Blood, Sweat and ... Well, More Blood

It seems like my training program involves a lot of blood letting these days.

First of all, there's blood letting in my "brutal training" (the strength training program, which was aptly named immediately following the first session when I needed a title within my google calendar). At the gym once a week it's fine, but at home, it's usually about 30 degrees in my house. So that means I wait until it's slightly cooler and go outside. Which means...mossie time!

The home gym with 'natural' air conditioning

At the gym, the trainer encourages me at times to work faster...at home, the mosquitoes do the same! I'm very focused to not waste time between sets and reps as I am eaten alive. I must burn more calories, swatting wildly along the way, too. And there's the added mental training of keeping oneself doing deep one-legged squats with weights whilst a proboscis buries itself into one's skin.

This is going to be one of my secret weapons in my next race - mossie mental stamina training.

Ice bath and chocolate Recoverite - ticking all the boxes!

Additionally, as I increase the mileage with the goal of the Coburg 6hr event in March, my periostitis is whispering away at me again. Lots of ice and massage and stretches of opposing muscles seems helpful (and trying to up my Udo's Oil and other omegas like avocados). But last night as I ran home from a 26k easy run (meant to be 20k for me, but my running partner had a route in mind that provided her requisite 15k and me 26k!)...anyway, I was saying...as I ran home, I thought about my promise to myself to start ice bathing after big efforts. Only I don't have a bath. So a few days ago I bought an 81ltr bin. A km from home, I dug out my emergency cash at the servo and bought a big bag. And used my new strong arms and core to run home with a bag of ice!

Then it was into the bath....for some more mossie-therapy.

And finally, despite ultrasound, surgery, and numerous blood tests, I still don't have all the answers to my chronic low iron issue.... So I have been testing the hypothesis of coeliac disease by going gluten free since before Coast to Kosci. However, my experiment is rather flawed. Yes, I feel better and don't have wind (gas for the North Americans out there). But the only way to test for coeliac is to test a person who is eating gluten! Today I'm off to get a note from a GP for another blood test. But I think I need three. Because I've continued to take the horse-pill sized iron pills. A test now will tell me what my iron is like whilst on pills AND gluten free. Then I need to eat gluten (on or off the pills??) and re-test. Then I need another post-test once I know the results of those two tests and have more real-life experience (staying off gluten and not taking pills?).

Running is a simple sport, right?

Running hills in 30 degrees...good mates make the time pass better!

My mileage last week was up to 85k +1200 mtrs. Using the 100mtr gain = 1km flat rule of thumb, that puts it closer to 100k in the legs. This week I'm increasing that, though having to be more creative with the program, as it's a "PTS week" again with an event on Sunday. Hence, the reason I was okay with my 20k run turning into 26k. Really, it's pretty amazing to be to a point in my life's fitness that when a planned run increases by 30%, I don't even bat an eye. And that I can do a 3.5hr easy run on no fuel (go fat burning!)...but don't take away my water!