alive again...........

We shall see how the summer goes.