they say that managing to get your team of four to the start is the hardest part of the high peak marathon. with the nature of the training involved it's quite likely that someone will end up injured or even think better of it. unfortunately, this year for us it happened to be jane. she suffered a tendon injury/stress fracture/bloody painful thing in her foot 2 weeks ago, whilst walking to town of all things. after much deliberation we decided as a team it was more important to stick together as a gang than try and draft in new members at short notice. though i'm sure we could have found a willing victim. fortunately the organisers have allowed us to roll our entry over. which means a summer of bleaklow reccys!
obviously it's been a bugger for poor jane. no pot but she's been advised to rest, for the obligatory, 4-6 weeks. hobbling around and generally feeling a bit fed up, she came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe riding a bike might hold the answer to the non-running blues. a quick test ride last week on mine proved that she could pedal pain free. then a quick trip to decathlon and one new bike later saw the first proper smile on her face in 2 weeks.
obviously it's been a bugger for poor jane. no pot but she's been advised to rest, for the obligatory, 4-6 weeks. hobbling around and generally feeling a bit fed up, she came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe riding a bike might hold the answer to the non-running blues. a quick test ride last week on mine proved that she could pedal pain free. then a quick trip to decathlon and one new bike later saw the first proper smile on her face in 2 weeks.
so on saturday, the day of the high peak marathon, i met up with the remaining members of team marathon-schmarathon in edale. we decided to run the skyline route, which proved to be a belter of a day for it. our paths crossed with several hpm teams on their finishing stretch. it was really great to be able to cheer them on and secretly be relieved that we were just doing a 'short' 20 as a posed to a boggy 42miler.
and what of poor jane? well she too enjoyed the sunshine and had her first proper ride out. pedaling over from chezvegas into edale to meet us for tea and sustenance in the afternoon. and despite a horse trying to eat her gloves (??!!), it looks like we've got a new cyclist in our midst. every cloud and all that.....
4 comments:
Always rotten to hear of these things happening to those who run, particularly if you've had them yourself. I had "a tendon injury/stress fracture/bloody painful thing" in lower part of one shin years ago that would "4-6" weeks, etc. Thank heavens for bicycles. And patience.
I ended up getting orthotics for pronation (which, 15 years later, I no longer use and seem to manage OK without). I mention it as I got them from Salford Podiatary School - students assessed and fitted me for a fiver, I think. I don't know if they still do that! (There was another such place in Huddersfield). Just thought I'd mention it in case it's of use.
A big 'Yeah' for cyclist Jane! :) May this be the start of a long love affair...
dominic- thanks for the info :) the more cyclists i get to know, the more people i find who are injured runners! being stuck indoors does make you realise how much you take for granted doesn't. patience is a virtue and all that ;)
groover- i hear you loud and clear! we've just got back from another lovely ride. so far jane thinks it's always sunny on a bicycle :)
LOL - as long as Jane doesn't think there is always a tail wind on the bike...
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