Back in the saddle

Well I took a week off since finishing La Trans Aq'. I got my ankle checked out Tuesday. It was nothing too sinister, just an inversion sprain which had caused me to lose some mobility (can't point my toes or pull them towards me as far as the other foot). I've still not quite got full range of movement back yet, but it's not painful at all.

I had my usual gym session on Friday, was working all day Saturday, and so I went for a run on today. I planned a 10 mile route, and as a special treat did it without any backpack. It felt very strange. I felt as though I was bouncing along weightless. I discovered part of my planned route wasn't a footpath and so had to make some on-the-fly adjustments, so I actually ended up doing 12 miles.

I didn't make it easy for myself either. I picked a hilly little route through Swynnerton Old Forest and Trentham with 1300ft of ascent. I really enjoyed running through the forest trails. What I did notice was that all the tough climbs seemed a little easier today. I don't know if it was just because I was running without my backpack, because my fitness improved, or just the psychological boost from finishing La Trans Aq'. Whichever it was it was enormously welcome as I topped the hills with more breath in my than I would normally expect. The weather was fine and sunny for the couple of hours I was out. I didn't take a watch, GPS, PDA or anything at all. It's nice to do that sometimes, because you can get too focussed on a pace you know you are comfortable with. Today I just enjoyed the run. I didn't go out to run fast, just enjoy it. I finished a few minutes under 2 hours, so I guess I ran about 6 miles an hour. It was a nice easy pace, but faster than I have been training recently due to the constraints of an 8kg pack.

I did irritate couple of almost-healed blisters, but no serious damage done there.

I have tentatively penned my next LDWA event (as a runner) in for the 1sth July; 2 weeks time. It's a 25 mile route over the Derbyshire peak district, so there is bound to be plenty of ascent involved. I am going to make an effort to do 2 LDWA events per month, if time and travel allow it. I want to focus on plenty of hill work so I can be comfortable with anything the MDS terrain throws up.

I may work on my next 6 months training plan this week. I don't think it needs to be as rigid as the ones I have been posting for the last 18 months, but it does need to include plenty of hills. I'm going to do as little road running as possible. The only road I am likely to use will be that which I am forced to whilst crossing to off road trails. I will also scale back on my weight in the backpack for a few months as well. I don't think there any need to tempt injury by training with an 8-10kg pack at the moment. I can build that up towards the end of the year and early next year. That's not to say I won't be using a backpack, I will. However, I will likely cap it around 5kg for the time being.

Catch up with you soon.