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Finding Nemo
May15201212:46 p.m.
Hrumph, I haven't blogged for a while because I haven't run for ages due to my pesky Achilles injury sustained during the Brighton Marathon.
My physio diagnosed me with a relatively mild inflammation and scar tissue issue around the Achilles when I saw her a couple of weeks ago. She did pronounce that I had the 'daintiest achilles' she had ever seen, so I learnt that day that I am blessed with slender achilles tendons. I wish that could be extrapolated to the rest of me, although I am now 8 pounds lighter than I was three weeks ago!
I also had to stare the ageing process in the eye and acknowledge that it has it's talons well and truly into me. At 43, I know I can colour my hair (grey hair, what grey hair...), that my 20/20 vision is still clinging onto my eye sockets with fierce determination (I'm sure it was just the needle I used to sew the latest Cubs badge on last week must have been a special needle with a really really small eye), but this time it was the announcement by the physio that "well, as we move into our 40's and 50's we suffer from reduced blood supply to the achilles area and that makes us vulnerable to injuries in this area as we get older".
What??
Noooooo. I know that Injury and Marathon Running are a package deal that I am signed up to for life, but I always manage to get on top of things caused by biomechanical issues. Ageing?! Gulp, how I am I meant to fight ageing injuries??
Well, I have been super duper good and not run for a couple of weeks as prescribed. I had a stern speech from her that we've caught it early and if I do the exercises the scar tissue massaging to get my 'fibres all aligned as they heal' malarky, then I should be OK.
The litmus test is whether I can hop on that foot without pain in the achilles. I am very nearly there and reckon by this weekend I will be hopping to the front door to venture out with the tatters of fitness that are still resident in my body.
Just as well as I have had to resort to dragging my ancient mountainbike out for a blast around the country lanes. Even so, I've only managed to get out twice.
My last effort was on Saturday where I headed out to do a 14 mile loop from home. The countryside is glorious and it is a pleasure to be out riding the same route that I used to do a lot of my marathon training on.
However, I am only two miles into my ride when I get to the bottom of a hill on a cycle route and realise there is a huge bunch of road cyclists ahead of me. A few of them have stopped to push their bikes up the hill.
Being a competitive kind of gal, I can't help but ride on up past them (taking note that I still seem really fit, at least on a bike). By now I have committed myself to carrying on past the ones walking their bikes but as I pop out the top I discover there are a whole bunch of them cycling. Just not cycling that fast. Or so I thought.
I decide to represent all MTB riders by pushing on in a mountainbikery kind of way, but before I know I am trapped inside the pod of road cyclists like Nemo in my orange cycling top.
It was all a bit bonkers really as I couldn't get past them, but I also didn't want to drop back and concede defeat, so instead, I carried on in the middle of their bunch on my MC Hammer of mountainbikes (looked cool when I bought it in 2001...I'll leave it there) like a little tropical fish amongst the shoal of tuna. I am sure they must have been thinking "oi you, sod off, you're not one of us" and after another of couple of miles, I thought, you know what I'm going to have to pull over as I am about to go off the Plonkometer if I carry on with this.
So I did, and pulled my plonkery self and MC Hammer over to the side of the road on the pretext of drinking some water.
Rest of ride completed without drama (apart from sampling an array of insect life...) and much revelling in the gorgeousness of the fields of yellow rape everywhere.
Bottom line though...I NEED to get back to running as I have morphed into a stressy, grumpy person and I can't believe how addicted I am to running.
If nothing else, it will stop me masquerading as a road cyclist on an 11 year old MTB.
Previous Posts
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May0220124:59 p.m.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
I have rallied from my sick bed to bring you this post, such is my dedication. It may also have a small amount to do with the fact that the novelty of sitting... -
Apr1620123:17 p.m.
A marathon PB!
Well, here is the race report from the front lines of the Brighton Marathon... It's long, so I hope you have a cuppa on the go. The day dawned sunny and... -
Apr10201211:04 a.m.
Carb Loading for the Marathon
OK – here is a nice practical and sensible blog post from me for a change. But it is still a mega long one – some things don’t change!... -
Apr0920127:48 p.m.
Trapped in the Marathon Fairground
I didn't realise it was four weeks or so since I last posted. My absence is explained by the fact I have been trapped inside the walls of the Marathon... -
Mar1220124:22 p.m.
20 miles. T'was a little tedious...
Saturday dawned sunny and full of spring-like promise. The sun’s rays were casting warm golden hues across the fields behind the house and I rose out of...
评论 (10)
Firefly123 'Oh Simone - I hope you can get back running this weekend, although your story of your bike ride had me in stitches. My MTB is circa 1993, so you can imagine what a sight I am when I'm out riding!' added 15th 五月 2012
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Dungey 'Brings a great image to mind Simone. Was it the Westbury Wheelers (blue and white tops)? I have often seen them out when I have been out and about, I get ashamed of my aged road bike, even my bike shop said I ought to change it. Always think they would like down at it on their posh bikes so I normally bottle out and take a different route. Know your feeling on running, going mad myself, 10 days of no running but have been going to the gym this week. Hope you are back on track soon.' added 15th 五月 2012
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ClareVR 'OMG Simone, too funny, I almost laughed out loud..good effort! I hope your resting has paid off and that you will back to running soon, although I would love a few more MC Hammer exploits first! ' added 15th 五月 2012
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Nick 'Hope your achilles is feeling better soon, Simone. We don't want any more trapped within a pack of cyclists incidents!' added 15th 五月 2012
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crooxi 'NAughty achilles! - don't you realize Simone has running to do?! ' added 15th 五月 2012
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Rob_Barber 'Good job done there representing the MTB'ers - I'd have done exactly the same thing, though admittedly it might be just the kind of situation that would bring out my competitive streak :-)' added 15th 五月 2012
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Johnf 'What a crazy bike ride, so funny it really made me smile. Not competitive at all are we? Must be a strange sight for the postman or Tesco home delivery as you hop to the door, then grimace at the end of the hallway realising it was a hop too far!' added 16th 五月 2012
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onthefloor04 'What sort of scientific litms test is hopping? I'd want my moneys worth and demand a scan or a refund or something -you wn't get either but you'll feel better for being irate for a bit, might even get rid of some of the grumpiness' added 16th 五月 2012
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moose10 'blimmin MTB'S don't you have any respect for us road cyclists, don't blame you though certainly adds a bit of spice to the ride. Hope you're back running soonest' added 16th 五月 2012
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shazzer 'Hope you are back running very soon. How terrifying to be swallowed up my all those road cyclists!! Well done on the weight loss, can't be many sleeps til your holiday now. X' added 16th 五月 2012
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