This is getting close. Really close. When I left you last, I was under the physio (steady...) and trying to rest sufficiently before having one last bash at getting some training together. Well, I waited a further week and restarted the training at the start of this week.
Gingerly. Very gingerly. Having decided it's all about survival now, I did a very gentle 4 miles on Tuesday and was please to have no adverse reaction. Thursday saw a slightly more ambitious 8 miles on my loop round the bottom of Glen Fruin, but done in the opposite direction to usual to shorten (but steepen) the hills - uphill being the time the calf has been least happy.
Another thing I've been thinking about is my running posture. Something the physio said in passing, about leaning forward and "chasing the head" made me realise that's exactly how I've run. In reality, it's not something I've ever thought about - I just went out and ran - but given the strains running puts on the body and the inflexibility my joints and muscles have shown, I realised I need to actually concentrate on this. Hence I've been trying to be more upright - hips and shoulders back and try to keep the centre of gravity over the feet. No idea if it makes any difference, but at least the calf behaved.
Time for a further step-up today, then. Decided on the 13 miles over to Loch Lomond, down the Leven to Dumbarton and get the train home. Beautiful warm day with plenty of nice sun and humidity. Lovely if you like that sort of thing. Not, if you don't. I don't when I'm running. But it was a nice steady plod at 8:50 pace, feeling comfortable with the general fitness, but the legs were quite heavy.
Think the general fitness has been helped by my new hobby, spinning. To the uninitiated this involves riding a static exercise bike until a state of exhaustion is achieved, using a combination of sprints, climbs and squats, accompanied by high-tempo music and a hectoring instructor. Oh, and a slick of sweat that put's BP's effort in the Gulf of Mexico to shame. It's messy. But fun.
Other than the general lack of running, I don't think the legs were helped by yesterday's day out, when Mrs T announced "why don't we do this (hands over guidebook...)
Anyway, the run got done, there were no adverse side effects, and I just about seem to be in a position where I can try and put together an abbreviated programme for Le Mans. Which is about all I could have hoped for if I'm honest. Going to take a pragmatic approach and build the long runs up by 2-3 miles a time, get some tempo and speedwork done and a couple of other runs each week. I'm NOT going to go mad and try to cram in all the miles I've missed in the last 8 weeks. I'd just get injured again, and that would be the end of it. So more miles, sensibly done, this week and we'll see what happens.
Music. Hmm. Getting quite excited about the imminent appearance of the new Manics album, which is getting great advance copy. The last three have surpassed each other and if this first single is anything to go by "Postcards from a Young Man" is going to be even better.
Oh and, of course, the opening night of the supporting tour at the O2 Academy in Glasgow. I'll be there...
Week's summary: 3 runs, 25 miles: Long run 12.9 miles
Miles since entering Le Mans: 118
