Been a while

Was on holiday last week at Seal Rocks - great time and will add some video footage of me waterskiing and being dragged by the speedboat on a doughnut in the next few days. Very little exercise when on holiday. Have been riding to and from work every day though. Getting much stronger on the bike - PB on the way in is in 36:57 and 39:27 for the ride home. No swimming though as it's such an arse.

Best news is the improvement with the insertional tendinopathy. Still feels stiff but pain has subsided a lot such that I'm not doing eccentric loading on it off the edge of a stair so getting real extension. Always feels much better after the exercises too so similar to last year with the other achilles. Seeing Dr Kuah next Wednesday so hoping to resume light running again then.

Good luck to all the HuRTS boys at the State 10km on Sat. I've got a cheeky couple of bets on so will be looking for TB and Tucks to have good ones....

Update

Yesterday was just a 1km swim in the Cook + Phillip in 23:02 feeling pretty good. Planned to ride home but got stuck late at work so gave it a miss. Today was another km in 23:07 then a ride home in 39:28. Flying home tonight, although I was lucky with the lights. Still love the bike and Parriwi Rd.

Heel similar. Pain definitely on left hand side only though. Have adjusted eccentric loading to try and pin point the exercises.

Easter Weekend

Nothing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Put on a load of weight (about 4kgs - up to 68kgs now) on a diet of beer and chocolate. Wouldn't be too bad if the achilles was showing huge signs of improvement but it isn't. Much less pain on the right hand side at the insertion but still the same on the left. I'm wondering whether it's because of the way I do the eccentric loading and where it is loading the achilles the most.

Just 1km in the Boy Charlton pool in Manly this afternoon. 24:29. Had to stop a few times though with slow swimmers (yes, there are some even slower than me) and Bec and Billy asking incessant questions from the Fun and Splash lane next door. Bec asked if she could swim in my lane at one point and I said no, it's only for serious swimmers. She then matched me stroke for stroke in the fun and splash lane adjacent to mine for 1 length which pissed me off.

More of the same

Ride in in a good time but my garmin stopped tracking after it got too full of info. Swim at lunchtime in 24:33 - first 10 lengths crawl then alternating. Surprised it was a minute slower than yesterday but must have slowed when I tired on the later crawl lengths.

Improving

Saw Carl this morning (session 8) and did a load of stretches and core work. No doubt my stomach will be screaming in 2 days time like last time.

Rode to work in 39:45 and home in 42:39. Swim was 23:33 (I think my PB last year was 22:33 but determined to get under 20). Felt tired in the first half of the ride in but felt strong on the swim and ride home.

Same again

39:53 on the way in, 24:01 for the swim and 43:08 on the way home. Getting quicker for each. Feeling quite tired though which is good. If I can get under 20 mins for the swim I might even consider doing a triathlon.

Non-running Update

Saturday was 1km in Warringah Aquatic Centre. Sunday was a rest, recovering from a hangover after TB's 30th. Today I cycled in (40:50), did 1km in the Cook + Phillip (25:34, which wasn't too bad considering I got massive cramp in my right hamstring towards the end of length 15 which almost drowned me) then a ride home I'm guessing in 44 something but I forgot to start the watch. Rode with Richard which was easy on the flat bits but pushing the hills.

Heel is slowly improving. Swelling has come down a lot and little pain throughout the day. Very aware that if I did the slightest run it would flare back up again though. Continuing with the eccentric loading, nitro patches and Strassburg sock. The sock is a pain in the ass. Seems to cut of blood circulation half way through the night and wake me up.

Only 1 month to go before I see the Doc again...

Riding

In in 41:22 and home in 46:22. Only marginally quicker than my running PB. Would have been a lot quicker coming in but got lost in the Rocks following my running route which is inaccessible for bikes. Definitely harder riding home due to the hills in Mosman. Great to overtake the mountain bike riders up the hills though.

Bike

Thanks Tim and Dave for the offers of bikes, but couldn't turn down the opportunity of heading out to buy a new toy. Bought an Orbea Aneto, felt pretty light and looked pretty cool so that did it for me. Rode home tonight. Took about the same time it takes me to run home with all the stopping at lights. Got down Parriwi Rd at bit quicker though. Photo of when I reached home is above. Also added a few photos from Kangaroo Valley.

Gents, you're spot on about the head to heads. I wasn't sleeping at night.

Good luck to all those racing at Lane Cove on Saturday - expect to see Durante sub 33 and MC sub 35. Also good luck to Jamie on his sub 3 marathon attempt in Paris. Wish I could tell you what you have to do...