In from the cold

Well, it seems to have warmed up a little here in the UK. It's far from tropical but there are rumours that we could get temperatures in double figures this week. A whole 10 degrees!

I've not got a great deal to tell you this week. I'm still easing myself back into training. On Tuesday I ran a planned 4 mile trail route, at a brisk pace, over the fields and through the local woods. I still have to wear my head torch for these evening runs, as it is too dark to run without one, even at 5pm. I couldn't find my knee support, and so had to run without it, but I didn't have any problems. I then went to the gym to do my yoga class for an hour and a half. I can still do the majority of the class, but I have to modify some poses as my cartilage tear makes it impossible for me to do certain things without pain.

On Wednesday I did a 10k trail route, following a similar rout to the previous day but extending it and including additional ascent. I again ran without my knee support, only finding the missing item last night (Sunday). On Thursday I was called away unexpectedly to work in Newcastle upon Tyne at the other end of the country. I had to drive up there, through some pretty terrible weather, then work until 10pm, and then drive home. I got back in the early hours of the morning, very tired.

On Friday afternoon I was supposed to drive to The Lake District. I had booked a weekend away in a hotel for Valentines with my girlfriend. Unfortunately some personal family circumstances for my girlfriend meant that we cancelled. I've promised to taker her again another time. Obviously I didn't do the 11 and 12 mile walks I had planned in the Lake District, and due to circumstance was unable to train at all. I'll add some extra miles in this week.

This coming weekend I am doing a 21 mile Long Distance Walkers Event near Wigan, called The Beacon Bash. I am hoping to run as much of the event as I can. I walked this even in 2007 which a friend and MDS-competitor. I recall that there is not too much ascent, perhaps 2500ft. So, I hope this will a gentle introduction to long distance again. This will be my first attempt at anything approaching this distance since the beginning of January.

I didn't have any physio on Friday as I had had assumed I would be working away. I have some this Friday again though. I am not getting much Patellar pain, which is really good news. The cartilage tear, I am made aware of every day. Little twinges, especially as I climb the stairs or there is any twist in the leg at all. As long as I don't over-extend, or twist the knee in my training, or in the Atacama, I am hopeful that it will be ok. This weekends LDWA event will be a good test of my knee, over a comparable distance to an Atacama stage, albeit on much friendlier terrain with considerably less ascent.

Have a good week.