Well, Christmas is over again. It was a quiet affair this year, with us staying in Chur for a change. I had thought I'd go for a run on 25th, but lacked will-power, especially as we had work to do anyway (one body to collect and sort out) on the afternoon - ah, good excuse, but hell, it was Christmas.
Come Boxing Day, though, and I was rearing to go - blame it on Mr. Kipling's exceedingly fine mince pies!!!! The constant leg pain was just that - constant - so I popped three Aspirin, did some stretching, donned my winter running gear, and set off on a nice, slow run through Chur. There were quite a few people, dressed up for the weather, walking the streets, and I was aware of a few of them giving me puzzled stares - plebs!!!! My leg hurt not one bit as I ran the 7,3-km. It felt good being out in the cold air (temperature was about -2°C, and the sky was overcast), and I felt strong, even though I hadn't run since the Zürcher Silversterlauf on 16th December. Back home again, I showered, and then noticed the recurrence of the pain in my upper right leg - and, what's this? Oh, no, a slight pain in the left limb, too. Obviously the ailment has spread. I had only recently taken Aspirin, so resisted the temptation to swallow more, and grinned and bore the pain. Had a bad night that night - kept waking up with a deep ache in my right leg, so knocked back an Ecofénac that Dr. Hasler had given me - those things really do help, but I can only take them at night, and they're strong, so only one per day.
Of course, 27th saw me in the Diagnose-Zentrum-Labor having the MRI scan, and the results are in my previous blog. Although nothing is definite yet, I felt pretty devastated, seeing myself never running again, and, more terrifyingly, not being able to take part on the MdS in 2010. Everything was black for me the entire afternoon and evening, despite lots of positive support from fellow runners and nutters on fetch.com and themds.co.uk forum. Surprisingly, I slept well last night - unsual, because when I am normally depressed like that, sleep is out of the question.
Today, I am feeling better, but now have this sword of Damocles hanging over my head. Of course, in keeping with my character, I have read up all I can get hold of about FNSF (Femoral Neck Stress Fracture). The worst case scenario will be pins surgiaclly inserted into the neck and head of the femorus (maybe both of them), with crutches and months off running. Best case scenario will be a six weeks off running, and crutches, followed by a gradual return to my passion. Of course, this prelim diagnosis may also be quite wrong, and it's actually something else. Who knows? All this uncertainty causes me a lot of concern and consternation. I just have to keep focussed on the MdS, keep up my humour, and go forward, no matter what is thrown at me on 7th January. As so many have suggested to me: see it as a challenge, and conquer it!!!!! Something onto which I am holding particularly is this from a very wise man: "There is very little that can actually stop you from running". (Thanks, Leon).
Some thoughts regarding my training and general fitness level.
1. Reduce my alcohol intake. I love my wine, and used to be very controlled, in that I only drank the stuff at the weekends; 2007 was a bad year for me in many ways, and I find, that I have been drinking wine every night during the last few months. The effects of the liquid help reduce the pain (not all of it physical), but it's not the answer. Not only is so much wine bad for the body as a whole, but I will never reach my target weight of 70 kg if I stick to the consumption levels I have attained lately. I'm not on a diet per se, but want to get down to 70 kg for running purposes, and alcohol is not the answer. Am currently around 73 kg.
2. Once I am back on my feet again, it's time to start running hills, and not only flat, tarmac surfaces. I need to build up my stamina a lot more, and become far fitter than I am now. I have over two years 'til the MdS 2010, and can do it easily in that time.
3. Start running with a weighted rucksack to strengthen my back and shoulders, and to get used to be self-sufficient in the desert.
4. Make an effort to get in some really long, slow runs - start off with goals such as Vaduz in Liechtenstein, and then slowly increase, perhaps having a two-day run to Zürich as a final goal (125 km) - I've done Zürich by mountain bike; now do it by foot.
5. Get in more mountain hiking - we live right in the mountains, so start using them for fitness purposes. I've done Mittenberg and Känzeli so often, and can do them in good times. Start expanding, and looking, for example, at getting up to Arosa via Tschiertschen and the Carmenna Pass.
6. Find out if there are any other people in Switzerland who have done the MdS, and get hold of them for possible discussions; perhaps there are even some in Chur who are doing it, and would like to occassionally train with me. I'm pretty much a loner, so don't want to be with others all the time, but now and then would surely be of benefit.
7. Get some trail shoes - runners are no good for the above!!!!!
Those are some initial goals. Many more will surely follow. At least I have written these down now, so they are here in black and white (so to say).
Right, it's Friday morning, which means the weekly apartment clean, and, this week, taking down the Christmas tree. Hope, that we will be able to leave for Carona by lunch time. Depends on how the bodies are behaving. First things first: start getting the mind fixated on healing the leg/hip thing. No more negative thoughts, and visions of wheel chairs and zimmer frames; just health, strength and fitness, and, ABOVE ALL, the MdS in 2010.
