Blog Physical

Back to Basics – Part 1

London Marathon 2019 Finish 1

I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a long time. That’s because I’ve been in the same situation for a long time. I would call it – no mans land. Not training for anything in particular. Floating around. A bit of running here, a bit of cycling there. Generally, not a lot of progress. I’m a bit lost really. I can’t decide what to do.

Post-Marathon Blues

The easiest thing to put it down to is the post-London Marathon blues. The thing is, it’s been going on for 6 months!

I ran the marathon, did well and hit my target time. I was massively focused on that from Christmas until the end of April. Following that, I had some build-up to cycling with friends in the Alps. The trip was great, but I was clearly not ready for it mentally or physically and lagged behind my friends.

Following that, there was Ride London 100, which seemed to be much more my terrain that the Haute Alps. Good weather and bloody-mindedness got me home in less than 6 hours.

Since then the only event I have done is the Kew Gardens 10km, which I only really did because I signed up a long time ago and it was a race I wanted to do. It was good fun, but I was not in great shape and had a nagging groin strain.

Not Great Shape

Talking of shape and weight. I believe I started to put weight on during my marathon training where I kicked back diet wise and ate anything going. As my weekly mileage fell off a cliff after the marathon, my appetite stayed the same and I’m again pushing 90kg /14 stone/ 200 lbs.

Couple this with my BMF park messing around with the sessions and a large number of the regulars leaving. BMF, which I thoroughly loved, just hasn’t been the same. My attendance was sporadic and I have since cancelled my membership.

Stiffness and soreness

Another post-marathon entity has been than my body has been stiff and sore. When I asked a physio friend about this he asked, “What was your weekly mileage?” 40 miles, I replied. “What is it now?” 4 miles, I said glumly. “That’s your answer, he said. Your body was tuned and flexible, you stopped and everything shrunk and contracted”.

The stiffness and soreness have taken root in my hips, knees and feet, so much to the point that I thought I had knee cartilage and plantar fasciitis issues. I’ve tried to run (most too fast with no patience) through these issues and haven’t done any of the rehab work I constantly tell myself I’m going to do. This is on me.

I do forget my age, so maybe, or probably highly likely, this is part of the reason. I’m just getting old. The other reason is that, though active, I do sit at a desk  8 hours a day, which is no help at all.

What happens next?

This is a “woe is me” post, which by and large hate when I read other blogs, but it needs to be said right now. I’m in limbo, trying to deciding on where to take my health and fitness and what to do. Without this context, the blog doesn’t have and the personal element which I do enjoy in other blogs.

It’s not awful; I have learnt plenty over the last few months. In Part 2, I will tell you why a new mindset is needed and what the back to basics plan is.

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