Training so far and learning to slow...

Well, here is a resume of how my training went. I lost a few weeks with the Great Snot in January and February, and then a few weeks in April with the Great Knee.

The Knee still causes me problems. I am fine on the flat, able to maintain speed etc, but going up or down hill, I have a lot of pain, and have to drag my left leg along.

To finish the Parish you need your head to be in order, and my Knee is looming large in my head as I cannot imagine dragging a leg up Ballakillowey, the Sloc or Ballajora without some other part of the body exploding.

I have made the Knee much worse over last weekend. I spent half an hour trying to kickstart my ancient Triumph Bonneville into life, kicking with the right foot, but taking all my weight on my injured left knee - and anyone who has angrily tried to kick a Bonny into life knows the pressure put on the standing leg. I didn't realise at the time, but a short walk tonight was agony on the hills.

I went for a six miler tonight to try to learn to walk more slowly. My training pace at over 5mph will never be sustainable over 85 miles, so I set off tonight to try to walk 13.5 minute miles. In the end I put in 13 minute miles. It's hard to deliberately walk more slowly when you have spent months clomping along at a certain pace.

For all the geeks out there, like you, I have kept a record of all my training walks. Here are the facts and figures:

Total miles - 316.51 (More than double my usual amount)

Average walk distance - 6.57 miles

Shortest Walk - 1 mile

Longest Walk 15 miles

Times out training - 45.

Where I am worried this year is that I have done little hill work. In my last couple of Parishes I did a lot of hill work, both in the NSC gym on the treadmill, and out around Glen Roy and I am convinced that made a difference.

This year, because of the knee I have mostly been on the flat, with the steepest challenges being Pinfold Hill and Baldrine.

This year, for once, I do not think a Finish is a foregone conclusion.....