Training XIX

This was the last session before we start the round of pre-season games. Fat Lad and I are due to turn out tomorrow night and on Friday I have a 4th Official's job, while he has a game set for Saturday or Monday. So tonight was always going to be tough as we would probably have to focus a little more on recovery from now on (I hope) as the games start cropping up.

Mr H turned out with us tonight, as did Zico, CE and Titfer (still wearing the trainers/tennis shoes that caused his injury last time he trained???). We started with the usual lap of the field and despite wheezing like an asthmatic ant part way around I decided to try and lift the pace and push myself all the way in to the end - result was 3m35s which betters the previous best by a few seconds.

Tonight's session was reasonably straight forward ... run at best pace possible from the goal line to the edge of the goal area and back to the goal line, then out to the edge of the penalty area and back to the goal line, out to the half way line and back to the goal line, out to the edge of the penalty area at the opposite end of the field and back to the goal line finishing off with a full length run. Recovery time was the walk back and a short rest (maximum 1 minute) and then we did it all again ... three more times.

After a 5 minute rest we started the same set all over again. I pushed as hard as I could all the way through the first set but felt like I wasn't putting in the effort. My heart monitor told me I was running at 93% of maximum recovering back to 78% before restarting but I just had no strength in my legs at all. Everyone was working their nuts off and we all had a really hard session. Again everyone stepped up the pace in the second set and Fat Lad lost count thinking lap 3 was the end and he put everything he had into it. He was disappointed when he found out we had one more to go but he really worked to get through.

CE asked me if I wanted to drop one of the runs, I think it was the run to half way and back or if I wanted a longer recovery period. I felt like he was taking it easy on me or felt sorry for me (I did look shattered) and I basically told him to go forth ...! Fat Lad had a chuckle on the way back to the goal line when he told me he knew what my answer would be. When someone either tells me or hints that I'm not able to do something, it has always made me more determined. They've both asked me where I get my bursts of energy from on the last legs of our sessions and that's the answer ... I get so annoyed at myself that I have to fight as much as possible to be as good as them, despite them being much fitter than me.

Anyway, back to tonight ... as I finished I almost dropped to me knees having pushed myself as hard as my legs would work. I have always hated Monday sessions as they always seem to be the hardest for me. When I caught my breath and stood up straight I got a twinge in my right (troublesome) hamstring. It felt like the cramp I experienced just before I had my injury which led to me missing most of the last month of the season. As we walked back down the field it got worse and I decided to take a little lie down. Fat Lad, Zico and CE all worked the muscle to try to loosen it up and eventually the twinge went.

It still lingered on and I also felt a little tug in my right calf which was in the area which gave me a lot of trouble 2 years ago. I managed the warm down and got home as quick as possible. Once I got some salty food inside me the hamstring twinge eased and the calf tug is easing. Strange that I posted on Facebook that I had a bad feeling about tonight's session ...

Max hr 94%, average 75%, calories burned 963. Hopefully tomorrow night, with a good work out on the line I'll burn off at least 1200. At least I know Wednesday's session will be reasonable - 30 minutes recovery run!