I'm going to start by congratulating my wife, Sam, and her friend Michelle. They have completed their very first Ultra marathon and I had the privilege of seeing them over the finish line after the day crewing for them both with Michelle's husband nick, and another of Sam's friend's Annabel!
They were tired, busted up, and sore but they finished their first attempt at 50km! A 50Km figure of 8 course around Royal Windsor, and a very good course to pop your ultramarathon cherry.
Having been round this course 4 times now, I sure as shit didn't want to do it again, but knew the route well enough to know when and where to intercept them for a some morale support and some banging house tunes from the car.
I also had the chance to meet one of my (and by one, I mean only) followers. Keith. He picked me out from the crowd at the start of the race as he was running in it. (You posted a great time, Keith, BTW!!) He had spotted my Isles Ultra Hoodie. A deliberate choice of attire so that organisers might mistake me for someone who was meant to be there and afford me full access to be able to help the girls out at rest stops with water bottles, massage guns, etc. I can honestly say I was quite taken aback when Keith introduced himself as I never really thought of anyone following this blog in any meaningful way. Of course my friends do, but I'd never really thought of strangers doing so. If you are indeed someone I don't know then please do reach out and say hello. I really do hope there's something among all my ramblings that gives some value to you.
So where am I at, presently?
Frustrated. Really fucking frustrated. My training since the new year has been largely shambolic. Pneumonia, fatigue and injury ridden. It's been difficult going from one car crash to the next. Presently I have developed a case of 'Runner's Knee' in my patellar tendon. This is made wholly worse by the fact it is in my good leg (not the one with all the achilles issues). I'm almost certain this is because I have had to perform a lot more road running rather than trail as the weather has been so bloody wet this winters making most of my local trails un-runnable. I detest road running. I despise it, in fact because it wreaks havoc on my knees and ankles. And, voila. It did. My weekly mileage is a bit behind where I wanted to be at this point. My fitness and aerobic engine are good, but my body is taking the longer runs harder than it should be. This might be down to the longer term after effects of what I did to myself in the Outer Hebrides last fall. But whatever it is, it's feeling much more challenging than it should.
I'm taping my knee and treating it, hoping to see the physio later this week to get an estimate of time. It's not out of hand, but it is problematic. I don't want to make it worse though. Just having to balance very carefully, once again, what I am doing.
Add to this that I have not lost a goddam pound in bodyweight, and I'm feeling pretty pissed. I've increased protein. I've dropped carb. I've cut calories. I've looked after my gut health. I burned off thousands of additional calories per week every week through training. Nothing is moving. Not a bloody thing. Is it my age? Is it a hormonal thing? I can't say. What I do know is there is a key out there. I just need to find it to unlock things. Of course, I'll let you know as i go along. Thanks for reading...
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