I had booked to have a recce weekend in Nottingham 3 weeks out from the Outlaw Half so had a sports massage where no tear was found in the calf but it was noted how tight the calf and achilles was. Still, knowing there was no damage there meant i went away looking forward to running and i managed a 25 min run on grass, as running on the treadmill brought the pain on, and then the next day i went for 50 mins, again mostly on grass as it was kinder on my calf/achilles. I was still feeling something in my achilles but it wasn't an acute pain.
The hotel i had booked in nottingham was beautiful, Eastwood Hall Hotel, a country manor type hotel set in its own large green grounds, and i'd ensured i booked somewhere with pool and gym facilities, so i was able to use the gym before my run on the friday, and then on the saturday and sunday had a nice swim in the tropical 18m pool! The recce of the bike course didn't quite go as planned…a) the winds were big and into the headwind i was being ground to a halt! b) i was cycling with @bigdaveakers and unfortunately he had a few mechanical issues so we only did 14k as i felt it was better safe than sorry with the winds, fast roads, and mechanical issues. However, i was able to suss out the swim and all i hoped was that the winds weren't as strong on race day as the return length was into a choppy headwind that would have been energy sapping!
As it was, i returned home to wales happy that i've managed 2 runs in 2 days and then went for my long run as scheduled, doing 11.5 miles, again at a very easy pace. Yes, i could feel my calf/achilles throughout, and afterwards i did my usual recovery routines. However, it was the following day that brought things to a head. I went to the gym for my weekly wattbike/gym sess and the wattbike power intervals were thankfully only 25 reps rather than the usual 40 as it was taper week prior to Llanelli Sprint, my first tri of the season. During the reps i was noticing that my calf was getting sore with the effort, increasing as the efforts wore on. Afterwards I felt quite broken, which was confirmed that night when i woke to go to the toilet and had to hobble across the floor because of the pain and constriction of my achilles/calf. Then, going downstairs, i knew this was worse than usual as i was in acute pain each step i descended. The pain was constant as i walked, although back to the dull pain rather than the sharp pain from going downstairs. I had no option but to rest and it was suggested that i might be suffering with posterior compartment syndrome. http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/calf_and_shin/compartment_syndrome_full.php
this made sense as my calf had felt like it was ready to cramp at any time and i had complained of my calf feeling "tight, like it wanted to pop" for weeks. There was no quick way to diagnose if this was the problem, but i was advised that running on it could lead to serious damage so i had no other option than to decide not to race Llanelli Sprint, and to also concede that given the run training that i had missed over the months, and the fact i was still in pain, with the diagnosis unconfirmed that Outlaw Half was also unwise. The pre-race nerves that had been starting to form had now firmly been replaced with being gutted as having read the race information for Outlaw Half i was really looking forward to it!
However, if it wasn't compartment syndrome, and was just achilles tendinopathy then it is possible that i'll never get over it and can either choose to run on it and cause myself discomfort, or possibly have to stop running altogether. i'm not there yet, so i'm not jumping the gun, but i truly love running, the freedom of it, and if i can't run then i can't do triathlon. But, the other negative, is that currently it hurts to do any cardio workout that involves my legs meaning i can't just become a cyclist. I've been on the bike (spin bike/turbo) twice in the past week and have got up to 40 mins easy pace (still working my heart rate properly), but after this time my achilles is sore. I have been doing work on the cross trainer and managed 1/2hr today but then it was sore again. The other day i tried the rower, but again, after 10 mins i was aware of the pain/pressure building. Even when i was swimming open water in the week i was aware of the pain, but maybe that was because it was constricted in the wetsuit? it meant though that i couldn't trust it not to cramp so didn't swim as much as i had wanted (plus my troublesome arm was getting sore in the wetsuit also - broken hayley!).
the concern is that i'm not training as much as i would, so i'll be losing fitness, whilst also putting on weight if i carry on eating the way i am! but then i think, sod it, my season looks like it's over, why can't i drown my sorrows and enjoy what i can! but, don't get me wrong, i'm being very mindful about this. it's only an injury, only sport, i can still do more than many people would like to be able to do, and i remind myself of those people recently who have lost their lives too early and would have loved to have been able to live longer and do more so that's what i am focusing on.
What i am doing though is focusing on what i can do, so i'm stretching more, i'm icing it every day when i get home, i've bought an aqua jogging belt which i'm looking forward to using for the first time later today when i go swimming.
I've booked to go to Ace Feet podiatry service next week to have a look at computerised pads showing my feet when i run to see if there's anything there that can be tweaked. I'm looking into a specialist run assessment to see if my technique is causing it and whether that can be adapted to help. I'm also waiting for an appointment at the muscoskeletal clinical assessment service in my NHS Trust to try and get a firm diagnosis and any treatment that might help, given i have tried physio before and found it of no benefit.
So i'm exploring all options to try and overcome this once and for all as it's plagued me on and off since dec 2011, when i first started training for triathlon! I do intend though next week to get my early morning sessions back on track. I had some blood tests done recently to check out my excessive tiredness but they have come back all clear, so i know it's now down to me to sort out my sleep and get back into that habit that is so easy to break. The tiredness was probably a rollover from Manic March!
As for my season, well who knows…i missed Dambuster Duathlon because of it, i've missed Llanelli Sprint, i'm missing Outlaw Half…i've got Little Woody end of august and Bala olympic beginning on september, but the way i'm feeling now i can't see myself being ready for them, but i've yet to decide whether to withdraw and look to do something right at the end of season if i can, but until i get a prognosis and treatment options i don't know what the future holds. right now though, i can't do sportives, i can't run, i can't train aerobically for that long without pain coming on, so swimming it is!
So, i have a plan, i have options, i'm doing what i can, but i'm also not letting it define me. There are still plenty of things i can do to fill my time and enjoy myself :) i'm just hoping i work up a huge sweat later from swimming and then aqua jogging so i can enjoy a beer and some choc later ;)