Come Boxing Day, though, and I was rearing to go - blame it on Mr. Kipling's exceedingly fine mince pies!!!! The constant leg pain was just that - constant - so I popped three Aspirin, did some stretching, donned my winter running gear, and set off on a nice, slow run through Chur. There were quite a few people, dressed up for the weather, walking the streets, and I was aware of a few of them giving me puzzled stares - plebs!!!! My leg hurt not one bit as I ran the 7,3-km. It felt good being out in the cold air (temperature was about -2°C, and the sky was overcast), and I felt strong, even though I hadn't run since the Zürcher Silversterlauf on 16th December. Back home again, I showered, and then noticed the recurrence of the pain in my upper right leg - and, what's this? Oh, no, a slight pain in the left limb, too. Obviously the ailment has spread. I had only recently taken Aspirin, so resisted the temptation to swallow more, and grinned and bore the pain. Had a bad night that night - kept waking up with a deep ache in my right leg, so knocked back an Ecofénac that Dr. Hasler had given me - those things really do help, but I can only take them at night, and they're strong, so only one per day.
Of course, 27th saw me in the Diagnose-Zentrum-Labor having the MRI scan, and the results are in my previous blog. Although nothing is definite yet, I felt pretty devastated, seeing myself never running again, and, more terrifyingly, not being able to take part on the MdS in 2010. Everything was black for me the entire afternoon and evening, despite lots of positive support from fellow runners and nutters on fetch.com and themds.co.uk forum. Surprisingly, I slept well last night - unsual, because when I am normally depressed like that, sleep is out of the question.
Today, I am feeling better, but now have this sword of Damocles hanging over my head. Of course, in keeping with my character, I have read up all I can get hold of about FNSF (Femoral Neck Stress Fracture). The worst case scenario will be pins surgiaclly inserted into the neck and head of the femorus (maybe both of them), with crutches and months off running. Best case scenario will be a six weeks off running, and crutches, followed by a gradual return to my passion. Of course, this prelim diagnosis may also be quite wrong, and it's actually something else. Who knows? All this uncertainty causes me a lot of concern and consternation. I just have to keep focussed on the MdS, keep up my humour, and go forward, no matter what is thrown at me on 7th January. As so many have suggested to me: see it as a challenge, and conquer it!!!!! Something onto which I am holding particularly is this from a very wise man: "There is very little that can actually stop you from running". (Thanks, Leon).
Some thoughts regarding my training and general fitness level.
1. Reduce my alcohol intake. I love my wine, and used to be very controlled, in that I only drank the stuff at the weekends; 2007 was a bad year for me in many ways, and I find, that I have been drinking wine every night during the last few months. The effects of the liquid help reduce the pain (not all of it physical), but it's not the answer. Not only is so much wine bad for the body as a whole, but I will never reach my target weight of 70 kg if I stick to the consumption levels I have attained lately. I'm not on a diet per se, but want to get down to 70 kg for running purposes, and alcohol is not the answer. Am currently around 73 kg.
2. Once I am back on my feet again, it's time to start running hills, and not only flat, tarmac surfaces. I need to build up my stamina a lot more, and become far fitter than I am now. I have over two years 'til the MdS 2010, and can do it easily in that time.
3. Start running with a weighted rucksack to strengthen my back and shoulders, and to get used to be self-sufficient in the desert.
4. Make an effort to get in some really long, slow runs - start off with goals such as Vaduz in Liechtenstein, and then slowly increase, perhaps having a two-day run to Zürich as a final goal (125 km) - I've done Zürich by mountain bike; now do it by foot.
5. Get in more mountain hiking - we live right in the mountains, so start using them for fitness purposes. I've done Mittenberg and Känzeli so often, and can do them in good times. Start expanding, and looking, for example, at getting up to Arosa via Tschiertschen and the Carmenna Pass.
6. Find out if there are any other people in Switzerland who have done the MdS, and get hold of them for possible discussions; perhaps there are even some in Chur who are doing it, and would like to occassionally train with me. I'm pretty much a loner, so don't want to be with others all the time, but now and then would surely be of benefit.
7. Get some trail shoes - runners are no good for the above!!!!!
Those are some initial goals. Many more will surely follow. At least I have written these down now, so they are here in black and white (so to say).
Right, it's Friday morning, which means the weekly apartment clean, and, this week, taking down the Christmas tree. Hope, that we will be able to leave for Carona by lunch time. Depends on how the bodies are behaving. First things first: start getting the mind fixated on healing the leg/hip thing. No more negative thoughts, and visions of wheel chairs and zimmer frames; just health, strength and fitness, and, ABOVE ALL, the MdS in 2010.
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