A good week, but! A hamstring niggle!!

Monday 26^th January

The Bikeability course on Monday and Tuesday was bitterly cold and the children struggled to cope with dealing with the cold, so it was short ‘stints’ then back into the warm, however, its amazing how children are allowed to go to school, no coat, certainly no gloves so I ended up giving out 4 pairs, unfortunately they were only thin ones and totally inadequate. The second day [Tuesday] was a little warmer, and we did manage to escape the rain later in the day.

Tuesday was also my spinning evening, another very hard session, 80% on my HRM.

Wednesday was a grey cold day with a threat of rain, so an off road run after lunch saw me on my Neroche 7 mile run, felt really hard, it was very muddy. my hamstring was a little sore, so added ibuprofen gel to the back of my leg to try to ease the soreness.

Thursday was another morning spin session, worked extra hard and managed a fair time in the 90% HRM range this time, the down side of all this is I do get very hot and there is usually a large pool and a very wet towel at the end.I had hoped the spinning would help the hamstring, but it was still there.

Friday dawned very frosty and cold, a very pretty drive to Exeter with icing sugar coated trees, a pleasant lunch, so a rest day.

Saturday, a coffee on Seaton front before a 26 mile cycle ride in the afternoon over to Hatch Beauchamp, a cold grey afternoon, I was glad to get home, as my Hamstring niggled again.

Sunday, I was up early, and in the car park at Lydyeard hill on the Quantocks by 7:45 am I was surprised that 4 or 5 cars and vans were already there!!!

There was a raw cold, north westerly breeze, as I got out of the car, I had my windstopper cycling top over a thermal vest, tights, gloves hat and my salmon rucsac with a windproof, drink, snack, bivvy bag, phone and support bandage incase my calf started to hurt [but it didn’t] my speedcross shoes were very good on the very muddy tracks round and up to Wills Neck.

I felt very leg heavy and lethargic as I started my run, I often think I will turn back after the first mile, fortunately, I don’t!! it felt very uncomfortable on the run up to Wills Neck, head wind, cold, legs heavy and my hamstring was sore, I was unsure how it would fair and hoped it would improve AND it did.  As I went over the summit and down into the shelter of the woods, it was warmer, but muddy. As I approached Crowcombe Park gate the ridge track was badly chewed up by 4x4 vehicles, deep ruts, very messy.

I started to feel better as I ran towards Dead Womans Ditch, had a drink and snack before heading off towards Halsway post, I did pass several walkers and their dogs, surprising at that time. I was feeling good, a steady pace, the 10k point was reached after 1hr and 6 mins and I headed back along the ridge and up to Wills Neck, I did walk part of it, I was ok until the last mile or so, 10.2 miles covered. The car park was very busy now so no coffee, I wanted to get home away from the crowd!! My hamstring felt ok, but by the time I had driven home it was feeling sore.

Monday today, some work on the computer and late afternoon decided on a 3mile run, only round town at a very steady pace, hamstring was sore and stiff, but felt ok by the time I got home, so not sure what treatment to give it???

So a good week with 26 miles on the bike and 20 miles run, not to mention 2 spinning sessions at a good rate – I wonder when I will start to feel results? I do hope my hamstring gets sorted quickly.
My Grizzly number came this week, reminding me its only just over a month away to the event.