It hasn’t
been the smoothest of rides to this point.
Despite thinking that I was back on track at the time of the last blog,
my ITB injury (many runners out there will feel my pain) continued to present a
serious obstacle to long distance training throughout December. Iliotibial band syndrome is an overuse injury
which has been causing me serious lateral knee pain. I was determined to have completed my first
ultra marathon by now and this ambition got in the way of my usual common sense
approach to training, which has backfired spectacularly. December was a desperate month, particularly
after the physio advised me to stop running completely for two weeks, after
having spent the previous 4 weeks on reduced mileage. Let’s just say that these torture devices
have been my constant companions for the 2 last months.
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The camera was useful in Abu Dhabi for keeping me occupied on the long walks when I wasn’t running.
We even bagged an invite to a NYE party from a kind driver shortly after taking this one! Random acts.My new mate, Joey the Turtle. All of us on holiday were in marathon training so we were experimenting with post-run ice baths. Not a practice I will be incorporating into my regime back in icy Scotland. To be honest, I didn’t really cope with the relatively balmy waters of the Middle East but Joey managed to distract for at least a little while. At least two of us may have smuggled our Joeys back home but I won’t name names….
So with new year's resolutions being discussed, I decided
on holiday that I would stop drinking until the MdS – I don’t really drink much anyway but like everyone else, December
felt like a hectic month. I was thinking
that this discipline would really help to focus my mind to all aspects of
training. So with three good days of
training behind me, I thought it would be appropriate to take a rest day for my
fourth and final day in the UAE and enjoy a last hurrah with the girls for New
Year (the hotel receptionist’s face went blank when Donna and Carol asked what
the plans were for ‘Hogmanay’). In the
end, we had a relatively sensible evening of amazing Japanese food, champagne
and fireworks – a really fabulous time – although with a +4 hour time
difference we had succumbed to sleep by the time the bells were ringing back
home. And bonus, no hangover the next
day!
Seeing in the New Year in Abu Dhabi, Japanese-style
With this
pledge of an alcohol free Q1 I have promised myself one ‘cheat night’ though,
which will take place next weekend at my farewell drinks party! Wouldn’t want to be completely sober at
that….
So my mood is lifted, having been back training for a couple of weeks now with no major injury flare ups (fingers well and truly crossed while gripping on to anything wooden). I also took delivery of a pair of interesting new shoes last week, which I have tried out to great aplomb so far! (I’m pretty sure that I’m the only one of my girlfriends to have more training shoes than actual shoes). I have been avoiding the ultra marathon chatter about these Hoka One Ones, principally because they look so odd (who needs 2in heels on a pair of trainers?)......
h
……but I caved in and thought I would try them out. They’re fab. Like running downhill in slippers! Not looking so new now though, post Countesswells!
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These were the views from my Hoka One One trial early last Sunday morning up a hill in Aberdeenshire (-1°C without windchill). Man, I’m going to get a Sahara-sized culture shock!
I’ll need
to decide on which shoes to take to the desert in the next couple of weeks as I
need to have gaiters attached to them to keep the sand out (the best way to
avoid blisterville). This business of
ultra-marathoning is all glamour!So finally, for anybody yet to donate, please please please visit my sponsorship page. I’m hoping to get a last minute spurt of fundraising to add to the super generous souls who have got me to £7,211 and counting! The charity is so deserving of your support and they (and me) are hugely appreciative!
