A lack of training

My waist has hit a buddha-like 36 inches this summer. I managed to drop it to 30 inches last summer with a reasonable diet that allowed me one heavy meal a week. I also did more training than I'm doing. That is, more training than nothing.



In the past two weeks I think I've been knocked by the incidents of Humber Half more than I thought. I've simply stopped training. My ankle thrashed me, hurts every morning I wake up. I've booked into a physio-therapist, but we'll see if that's useful.

In the meantime, I was very pleased that our maths teacher organised a staff Olympics. Unfortunately I missed running the 800m with the staff (due to school commitments, of all things!) and instead ended up running it by myself. Like when I ran the 400m by myself in Aldersley stadium at Christmas, it was tough. Really quite tough. I hit the first 200m in 32 and the 400 metre mark at 70 seconds (which, considering the utter lack of training, wasn't so bad.) As ever, though, I slowed dramatically (not least because I didn't want to collapse at the end) and hit 2:30 odd. My 800m is a reasonably reasonable 2:15 back in the day (U15.)

The javelin was, for me, a great effort. I only managed 9 metres when trained by my Wolverhampton schools PE staff (God bless them!) Our excellent PE teacher, however, had showed me the technique to hit something nearer 20 metres. I am the first to admit that I am SEN when it comes to field events - I am too clumsy and too tense to throw anywhere near where my strength should let me. Even to attempt such throws gives me a refound appreciation for how some of my charges have to struggle with what to others must seem desperately simple.

The 100m was surprising to me. I hit 12.7 in my first go, and barely managed to walk to the start line for the second go (which would have been well over 13 I think.) It was still a faster time than a few weeks ago as my muscles were rested (although my cardio is shredded.) However, it was shocking how my body reacted. I knew I was going to be sick, and my legs would barely let me stand. I had eaten reasonably well beforehand, and I was hydrated.

It was my youth all over again: trying to qualify for the U15 national 400m, coming near last (it might have even been last!) and being entirely exhausted for the rest of the day. The notion that I would have run again that day was ridiculous; I had exhausted everything I had, and everything after that, too.

Right now my legs suffer from my lack of flexibility and fitness, and my right ankle and foot are also in the wars. However, I am still in a position where I can be fitter than ever have been if I:

a) Consider dieting again.
b) Have some smart physio-therapy.
c) Manage to somehow establish some sort of impact-orientated training.
d) Have some sort of realistic running goal.