Well it happened like I knew it would. Over training, cramming mileage always ends in injury and teers/tears!
With Mourne Skyline 3 weeks off I was hurrying through a last minute training plan to get some speed back after a year of injuries! I missed Mourne last year so I was really keen to tick it off this year.
It's a 35k/3370mtr mountain route taking in 10 peaks in the heart of the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland. I've been to Ireland a few times working but never ran here so I was really excited to get into these Irish Beinns!
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| Race profile |
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| Mourne Mountains |
I had one more long-ish run to do before cutting back mileage. I was after 20+ miles with at least 7k feet and I couldn't go far because of other commitments so there's only one place to get the climb that's close to home.. good old Beinn Chiochan or Lochnagar as it's better known.
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| The mighty Gar |
Being my local (good) Munro I've done this hill too many times to count but it never gets boring if you're willing to mix it up a little.. I'd recently done the White Mounth route twice and I couldn't be bothered doing my other training route LSD (Lochnagar, Stuic, Dubh Loch) so I opted to stay closer to the carpark and rep a different route.
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| The corrie |
The route is from Glen Muick carpark and first takes in the Corbett Connachcraig, then Meikle Pap summit and onto Lochnagar summit via the (dangerous in clag) corrie rim path. This was only half the route.
I then dropped down the Glas Allt/waterfall path to Loch Muick then U-turned back up to Lochnagar, over to Meikle Pap and finally back over to Connachcraig for 2 reps of each peak giving me 35k/2300mtrs. A bit short on climb but it would do.
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| Lochnagar in the background from Connachraig last winter |
So that was the route and I was fired up for it. Training had been going well. I'd been hammering in hill reps and loads of speed work but I knew I was over doing it trying to push the mileage too quickly. I'd started proper training too late because of my lingering ankle issue from last year and COVID related bullshit!
No races, no motivation to train. I was running plenty but only for enjoyment and I wasn't pushing it. I had built back up my speed in recent weeks and I was happy with my short speed game.. I just needed mileage.
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| Glas Allt Sheil path |
So in the first 2 miles of this, my last long run before Mourne, as I pushed off my right calf crossing a burn I felt that un-mistakable PING of a muscle strain/tear!!! Nooooooo.... I've been here so many times, I knew the outcome but I was clinging to Mourne, it was the only race still on after all my others were cancelled so I kept going. When I warmed up it didn't feel too bad and I stupidly completed the route. Obviously I should've walked back to the van!
There's no way I was going to recover in 2 weeks so made the decision not to go over to Ireland. I was gutted! However in a twist of fate they cancelled the race 2 days before race day anyway because of the new COVID restrictions! Yaldie! Result for me, I was the only happy runner that day!
I've rescheduled the flights for May next year to go over and do the race route and that week coincides with the NW200 Superbike road race up in Portrush to make more of a holiday our of it.
I was relieved Mourne was cancelled and I could just chill and slowly recoup and work on getting fit again with no races coming up. I threw myself into biking. mostly MTB and while on the Pitfichie downhill course a couple weeks back in the pouring rain, banked over in a corner, the rear tyre let go on a tree route and I low sided slamming into the deck with my chest and heed taking the brunt! Booom!!
Big slam, couldn't breath, seeing stars and I was on my own! Convinced I had a collapsed lung or similar and after 10 mins on my knees gasping for air and trying to think straight I managed to crawl off the course onto the main track and gingerly peddle single handed back to van and straight to hospital!
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| Clumsy |
Usual pish from the doc, "cracked or bruised ribs, rest and take these mental painkillers"!!
I've also been here before many times and am no stranger to chest injury.. I know the drill.. It takes me back to a memorable trip to Balfour hospital in Fort Bill years back after a bad landing kayaking on Eas a Chathaidh, a rapid on the river Orchy and had to be carried out.
I landed the drop on my left edge up against the wall and I was bent over to the left with my rib cage taking the blow on the rim of the cockpit! It was absolute agony! The diagnosis was actually dislocated cartilage between 2 ribs and I was given crazy strong painkillers that incidentally the doctor who treated me was also taking for back pain! I could tell, she didn't have a clue what was going on and kept fumbling around dropping her stethoscope! Then she tells me not to drive or operate any machinery! Thankfully I don't think she was doing any major surgery that day!
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| Myself on Eas a Chathaidh, river Orchy (this wasn't the fateful landing) |
So anyway, I can't run and now I can't bike or anything else for that matter because it hurts to even breath.. SAKE!
I've been to the pool a couple of times and just floated about kicking my legs and it's hard to not just get pissed and eat shite! I had hoped to be training for a winter come back but I'm weeks away now! I honestly don't know why I bother sometimes! Well apart from because - I FUCKING LOVE IT BRUV!!!!!!
Here's a pic of the big 4 to remind us what's coming soon!
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Pure running on 432Hz! xxxx
