Not parkrun and sprint triathlon prep

Today has been good

Yesterday my back was agony - I think it's because I didn't do anything 🤔

Today I ran with a bit of walking nearly 6k and this evening, after nearly 14months, I packed my bag for a sprint triathlon in the morning 

I am very happy 🥰

Getting ready for 1/9 sprint tri

Trying to find some results from a previous sprint new forest tri so I know what to aim for

Can't find any

But I did find the results from the standard 5 years ago so I've got something to judge myself against 🤔

I've done very little training as I'm still struggling to get into any training rhythm or going to bed before midnight but I am curious to see how I manage the multi sport aspect of swim/ bike/run one after the other. 

Also I do need to remember how to use the triathlon button on my garmin 🤣

Swimming and my sore hips

It's not scientific but I'm noticing that after I've been swimming I have a different soreness to my pelvis area. Top of hips/thighs sore - this is when I wish I knew what all the muscles were called 🤔 

But I am noticing a different soreness so I guess I'm using different muscles when swimming to when running / cycling / walking 

This is obviously a good thing as it means I'm managing to re-activate more of my pre accident muscles which has got to be positive. It's just such a slow process. And then I think, actually not really because it's only in the last barely 5 months that I've been able to do more / be more active. 

I'm now even more excited about how much stronger I'll be able to get. Can I surpass where I was on the 15/7/23? 

Also fun fact

My blood sugars have gone from 84 in March 24 to 60 in August 24. In fact the exact period when I was able to start getting active again. I'm now extremely confident I'll be back to being in the pre diabetic range by Christmas. And then hopefully in the not diabetic range by early 2025 🥰

Less than a week away from my 1st post accident event

So excited!!!

1/9/24

Club champs

New forest middle distance triathlon - although I'm doing the sprint 

A friend of mum's suggested I should wait 5 years to settle any claim as that should be enough time to find out exactly what the accident has caused internally so I know what to expect as I get older

I'm still sore 

I do have niggles

I have barely restarted my training

And I'm in no hurry 

I think I'll assess how I'm feeling / managing after my September events 

I wonder how I'll do next Sunday? 

I honestly cannot wait x

Getting quicker 38.45 🥳

38.45 today at Banstead parkrun with Ingie, Tracey and Milo dog. I'm getting quicker. Plus even though it was raining I felt safe running, I wasn't thinking but what if I slip and fall. I felt strong enough and stable enough to be able to manage slippy conditions. Very happy 🤗

24/8/23 was when I walked on my own to the Quays to the breast screening mobile unit. 57minutes to go 1km.

40mins of walking, 17mins worth of resting to go 1km unaided.

I felt totally epic and utterly shattered.

I have to keep reminding myself how far I've come.

A year ago I managed 1km in 40mins

Today I managed 5k in 38.45

SlowlyCarefullyGently

I'm definitely getting there xx

*but I do have quite a ways still to go 🤔

Less ‘swimming through treacle’ today

Was pleased with my swim this morning

Felt smoother 

Still not quick, just under 10mins per 400m front crawl but I can feel myself getting stronger which is fantastic. 

My first event since my accident is under 2 weeks away. I'm so excited!!!

I still have niggles

My glutes still get sore, my groin still gets sore, small of my back still gets sore. But I'm also getting stronger, I'm getting more active, I'm more mobile.

I think back to this time last year, a couple of weeks out of hospital and I marvel at how far I've progressed. 

Plus got my blood test results for my type2 diabetes 

My blood sugar number is now 60. That's a drop of 24 in 5 months. Happy with that. Hopefully it'll be back down to pre accident levels by Christmas at the latest. 

Sub 39 parkrun

Felt good

Chatted non stop

Only walked the hill

Drove to Dorset

Groin bit sore

Glutes a bit sore

But def feeling as if I'm getting back to normal

Just frustrated that I'm still sore, it's been over a year, when will I just be tired as opposed to sore????????

I can cycle 33k

Hoorah

I now know I can cycle 33k

The sprint tri 1/9/24 will be fine

How did it feel?

I wasn't able to power up the hills

I was tired

My groin was a-bit sore 

The lever of the up and down of the legs for just under 90mins. But I didn't stop, it felt great to be out and it felt wonderful to be cycling with friends prepping for an event and then laughing over food and drinks 

I'm feeling more and more like I'm getting my old life back 

Now I just need to figure out how to go to bed before midnight 

Swam again, sore again

Maybe the swimming is causing the pain because I'm using different muscles?

