Feb-Mar-Apr-May.. STATO

 Oh dear - I seem to have missed a few months... much has been going on so there's a summary below - being lazy with a little cut and paste from Garmin :D

So what happened exactly ... welllll...

February I caught a really nasty bug that settled in my sinus' and quite honestly I haven't felt as rough for so long from a bug since I don't know when - all in all the thing went on about 5 weeks... sinus', eyes (conjunctivitus * 2), ulcers on the roof of my mouth, a sore throat... and all that just rotating around and around.. it was crap. The saving grace really was the amount of yoga I did 🤣 you can see the big uptick in March.... great but not terribly conducive to either the 10k run I had randomly suggested to a neighbour for the start of March, or the 16k run I had entered with some friends mid-March. The 10k was a DNE (did not enter!)... but I was feeling good enough (and it was a nice day) to walk up and support - well it was being held at the local craft brewry so a pint of medicinal beer was the order of the day... and the neighbour did great as well. One for the calendar for next year!

The 10miler mid-march was seriously in doubt and the week before as I lost my voice again I was like - there's no way, not only have I not done enough training but I feel like crap.. however I started to feel a bit better by the end of the week so 2 days out I ventured out for a long walk that ended up being 16k, so I contacted the organisers afterall the weather forecast was set to be ok, and maybe I could walk it. I looked at the route and figured there were several places I could turn to the finish line early.... anyway I'll see about writing up a mini race report - as I ended up completing the distance (!!)... having recovered from that I headed towards April with my return to triathlon race in Mid-May beckoning... But not before my return to hockey after about 20 years (!) ... a 2020 reunion (postponed for you know what) was set to take place - and it was great fun.... really great seeing some people I've not see in decades although my hockey skills were a little to be desired. It was a great work out and I ached for days in weird places, but it was worth it. Obviously by the start of May I had pretty much commenced panic training, knowing I could do the run and bike distance I got myself into the pool and bashed out 1500m to see how "bad" my time would be - immediately letting go of comparison to IM Fit Karen who could swim like a swimmy fish. Anyway panic wetsuit swimming then commenced in a rather chilly local lake and soon race day was upon me. Definitely owe a race report for that - I approached it really chilled, no expectations, definitely none of previous years extreme stress over pre-race nerves as the only thing that counted was doing it and finishing it having enjoyed it not suffered it. ANYWAY I did have a great time and did surpass my expectations... it's great to feel back to my old fit self... no not IM fit BUT at Easter 2024 I had a vision of me being able to swim, run or bike with a spirit of freedom and comfort over a mile (swim), an hour (run) and hours on the bike. I am so happy to have achieved that aim I can't put into words how the last 4.5 years post surgery has been, starts, stops, stress, injury, a lot of pain... but now I finally feel like I'm back!

What next - well I've already started a plan (with help from AI of course - we are in that era) that should get me to a run distance of 36k for my off road event in November. I'm excited for that - knowing I've got to do a lot more strength and yoga then I've done in earlier years to keep me as injury free as possible... and yes strength took a back seat in April and May but has already made one 30min appearance in June... phew..  Here's to the rest of 2025!

Here's the training volumes this year from Garmin

SWIM:

 

BIKE:

RUN

STRENGTH:

YOGA:

January Stato

 Fanfare.....

January saw me halting running AGAIN for the right niggly calf... I wasn't impressed and have now wholly blamed my asics gel cumulus shoes... I turned back to these in late 2023 as New Balance, my sted fast running shoe brand from my training in the 2010s no longer did what I used to wear and everything I read felt like I didn't like any of their new versions (too tall, too squishy or too expensive). So I turned back to the brand previous to that and got my self some asics cumulus (as asics still did that, just version 561... ok maybe just 20 something), and then also got myself a pair of asics tri noosa.... now I won't go into all the specifics but one point of difference is the heal to toe drop - the old new balance were about 6mm, the tri noosa are about the same and the cumulus a whopping 10mm... so basically I'm blaming my calf strain issue on that 4mm difference - as I only get the strain after running in the cumulus - which I've happened to do slightly more of this winter because the noosa are a bit chilly (ie colder in cold weather - poor toes).

Anyway - long story short, I got less running in during January then ideal given I have a 10mile run coming up mid March... but at least by the end of the month I was running again AND I think I've found a new trainer to go alongside my Noosa's which, after one run, I already love (fingers crossed).. 

... Hello pretty 😍 

Anyway - the top of the post said stats - so here they are for Jan

December Stats and Happy New Year

It’s already 11th Jan (and bloody freezing I may add!)…. So high time I posted the December stats! 

Sport	Count	KM	Minutes
Swim	2	2.8	94
Bike	1	20.0	51
Run	7	37.0	254
Strength	8	-	247
Yoga	7	-	180
Walk	11	36.84	433

….. the good being the yoga and strength training…. The bad being the one solitary bike ride!! No real excuse other than the older I get the more I’m a fair weather and warm environment cyclist!…. Although having seen the stats I attempted to sign up for club rides the last two Saturdays but the weather has had other plans for us! Last weekend it was forecasting lashing rain and possible snow this weekend it’s not got above 0 and an ice rink outside! Whilst I phaffed about last weekend I did actually manage to get on my bike in the garage for a 2 hour turbo (with buff, gloves, thermal top and full legs I may add!)

I also actually managed a couple of swims in December, still not entirely sure what’s going on with my shoulder it’s not quite right but no worse ….. and pleased to report this far I’ve swam more then I did in January the last few years (I’ve been to the pool once so far this year,… ohwl!)

Now whilst I had already got my Olympic distance race in the diary for may I thought I’d find something beforehand to keep me interested…. I contemplated a half marathon but I think that’s a bit far at the moment …. But found a local 10miler in the middle of March….. suggested it to my friend leanne and before I knew it she had entered us…. She should have read the small print though as she thought I’d said 10k … ha ha… anyway the aim is to have fun, it’s a nice looking route on country lanes and bridle paths. Somewhat hilly in places so my plan is to walk them. I’d like to do the event in under 2hours …. And I’d like to give myself a local flatter 10miler (ie home made!) to see if I can do a time between 1.40-1.50…. But in order to do that I have to look after myself better as I’m currently nursing a calf strain…. This started last weekend when I went out for a run and had to high knee leg it through a big puddle (why the high knees I don’t know - my feet still got soaked!) anyway I think that was maybe the first niggle…. I irritated it last night doing the same whilst running through what I thought was frozen tundra but was a crusty bog (I managed to avoid wet feet somehow with this time!)… anyway I’m an idiot and currently it’s sore. So I need to rehab that before running in the cold again (ie once I can do some calf raises!)… sigh… 

Anyway! Life is good, the new year is here and I’m excited for the year ahead, let’s go 2025!

W y