Why is it when you finish what you feel to be an excellent training session and are feeling, fit, strong, positive and optimistic for a huge physical challenge to come.....BANG...something just slaps you in the face and brings you crashing back down to earth with a painful bump?
Following a short, enjoyable ride out on Friday, I took to the road on Saturday for a 20 mile round trip to Upton-Upon-Severn. The wind was strong and full in the face on the route south out of Worcester, but I flew back up the other side of the River Severn with a boisterous tail wind pushing me up the hills with minimal effort. Fun, a great work out, some strong miles in the legs. All cushty......
Until sometime late afternoon on Sunday I felt a little stiffening in my lower back. Easy to dismiss at first, but then it got worse and not possible to ignore. I went to bed thinking I'd sleep it off and all would be hunky dory in the morning.
The alarm rang out at 6am and I could feel I wasn't right. One attempt at sitting up confirmed it....a sharp pain in the back. Maybe it'll be alright in a minute, just a bit stiff after a sleep that's all. Er, no.
I made it down stairs and somehow managed to get my daughter changed and dressed, but then tried to lift her to put her in her seat. That's when my stubborn 'man-denial' gene was over-ridden and I put 2 and 2 together and realised 'You have a PROBLEM!'.
Rini helped me get Louisa and Milla fed, dressed and ready for school - which is no mean feat by yourself and with an incapacitated husband. Once they were safely on the bus, I had to go and have lie down. A massage from Rini definitely relieved the pain, but unfortunately the pain has stayed.
I still refused to give in and cycled (very slowly, very gingerly...but still overtook some slowcoaches...I'm a fighter me) to school and back. I spent the day grimacing; getting in and out of my chair to write on the board with a barely contained 'ow!' every time my backside fought gravity to stand up.
I couldn't lift the girls or give them a bath and am still suffering now. My back hurts, a lot. Is it the end of the world..or at least, the road? No. It can't be. I've been injured before. I had plantar fasciitis (as painful as it sounds) in both feet, which feels like walking on glass due to small tears in the tendon that runs from your heel to your big toe. This injury happened after the best run I ever had..typical. It took time to get better, but it has.
I had severe neck pain, caused by instability in the neck muscles after whacking my head on the frame of the car. Ever the Captain Clumsy, that's me. I needed a lengthy period of physio and acupuncture; but whilst not 100% right, I am 90% there. Almost pain free, but with lots more flexibility.
And now this. I need to recover as soon as possible. I'm cycling to Dublin and back in June..that's only 3 months away.
I don't wish to put my training back and I don't want to lose fitness, nor put on weight I have worked hard to lose. But the body is saying..."Mate, you are 42...not 24. You get barely 5 hours sleep a night (6 on a very good night), lots of broken sleep...you put all your energies into caring for your daughters and rarely get time to rest, or recover. You're tired, but still you insist on training and taking on these extremely hard, physical challenges... you asked for this."
To an extent, I agree. But I am prepared for the setbacks, the injuries, the pain and suffering for one reason. By putting myself through this, I am raising money for Scope, helping people with cerebral palsy have a more comfortable life and a better quality of life.
So, it's off to the doctor for me. I can hear him saying..."Yes Mr. Frobisher, you have aggravated your lumbar muscles, over flexed your spine and put pressure on the muscles...I'll contact the physio and you can make an appointment."
I've only just been discharged from the physio with my neck. I expect they'll recognize me and greet me with a friendly 'hello' when I walk through the door again. Cue painful manipulation, agonising deep muscle massage, acupuncture (surprisingly pleasant) and repetitive, tiring exercises.
Now, bring me my Deep Heat.
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