The memories of Rotterdam are slowly fading, but the effects on the body are lingering on. The legs lost their stiffness by Wednesday; I went for a brief two and a half mile run to check the status on the various ailments. The left hip and groin was troublesome; the right Achilles sore, but not unbearable to run on.
I ran with Grantham Running Club on Thursday – my first real venture with them across the fields. A mostly sedate affair, the Achilles and hip caused a two pronged limp that sore me shuffle uncomfortably. Indeed the most respite from the pain I had was when I did a quick 3/4s of a mile near the end of the run. The run, coming in at just over half marathon distance, was around six or so miles longer than I’d planned – not the best way to recover.
Friday was another day of rest, partly because everything needed a chance to recover, but more because I was covering the Chinese GP and I was shattered after a 2am wake up to begin work.
Saturday was meant to be a long run but the hip and Achilles were still a bit sore, albeit the best they’ve been since the marathon – things have gone downhill again since. I was able to knock out nine and a half miles at an easy run pace,
Sunday – my brother Joe came to visit. Keen to do a few miles as I’d been unable to in the morning because the Grand Prix was on, I took him on a short five mile tour of the town. It was a miserable affair however, with the left groin and hip really painful and the right Achilles not much better. As a result I took Easter Monday off.
Tuesday and I was back at the club. It is normally intervals night but there is no way I am in any fit shape to contemplate putting my body through reps. Instead I offered to help pace another club member on an eight mile run at his marathon pace, stressing the importance of starting slow, sticking to a pace that is comfortable, and then trying to push on a bit in the closing miles. To that end the run was a success: 3:20 or so looks on the cards if he has a good race. Whether I’ll be joining him in Milton Keynes is doubtful, I was hobbling so much by the end the two guys I ran with both offered me lifts home. I’d a 100% record of running to and from the club since I moved to Grantham, but tonight I had to admit defeat.
So Wednesday morning and sick of running with twin pronged pain, I decided to head out on the racing bike for the first time since moving last year. It took over an hour to set the bike up, find my kit, prepare everything and head out. But the sun was shining the breeze was stiff, but not unbearable, and temperatures pleasant – a good day to begin riding again.
The first miles were okay but on the first climb it was apparent that my cycling legs have deserted me and that the thigh and hip issues would hinder the cycling – albeit nowhere near as much as my running at present. I’d set my phone to guide me to Keyworth – scene of my final half marathon of 2013, and around 27 miles from home. It involved on the way out riding through the Vale of Belvoir which was at times stunningly picturesque, pretty hilly and pretty much covered in flowering rape seed, which I’ve discovered has become an irritant to me (Some reading on the internet has corrected me from calling it hay fever or allergy. It is indeed a different reaction to my summertime hay fever, but itchy eyes, streaming nose and some slightly restricted breathing is pretty close to hay fever).
Aware that I needed to be home by 1:30pm for an appointment, I didn’t quite make it to Keyworth, stopping around two miles short. I headed back and fairly soon I was struggling badly, the quads aching relentlessly on the flat and pretty much refusing to work on the hills. I battled on as best I could, lamenting my choice to ride 50+ miles on my first proper ride of the year. The final climb into Gonerby nearly finished me off. The pain of cycling is so much different from running, one I need to get used to again.
The ride was over after 55 miles of cycling in around three and a half hours, averaging 16.6.mph. Not terrible, but judging by the large number of Strava segments I passed through, no where near decent by proper riding standards. I imagine in the coming weeks I’ll be on the bike a fair bit – hopefully I can build on these humble beginnings and find some of the strength I once had – especially on the hills.