November 2012

I’m very happy to report that the next chapter of my ankle rehab has begun! I have now started running at last!!! Only in straight lines and not very fast but it’s running!! It felt soo funny the first session back – like I had almost forgotten how to run! But just in case I needed reminding why I had gone through with the whole operation thing (which I didn’t really) it reminded me how good it felt and how much I have missed it!! Now the trick is not to rush things and listen to my ankles. I have been running 4 times a week. There have been some days when my ankles haven’t been so good so I have had to take a couple of days off and went back into the pool. I have been in even closer contact with my physio – emailing him every morning with a report from the day before and on certain days, morning, afternoon and evening text message updates. I now feel that things really are progressing in the right direction. The aim now is to have me back into full training shape for the start of January.

University has actually been much busier than I expected. This month we have had at least one field trip per week. Some have been very interesting, and others not so much! But they do provide a means of seeing parts of the island that I would never normally see. We went on one to Popeye’s Village (yes – the set where they filmed the original Popeye film!) with a group of Italian geographers. They are doing current research about the movement of a particular rock body. This was very interesting; in fact I was so interested they have invited me to go back with them the next time they come to take measurements. I’m looking forward to it already and to see what they have managed to establish since.

The last week I have been sick with a chest infection which slowed me down a bit and meant I had to take a break off training. Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise as it gives my ankles a little rest.

October 2012

Uni has begun again – second year here I come! I don’t have as many scheduled lectures as last year but we have more assignments so I guess it balances out. For me it is much better as it’s easier to manipulate writing assignments around training rather than training around lectures! I was ready to start back and I am enjoying things so far – 3months is a very long time for a break! I must remember to get organised next year and book a break away, even if just for a few days.

I’m still working hard on my ankle rehab. Things are progressing just slower than I (my physio and coach too) would like! I am currently on a programme of an easy day followed by a hard day with the weekends as double easy days. On an easy day I just have to do my mobility work, calf stretches and strengthening 3 times a day. On a hard day I have to go to the sand for 30min to do a mixture of walking, high knees and slow jogging, do 18min on the bike and also do a 25min mixture of walking exercises and a tiny bit of slow jogging at the track.

Due to my lectures I am having to get up very early some days to fit everything in: at the moment it’s quite common I leave the house at 7am and don’t get back to 7pm. I have to pack my boot full of different bags for the different activitiesand changes of clothes: it looks like I’m going on holiday! I ll be very glad to get all the hours back in my day once I can stop doing all this rehab.

I am still training hard at my circuits and core sessions. Though I have to admit I am totally fed up of doing them now! There is one helping factor though, unfortunately my training partner is also in rehab for an ankle injury (not the same as mine!) so we can keep each other company. Without her I think I would have gone totally insane. It makes the session seem less tedious if you have someone to talk to and catch up on all the gossip with. Though my coach is a little concerned about the amount of chatting we are doing and warned us that once we start back into full training there won’t be time to gossip heee.

My Mum and Dad came over to visit for a couple of weeks in their half term holidays. I didn’t see much of them due to my dashing around everywhere though I was very grateful for all the jobs they did for me around the house. Especially to my mum for doing all the cooking – so when I got back in I could just focus on studying and not having to cook too. It was also nice to have some company on the long drives to the sand!