Injured.. again FFS
It’s Thursday, I ran this morning only about 6km, I had managed a similar distance yesterday. I’m recovering and not in as much pain today as yesterday, and certainly not as bad at before. I’d finished a decent training block last week, some hills and heat in Croatia (yes, I ran at midday for fun) and then a decent long run with intervals on Saturday. I was pleased, every session of the week had been completed with decent performance. Three increasing load weeks all delivered.
Nick and his family were down for the weekend, a good excuse for use to run together Nick joins me on lots of my longer runs, now 100miler yet though Nick!? To entertain some of the offspring we decided to go the Wave, is an inland surfing lake near here - it’s an amazing place, check it out. Normally it’s an activity for the kids but this time we decided to join in, well being the wanna be Beach Boys that we are.. we opted for the “intermediate” session. Please be aware as far as surfing goes there is a significant leap from beginner to intermediate, alas with distant memories of Keanu Reeves in Point Break we figured we would be ok - how wrong we were.
It’s hard to describe a dishwasher from the inside but there were moments when I lived that reality. Nick had some epic wipeouts, one catching the attention of a life guard who was reduced to hysterical laughter. Turns out neither of us were particularly adept at surfing, I came off the water fairly tired but exhilarated - it was great fun and I was ready to sign up again.
“I guess surfing on Friday wasn’t the best idea in hindsight. Still I don’t think it should put me out of action for nearly a week. Got to change this.”
Saturday morning was the long run, session was 2hrs with 8 sets of 2mins "on” and 1min “off”. The “on” was at 4:20 min/km, that’s my threshold pace, not fast. We ran down and out to the river Severn, looped around and then did the intervals on a quiet section of road. All good.
The afternoon entailed a trip to Bowood House, offspring distraction, they all had a great time on the adventure playground. Death slide.. err no thanks.
Sunday. F**king hell. I was in agony.
This was bad, again.. I was frozen, terrified to move. You hold you breath, that removes some movement and try to just edge forwards - one wrong move and a searing pain. Fuck.
Your mind goes bonkers, for those who suffer from back issues I empathise - it’s awful, you don’t realise how integral to every movement you back is, yes I know it’s right down the centre of you, but still. You can isolate and deal with a sore knee, a banged up shoulder - but your back, believe me it’s a really annoying injury.
I know that there no real change and that my back spasms will subside, but that does not stop my mind going wild. I’m two days without running now, WTF, will I lose all that fitness? Three days and: will I be able to run again? What about all that training, is it disappearing? Of course - all total bollocks, but it’s preys on your mind. Everything seems a challenge, I can’t really concentrate, it is really worth trying, shall I just sack it all off? Maybe I should just sit on a sofa and stop with all the training?
I can’t go on like this, my back very nearly detailed Nove Colli, the same happened on the start of a 100 miler - enough is enough. I’ve said this before, I made some changes, but I’m saying it out loud now.
“25 years of not quite dealing with it... It’s a non-negotiable now. Time to bridge that knowledge-doing gap with a bullet-proof bridge”
I have two herniated discs that’s a fact. I remember back to something Laura (Osteo) said, change your language Ben, “you can be pain free despite your back”.
The knowledge-doing gap, I think this is perhaps what really pisses me off the most. I know I “can” fix this, I think I know roughly “how” - have I? No, still repeating the same old behaviours and then wondering why I am limping along like some 90yr old man with a banana for a spine. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a total fool, I do try and take steps to improve - but clearly not enough. Allie talks of the knowledge-doing gap in her book.
“So here we are on the 29th August and the line in the sand is drawn. It won’t be a fast process, but it will happen.”
I’ve joined a gym, that’s something I’ve been putting that off for ages, but most importantly - I’m going to the gym. I’m taking the advice from my long time Osteopath Laura (she’s got me out of many a fix), my running coach Fletch and adding in the input from my new physio Jesse.
Project Forth has begun. Forth.. yes it’s a big bridge, but more importantly its a strong bridge, it’s a truss type, the strongest type. It also takes a long time to build, 6 years in fact, so let’s hope this doesn’t take as long.
Will I go surfing again - not next week, but I’d like to be in a position where I can.