Judgement day...

Impressive intro music...

Today's the day I find out if I can start running again. Fingers crossed everyone for good news xx

Will the Spirit of Triathlon be given the all clear Tuesday????

I gave the trophy back a few weeks ago at the tri club committee mtg as it'll be awarded to our club's next spirit of triathlon next Saturday evening.
And fyi - I've absolutely loved having the trophy, and loved being Southampton Tri club's Spirit of Triathlon 2014 :)

Although the spirit of triathlon had been somewhat deflated these last few months dues to right ankle ligament damage :(
However, it's MRI results day on Tuesday with my consultant Dr.Flood. Fingers crossed for good news...

I'm hoping for "Ms.Carter, get thee to the running track and get back into your training".

So I'm feeling quietly optimistic. Haven't run since the end of July - although we did run for the train last Saturday in Winchester after a fab night Bandeoke-ing for Parkinson's with Daisy and the Wedding Toasters. Plus ankle feels okay and I've been doing my exercises from physio Sam when I remember.

Will of course keep you all posted. Really hope it's good news. I've got a lot of running and events next year starting  with the brighton half marathon on Sunday 28/2/16.
I really do need to start training.

The NHS physio, she says "yes"

Wahoooooooo

Ankle ligament you have healed yourself :)
Or pretty much sorted yourself out enough for me to start gently fast walking, slow jogging on very even ground. I'm very very happy.

Will still go to my apt at the foot and ankle treatment centre on 26/10 but it's looking so much better than August when I knew I had to kiss goodbye to the Ryde and New Forest half marathons, the Ashtead and Stockholm 10ks and the Twin Cities marathon. Utterly gutted.

But now not so much.

Have had an amazing holiday in USA,  got to hang out with do many dear chums and do loads of stuff. Plus went to the marathon expo and cheered on the runners at the actual marathon. Maybe next year? Or 2017 if I don't do the Wisconsin ironman :)

Sad face :(

Saw a fantastic GP at my surgery yesterday and she pretty much confirmed what physio Steve had said...

Very sad face.

She's pretty certain I've torn a ligament in my right ankle. Gutted. Season is absolutely over and who knows when I'll be able to run and cycle train again - might be November, might be next year. Boo.

Got an appointment at the foot and ankle treatment centre 26/10, at least it'll get scanned so we know for definite exactly what's going on. Might sort itself out with physio. Might need surgery.

Darn you polite Britishness and your looking up to apologise while being overtaken in the dark woods on your third thunder run lap so didn't see where you were putting your right foot.

Aaah well. C'est la vie...

Plenty of time now to focus on my swimming, my core strength, lots of stretching, my upper body strength and of course my old nemesis - nutrition and not eating shed loads of yummy sugary crapness.

And of course to keep positive.

Brighton half marathon 28/2/16 through to the  swashbuckler middle distance triathlon on 15/5/16.

My ankle will play ball.
My ankle will get better.
My ligament will heal itself.

Sad face lizzie torn ligament carter signing off now.

Will blog about all the fab things I've done since my last post 20/8 as I have done loads of amazing things as well as cheered and whooped and clapped friends as they've done amazing things. So it's really not all gloom and doom :)

But I am sad right now because I love running, I love cycling, I love participating and I absolutely love getting all excited when signing up for new events and new races.

Not feeling any of that at the moment. Instead just feeling sad and a bit anxious. Siiiigh.

I've entered a few 2016 events :)

Question

What do you do when you can't run but have signed up for a marathon that's in seven weeks??

Answer

You sign up for shed loads of events in 2016!


January 2016:

• Nothing much yet except CELEBRATING MY FORTY SEVENTH BIRTHDAY ON THE 25th - wahoooooooooooooo

February 2016:

• Sunday 28th - Brighton half marathon 

March 2016:

• Rather hoping to do the Solent Running Sisters running weekend on the 19th & 20th 

April 2016:

• Sunday 17th - Portsmouth duathlon #2 = 7.5k run / 18.5k cycle / 5k run
• Sunday 24th - Southampton half marathon 

May 2016:

• Monday 2nd - Winchester Mayday triathlon = 400m swim / 24k cycle / 5k run
• Sunday 8th - Portsmouth duathlon #3 = 10k or 5k run / 24k cycle / 5k run
• Sunday 15th - Swashbuckler half = 1.9k swim / 80k cycle / 22k run

June 2016:

• Sunday 12th - Polsdon Lacey 10k (event not open yet)
• Sunday 26th - Gladiator full distance = 3.8k swim / 180k cycle / 42k run (still deciding whether or not to enter!)

July on-wards - nothing yet :) 

Seeing physio Steve next Wednesday to get the lo-down on my damaged right ankle ligaments - fingers crossed that 1. he won't hurt me too much (not much chance of that - sad face) and 2. he deems me fit enough to start running again (please please please - hoping for beaming smiley happy face)

Because then gentle readers it's operation "eeek i really need to get fit and healthy asap without re-injuring myself". 

Which means I may or may not be able to do some or all of these upcoming events...

• Sunday 13th Sept - the New Forest half marathon
• Sunday 20th Sept - the Ashtead 10k
• Sunday 4th Oct - the Twin Cities marathon (Minneapolis St.Paul, Minnesota, USA)

oh and then some 10k winter run in Stockholm on the morning of Saturday 7th Nov before getting wasted with the boys Matt & Luc :) Note to self - i really need to actually enter this and then book my flights!

So plenty to look forward to for when my ankle finally decides to play ball and mends itself.

7 weeks till it's the day before the twin cities marathon!

I haven't run for three weeks.
Next marathon is in seven weeks.
Ankle fine to walk on but still bit puffy round the ankle and still sore where physio Steve worked his magic. I think there's still some healing to be done.

Apart from that I'm having a fabulous holiday on the IOW. Been bit rainy last few days but the sun's shining now and we're off to the garlic festival as soon as we all actually get up.

13 days since I last ran. Trying to stay positive...

OMG!!!! How on earth do people do it???? Get on with everything when they know they haven't run for donkey's years and probs won't be running again any time sooooooooooooooon???? NIGHTMARE :(

*desperately trying to remain perky and positive*

Oh bollocking buggering blinking bloody tree root / uneven surface with my headtorch POINTING UP!!!!

Luckily I know that this is just something we endurance athletes (hahahaha I love describing myself as this - cracks me up every time) just have to go through / get through and nine times out of ten you do pop out the other side as a better runner / cyclist / swimmer.

I'm sure I'll be a better runner because of this. Will have so much more respect for core work, for strength and conditioning, for good nutrition and for keeping my bloody eyes on the path ahead!!!!

Eight weeks two days.
Still plenty of recovery time.

And let's face it - I'll have an awesome time in the states regardless of whether I do the twin cities marathon or not.

If I don't I'll have more drinking and partying time (what's not to love about that?) and I'll still be spending $$££ at the expo (can't wait - I do love an expo).

If I can run - then Hoorah and I guess we'll just see how far I get round the course before  I decide to call it a day.

If I finish = amazing.
If I don't = I'll just have to go back to the twin cities next year and run it again :)

Win / Win.

Although there is a huge part of me that's not being at all philosophical and is just screaming "but I want to run!!!".

I have though this week managed to get to the gym to do some strength and conditioning work / core work. Plus swam at Hilsea Lido and marshalled the LRR RR10. So that's something.

Off to the IOW tomorrow for a much less energetic nine days with sis, bro in law, dear college mate and three gorgeous girls of 9,10 and 11 years.

No Ryde half marathon :(
But plenty of laughter, wine and cuddles from those gorgeous girls. I literally cannot wait :)

The pic is me marshalling last night x