On a Break

I have been on a break for a full week now. I realized that I squandered 5 days of recovery last week because I was massaging the ankle with some ointment and inadvertently making it worse because the massage traumatized it. I also didn't have access to ice the whole of last week. I stopped massaging it and now just ice it and avoid stressing it.
It is much better now. Maybe in two days or so, it will be okay. I am ready to miss Stanchart Marathon which takes place in two weeks because I am on this for the long haul. I am disappointed but not particularly stressed.
The ailment set me back and was probably going to return a 1:40 something. This ankle thingy has made it probably worse. But but am wiser and stronger.
Like my friend StyrofoamDeity, an UltraMarathoner told me, There is no failure, there is only the next race.
If I miss this Stanchart thingy, I'll just recover and go back to training for the next race and possibly for a full marathon. I can start taking my LSRs to 30Kms. I can start learning to run 6X a week. I can start gunning for that sub 20mins 5K by Feb 2011. There is so much I need to do and accomplish that this Stanchart Marathon is just a dot. It doesn't mean squat. I want to be running Marathons when I am in my fifties so I wont let this bring me down.
I still need to come close to 1:20. I am too slow, I am too heavy. I am not strong enough. I need to work on those. There is Lewa, Mwea, Ndakaini, Stanchart and a whole host of other races I need to prepare for next year so I have work to do and the next race to prepare for and goals to meet.
Plus, my wife has started going to a gymn nearby. I will be going for a 2 hour run on their treadmill every five weeks or so to check my progress. I want to fly gadddemit!
Meanwhile, a lot has been happening. On saturday, in Nanning, China – After an epic battle over the final two kilometres, Wilson Kiprop of Kenya upset Zersenay Tadese to take the men’s title at the IAAF / SINOPEC World Half Marathon Championships in Nanning, China.

Kiprop’s victory in 1:00:07 was the first for Kenya at these championships since 2004, and more significantly put an end to Tadese’s reign at this event after four consecutive wins.