Training Log Archive: 'Bent

Wild BOAR with MrsTiny as team Red Menace.
She hooked us up with the best retro outfit- Bright red K-Ways, and wrist and headbands, hideous white pants for me and bright red tights for her.
I also dug out a huge bright purple and blue fanny pack and awful blue goretex hat.

Howling winds and pouring rain in the forecast, but it wasn't as bad as advertised.

As always, Goose put on a great event. His assistant Gosling was sick (but still was out there) so Goose was basically the entire staff.
Format was 6 mandatory CPs with many other optional ones worth the same value each.

Between my bad and heavily taped ankle and MsT's cold, we planned a modest route, skipping the first map's optional CPs. Long T/A as we got out of our retro gear, and off to Albion. I tried to navigate us around a steep descent, but got us messed up a bit. We sorted it out but only had time for 3 controls in Albion. The remaining optional controls were on a canoe section and a run. We decided to only do the 3 canoe-access controls, but we got into thick bush on a creative route to the last one and we were going to be over 4 hours (and DNF), so we skipped the last mandatory CP and hoofed it home.

Ms T was great to race with, a good second pair of eyes on the map and a great attitude and fashion sense. Yeah, we DNF'ed and had the least points, but didn't hurt anything worse and won best outfit.

Leanimal and Scooby ruled- tons of points, and didn't even go into Albion Hills where the most CPs were.

Thumbs-of-death was watching my ankle as I demo'ed how I'm trying to run with midfoot strike more on the ball of my foot.
He commented how the ankle seems to collapse inward, on both sides, when I run like that. It's the same motion that hurts the bad ankle now.

Dr. Larry Bell had commented soon after my surgery that I didn't have the arch and foot strength to be barefoot running. I've been doing foothab for 6 months now and using Barefoot Science insoles in my regular shoes, but T of D thinks I should still consider orthotics or something to support my arch better when running. He figures increased foot and ankle strength only lasts so long, not enough for AR.

Maybe I'm not meant to be a barefoot runner?

Hike/ run to work. Now I'm up to 4 min run, 2 min walk.
Ankle swelling is down, and it's getting there.

Off to get the last controls by bike. A lot easier riding near home than on the snows and bogs of Glen Haffy.

Doing bike repair 101 with Hingo today, but got in a paddle on the trainer instead of the weights.

Commute via singletrack on the Omega. Had to plan around the boggy bits, but it was a nice ride. Bulletdog's getting wise- she cuts off the switchbacks.

The ankle's less swollen, and not too bad after yesterday's light jog/hike.

Easy ride back in the dark.

Actually hike- running. Spaff gave me permission to run 2 min on 2 off on flat trails. Ankle was OK, but doesn't like trails that slope down to the right.
I'm trying to land more flat-foot than midfoot right now- thinking I may have overdone the minimalist/ midfoot strike/ prance-like-a-deer thing.

Brisk hike in to work. Ankle's not 100%, and neither is the knee. Sigh...
Returned home passing by several controls and picking up my assigned 2.
Howling winds earlier had left a lot of deadfall.

Massive thunderstorms meant paddling in the basement instead of meeting F-storm and A at the Grand.

The storms cleared, wind died down and sun came out so Bash and I got in a quick paddle on the Humber. Bash was in her new Hero and I paddled Goose's WW kayak. Haven't been in one of these for years!
The Goose boat's faster than the Hero, so I got to practice catching eddies.
Lots of fun, perfect summer day, saw all kinds of wildlife.

Unfortunately getting out of the boat hyperextends my knee and hurts.