Glutes sore today

Swam 800m today 

900m of pool swimming before work

Really pleased with this 

It felt okay, not smooth and still a bit laboured but overall very pleased. Plus I absolutely felt as if I could have kept swimming 🥳

When I got to work I have felt some soreness my left glute, groin and some soreness in the small of my back

However, I haven't swum for a couple of weeks so these muscles haven't been used for a while. 

This is highlighting that I have to really focus on my consistency. It's the stop starting of my training that's the issue. Little and often needs to be my mantra for the next few months 

I'm not doing an IM this year or next. 

I've got plenty of time to build my endurance, strength and speed but only if I'm consistent in my training.

Banstead parkrun 39.09

Only had to walk once plus of course up the hill but we alsways do that!

But really pleased that I only had to walk once 

I wasn't tired just needed a break from running so I still have remnants of my accident but I'm certainly getting stronger 

Drove back to Southampton 

Worked 1:30-8pm

Now sat in my bucket chair thinking time for bed

How am I feeling?

Well my left glute is sore 

My left top of thigh is sore 

Small of back a bit sore 

But apart from that I feel okay

I reckon my strength, mobility and conditioning is making a difference 

But when will I resume proper training? 

I need to investigate a coach 

3k run / walk

It took me a good 15mins to be able to run yesterday as my back was really sore.  I was unable to manage the pain of the pound of my feet on the pavement jarring the small of my back.  

Not sure why my back was so painful 

I haven't really been very active for a week or so as I've had a summer cold so that may be a factor. As I haven't been doing much of anything my body may have got quite stiff?

Will do parkrun tomorrow and see how it goes 

Why am I so late to bed?

When I was training loads I'd be physically tired a lot of the time which meant bed before 11 and fast asleep soon after lights out

Now I'm still awake gone midnight and find it really hard to just go to bed

I've literally just had an epiphany about this   

****I'm not really training***

If I actually get knackered each day through physical exertion maybe I'll get to bed earlier?

Let's see if this works

Will go for a run tomorrow and then see if I get to bed any earlier than 00:45 

Sore right thigh :(

Hmmmm

I haven't done loads but walking yesterday and today but i have done a fair bit of sitting due to being at work, but I've noticed my front right thigh, right at the top of the leg is sore near the groin area with pains coming down the thigh a bit

All very tedious

I have a feeling the next 6-7 weeks will be crucial

I'm upping my training, doing a bit more each day / week

I will get aches, pains but i do need to keep an eye on what are aches from exercise and what is lingering pain from my accident

I think what this is really showing me though is that i do need a coach to guide me back to full fitness

However, now i'm thinking about it, my left thigh / left glute is also sore!!

I will now do some exercises at work :) 

1st August 2024

This was me this time last year

Coach / Physio Rob had just signed me off to be able to go home as I could manage the heights of my bed, chair, loo 

And now, one year later…

I really have to figure out how I get back into trianing. On the drive back to Southampton the small of my back was sore. So frustrating. 

My sports massage this morning Lizzy was saying tight ITB band especially left side and def tightness in my Soleus muscle - loads more on the left than the right 

But upper half of my body - brilliant 🥳

So got some more stretches to do 💪

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soleus_muscle

In humans and some other mammals, the soleus is a powerful muscle in the back part of the lower leg (the calf). It runs from just below the knee to the heel and is involved in standing and walking. It is closely connected to the gastrocnemius muscle, and some anatomists consider this combination to be a single muscle, the triceps surae. Its name is derived from the Latin word "solea", meaning "sandal".

Soleus muscle
Muscles of lower extremity
The soleus muscle and surrounding structures, from Gray's Anatomy. This is a view of the back of the right leg; most of the gastrocnemius muscle has been removed.

Hilarious 

A year ago I was signed off to be able to sit down and stand up and now I'm complaining of being sore after driving for over an hour. 

I definitely have to go back to my mantra of #SlowlyCarefullyGently and just trust that with time and patience and dedication and Southanpton tri club and I'm thinking also a coach, I will get back to my Ironman fitness 🤗🤞

#LizzieGoesLong2026 🥳🤞