Post op update

Just 43 days to the Canberra marathon - fingers crossed a I can recover and be fit enough to give myself a chance of finishing before the official cut off of 6 1/2 hours. Only time will tell.

I do not intend to rush the return to running just because of a race - there will be other years but it will give me a focus. Also I do not want to start if there is a chance of a DNF - never had one in a marathon and do not intend to start with this one.

The actual op was breeze  - they knock you out and wheel you into the operating theatre. The bitch is the post op recovery. Tubes coming out of you from parts even you mother wouldn't go near, laying in bed and not being able get out for a few days and just how often can you read CR when almost all of the post are about the 6ft track race on Saturday. Clearly not running it and so have little interest in the threads.

Last night after the op was  I think the longest and worst night I have ever had. Pain and just unable to sleep with the tubes - but I made it through.  Things have improved a lot today and I am much more comfortable.

Update on Tuesday

I couldn't resist a 10k hard run on Saturday morning. It was the start of the weekend and it was so nice to strat it off with the run and be home before the sun was up. I know that was not the wisest decision with SMC half the next day. But all of this running at the moment is leading nowhere so I should and have been enjoying the chance to run.

 

SMC was always going to be tough in the second half and it truned out to be the case. I started off exacting on 100 minute pace and held it until half way and then the slow down happened and there was noting I could do to even hold the pace. Finished in 1.45.35 for just under 5 minute pace.

 

Rest on Monday.

 

Tuesday about 12k steady on another glorious morning around the Bay. If you were in Sydney last night did you see the moon and the two planets so close to it -  a first quarter moon and Jupiter, not sure of the other.

Another nice morning around the Bay

Not that is is relevant but is was a really low tide this morning. Or perhaps more relevantly it was low tide when I was running. Just a steady 12k with another 2 x 2k reps in the middle. Both at about 4.30 pace. I am developing some nice fitness shame most of it will be gone during the op recovery.

Preparing myself mentally for the SMC half. I am not sure if my fitness is such that I can go under 100 minutes but all I can do is make my mind believe it can happen and hope the body responds.

Enjoyable Thursday

I don't need to run/train at the moment but being injury free and feeling great there is no better way to start the day. The weather is fine and it is so invigorating to be up well before the dawn. Yes I know that happens in winter but then it is just so so cold and not pleasant. Maybe I am enjoying the running or at last appreciating the simple pleasure it is because in a few weeks I will not be able to just get up and 'go for a run'.

 

Easy 12k and in the middle a 2 x 2k pushed hard. At the moment that is slow and the time is irrelevant but it was the max effort I could put in this morning. 

Wednesday at the Bay

It was a beautiful morning to be out. With some light over night rain the streets were clean. The temperature in the pre dawn was perfect for running.

 

I felt great and felt like a hard run. I could no feel any lingering issues from the marathon although I am sure the muscles have not recovered. Anyway I felt good and ready to run.

 

It was a serious lap from the start with not a word spoken. Finished in 30.53 that was exactly the same as 2 weeks ago. SMC half on Sunday. JD and I plan to run together and see what we can do with Rach and I guess her plan to be under 100 minutes. It has been a long while since I have been under that magic time so we will see what happens.

Caboolture Marathon

 

Easy recovery on Monday

A beautiful morning in Sydney - well depends on your perspective.

 

I was out well before the dawn broke. It was dark and cool and everything was fresh and clean after heavy rain overnight. Despite the marathon on Saturday I felt good and fresh after a good nights rest. I headed down to Timbrell Park to do some reps with JD & Rach but got there just as they were finishing. That was fine I either would not have done them or would have been very slow at the back.

 

We did some easy jogging to chat and for their cool down. I then headed for home and did about 20 minutes of stretching. Can't believe how good I feel.

 

I will continue to train up to the op. I have SMC on Sunday they have a half marathon and 30k option. I am in only for the half. At best I expect a 1.44 like last month.

Dawn to Dusk marathon: Caboolture Historical Village

I am at Brisbane Airport waiting for the flight back to Sydney. Finished very comfortably in 4.58 which was slightly slower than predicted but in all of the circumstances it was fine. Things against ' a time' are it starts at 6pm which means that you have all of the day, I travelled up in the morning, had lunch with my son in Brisbane - so it was a full day before I got to the start line.

A 10k run I the morning would not help but I knew that. Add a late night at the ofice Friday at the end of a busy and stressful week .... And you can't expect to run quickly.

I enjoyed the last few laps of the 500m track as I knew it would be my last marathon for a couple of months and I ran in the moment. Training will continue although the operation and recovery will interrupt preparation for the. Next marathon whenever that will be.

Update Saturday

Ran on Wednesday with about 10k steady. Repeated that again on Thursday, Friday and this morning. No complaint from the hammy so at least at that distance and pace it is okay. At the moment I am at Sydney Airport to fly to Brisbane for the tack marathon starting at 6.00 pm tonight.

It will be slow and steady for about 4.45.

Unfortunately the operation has been moved to the 27th of this month. I saw the specialist on Thursday and has some tests. It was decided. That I could not take the risk and wait until after the Canberra marathon. The recovery time now makes running at Canberra a bit doubtful. However I have not given up hope that the recovery will go well and more quickly that expected. If I can walk pain free and can get 2 weeks a some running in then I will start with just wanting to finish in 6+ hours. At the moment I can do nothing abut that but keep my options open.

I will therefore train up to the operation in the hope that I am as fit as I can be at the time of the operation and then see what remains with however long it does to start running again

Week so far and not much to report

Thursday last week

 

Out enjoying an 18k run around and near the Bay and about 2/3rds the way through felt that ominous twinge in the right hammy and knew straight away it was a slight strain. So I backed off and got home. I suspect it was caused by felling bullet proof and doing too much too soon after the marathon.

 

A week later: Wednesday

 

I did not run until today. I need to fix not manage it so that it goes away and does not linger as a long term issue. Easy 10k with not a hint of an issue. Lets hope it is fully recovered and it was just not a case of a run that was too short and too slow to really test it.

 

Saturday and the marathon

 

I will run a marathon at Caboolture (north of Brisbane) on Saturday. I have not run it before and it unusual as it is part of a 6 & 12 hour events. It is run on a 500m grass track and starts at 6.00pm Saturday evening. Because of the other events starting at  the same time and it being on a track it was never going to be fast. Add the hammy strain and it will definitely not be quick.

 

I understand the atmosphere is great with the RD playing his choice of music that I am told is definitely not main stream. That aspect should be interesting. A finish with no aggravation of the hammy will be fine. Will pace myself for a 4.45 finish.

 

Medical issue

 

I have had a long standing medical issue that is more of a bother rather than anything else but with the potential at anytime to become quite serious. I decided for various reasons I needed to do something rather than have an event that could not be easily fixed.

 

So saw the specialist last week. Only option that I knew was the case is an operation. The real issue for me was when because there is a 4/6 week recovery of no running - or at least that is what he says. So a few days after the Canberra marathon I will have it and hopefully will be back able to walk/walk/walk/run the (you get the idea - I just want to be there) SMC marathon on 2 June.