Monday, April 27, 2009

Knee Almost 100%

My knee is much better. I am mentally gathering strength and psyche for my next training period which will focus on volume first and I am aiming at being able to do up to 70Kms per week before I start doing speedwork.
My knee is not 100% but it is much better. Say, about 95%. I wont need any more than two weeks of rest before I can start training again. Its raining here so its muddy and therefore I wouldn't train anyways.
I failed to watch the London Marathon and squirmed throughout Sunday but I am glad Wajiru once again executed a brilliant performance. Kebede did not disappoint. Lel did though its understandable. I hope to God that the Berlin Marathon in September will be a race of giants (hopefully) pitting the following against each other:

Samuel Wanjiru 2:05:10 - London Course Record, World Half Marathon record Holder, Olympic Champion
Martin Lel 2:05:15
Mwafrika (Robert K Cheruiyot) 2:07:45 - Boston Course Record
Haile Gebrselassie 2:03:59 - World Record
Meriga Derba 2:06:38(?)
Abel Kirui (clocked 2:05:04 in Rotterdam Marathon in April 2009)
Tsegay Kebede 2:05:20
James Kwambai (clocked 2:04:27 in Rotterdam Marathon in April 2009)
Duncan Kibet (clocked 2:04:27 in Rotterdam Marathon in April 2009) - Kenya's second fastest and Rotterdam course record
Patrick Makau 2:06:14 Worlds second fastedt in Half marathon
Zersenay Tadesse(?) - he didn't Finnish London his Marathon debut but he has what it takes - maybe he needs to work on volume.
Marilos Gomes Dos Santos (?)

Friday, April 24, 2009

He Could Not Respond

I love this expression "He cannot not Respond". It is often used by commentators when one marathoner has unleashed his/her finishing kick and their competitor cannot accelerate but only watch helplessly or run ineffectively as the said runner speeds past.
I love the imagery of communication that is wrapped in it. Its like a dialogue or a conversation and when someone says something, the other person should respond. And if they cannot respond, they lose.
This expression was used when Sammy Kitwara out-sped Haile Gebrselassie when Kitara unleashed a strong finish in the last 300 metres of the 35th City-Pier-City Half-Marathon in The Hague, the Netherlands. They did not threaten the world record and finished the race in 59:47 and 59:50 respectively.
It is just like chess: one person moves his piece and the other responds. Hence marathon competition is a conversation. I like to think of it that way.
My knee is much better. I think in two weeks it should be properly healed. This time my strategy is gradual and slow but aiming mostly at volumes, not speed. Speed will come later. Meanwhile I am teaching myself the Stonewall Attack, Veresov Attack and Slav Defense.
Cheers.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Knee still Healing

Yep. Am still resting. Its raining heavily anyhow and its wet and muddy. I am watching what I eat and letting the knee heal. Properly. This time I am also using ice. And some weird form of massage.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Knee still in the woods - start Icing

I have been resting but not doing much else for my knee. What I have read indicates that I should be icing it and keep away from activities that can strain my patella like kneeling. Yet I sometimes kneel. Damn.


How I got the Injury:

Jumping - I was doing frog jumps and other pylometric exercises that involved jumping: these may have made things worse. In fact, I think this is my main cause of my misery.

Kneeling - roughly - this is because I have symptoms similar to Prepatellar bursitis which is common in professions such as carpet layers and gardeners.

Poor Stretching - I should stretch and hold till I count to ten, no bouncing.

Landing too hard

Weak muscles - I should have worked on those calves and quads.

What Do I need to do?

Rest - Okay, I have been doing this. This means rest from jumping running and kneeling.

Icing
- I havent been doing this but I started yesterday. Icing is primarily an analgesic — a pain-reliever. It may help to resolve chronic problems, but it’s mostly intended to numb painfully inflamed tissues.

When tissue is damaged, the body responds with a complex array of chemical and neurological changes collectively known as “inflammation.” For instance, the capillaries expand dramatically to bring extra oxygen and nutrients to the area. They also become more permeable, to allow the easy passage of immune system cells.

Inflammation is essential to healing. It is pure physiological goodness — a machine finely-tuned by evolution to optimize recovery, just as a fever is an effective physiological process for fighting infection (indeed, they are closely related processes). Strictly speaking, if you to want to heal as fast as possible, then don’t interfere with inflammation! Cold slows metabolic activity, numbs nerve endings, constricts capillaries. It limits and controls inflammation. It makes it hurt less. It helps us get through the day. That is how Ice works.

Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS)/ Painkillers - No thank you.

Lets give it two more weeks folks. I am suffering but I cant risk aggravating this injury again. Once I get started, I don't want to stop until I can run a sub 40mins 10K. So let me just get my knee well.

Cheers.