For a year 'off running', 2013 has gone well as I've looked for other events to aim for. At the start of 2013, I wrote down my targets for the coming year and these were mostly focused on triathlon. At the time, I had just been diagnosed with a stress fracture in my back and so I concentrated on cross training, (and in particular rowing), in order to keep a decent base level of fitness. I'd done a bit of rowing on a Concept 2 in the past, and quite how transferable it is to running/cycling I don't know, but I decided that it was the most efficient way to have a decent workout in the shortest possible time. By mid February, and having become quite bored of looking at a Concept 2 'row-ometer', I'd recovered from the back problem and started to get out running again. I was pleasantly surprised with my run at Eastleigh 10k in March, and it made me realise that, as long as you stay in a reasonable shape cross training, the ability to regain running fitness seems relatively easy.
The come back was short lived though as the next injury in my bucket list was a problem with my knee, which kept my running mileage very low from April through to November. However this was when my aim to compete in the World Age Group triathlon champs really started to take off and the first qualifying race was approaching. The Deva Triathlon was a real eye-opener as I failed to qualify and it made me realise that my cycling was not up to scratch if I wanted to race in Hyde Park. So it was time to put some serious time in on the bike!
Throughout June, July and August I made a concerted effort to get out on the bike most mornings into Richmond Park and clocked up around 3,000 miles over these months. This was at the detriment of my running however the time saved on the bike was far greater to that lost on the run and, during this period, I managed to secure a place for the Hyde Park triathlon.
September came, I was in my best ever cycling shape, and the World Age Group Triathlon could not have gone any better. It certainly was the climax of the year.
Perhaps it was not a coincidence that, as I reduced my training time, the problems with my knee improved and I was able to start running again during November. The turning point was running a decent race at the December Hampshire League XC having already raced that same morning (certainly not text book, but I felt no pressure to perform at either). Now coming off a number of 60+ mile weeks, I feel as though 2014 is a year to revert back to running, but it's bound to have the odd duathlon and triathlon thrown in.
The come back was short lived though as the next injury in my bucket list was a problem with my knee, which kept my running mileage very low from April through to November. However this was when my aim to compete in the World Age Group triathlon champs really started to take off and the first qualifying race was approaching. The Deva Triathlon was a real eye-opener as I failed to qualify and it made me realise that my cycling was not up to scratch if I wanted to race in Hyde Park. So it was time to put some serious time in on the bike!
Throughout June, July and August I made a concerted effort to get out on the bike most mornings into Richmond Park and clocked up around 3,000 miles over these months. This was at the detriment of my running however the time saved on the bike was far greater to that lost on the run and, during this period, I managed to secure a place for the Hyde Park triathlon.
September came, I was in my best ever cycling shape, and the World Age Group Triathlon could not have gone any better. It certainly was the climax of the year.
Perhaps it was not a coincidence that, as I reduced my training time, the problems with my knee improved and I was able to start running again during November. The turning point was running a decent race at the December Hampshire League XC having already raced that same morning (certainly not text book, but I felt no pressure to perform at either). Now coming off a number of 60+ mile weeks, I feel as though 2014 is a year to revert back to running, but it's bound to have the odd duathlon and triathlon thrown in.
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