Efforts on an island

stats of the week: run 18 km, walked 21 km, gym 2 h

We are spending a fortnight on the Canarian island of La Palma, a perfect destination for hiking. It is a volcanic and very hilly island; therefore, it is not easy to find a flat route on which to build up my running mileage. The promenade in Santa Cruz de La Palma is rather short, but running out and back makes up a reasonable distance.

My efforts so far, however, have been disappointing. Every step feels like torture. I am unable to maintain a pace of six minutes per kilometre and have to take walking breaks to recover, hardly the best prospect for completing a half marathon, let alone the full distance.

Photos: The new volcano Tajagoite has changed the islands landscape and destroyed many homes

At the southernmost point of La Palma salt is extracted from the ocean.

Everything normal

stats of the week: run 3 km, zwift cycled 44 km, gym 4.5 h

I consulted the neurologist again, and he examined cranial nerve IV once more. Compared to last time, he said that the healing was evident. Unfortunately, I do not feel any improvement.

“That’s normal,” he explained, adding that it is also not unusual that, although the incident occurred almost six months ago, the nerve is still damaged.

As if that were not enough, I was also faced with problems in my groin and hip. As a result, I had to cancel my running schedule, which brought me close to considering whether I should step away from my London Marathon ambitions.

However, I then took a look at the Ever Present Website and at the performances of the six remaining runners, most of whom are older than I am. They have not given up — so why should I? 

Photo: I spent a significant amount of money to buy these massage boots. I have to admit it wasn't worth it.

47 days to Prague

stats of the week: run 21 km, zwift cycled 18 km, gym 3 h

I attempted my first 10 km run since the incident, 22 weeks now. However, I could only manage it with several walking breaks, and I developed some pain in my right groin. With seven weeks to go until the Prague Half Marathon, there is still time to build up, but my doubts are growing.

I successfully made it through Dry January and have to admit that I felt better without my daily glass of red wine. Mornings, in particular, felt easier, with less dizziness on getting up. I am now determined to limit my alcohol intake to weekends only.

Looking forward to July already

stats of the week: run 28 km, zwift cycled 28 km, gym 3 h

My favourite holiday destination is Scotland. The landscape is fascinating, the light is glorious, and the people are the friendliest I have encountered anywhere. I am excited to plan our two-week journey to the west coast in July. The only drawback is that two weeks are far too short to fully appreciate the beauty of the islands.

This will be the third time I have tried to get to Bass Rock, which is home to the world’s largest gannet colony. I am very pleased that I have managed to book the boat trip this time; however, it will still depend on the weather on the day. I also plan to visit the Isle of May, the Isle of Arran, Mull, Canna and Skye. It is a challenging itinerary for a fortnight of travelling.

I missed my target of running a full 10K by the end of January. At least I managed to reach a distance of 8.5 km this week, and I am quite confident that I will complete a 10K soon. However, I am still very slow and a long way off last year’s performance.

Photo Wikipedia: Gannets allover - the white colour on Bass Rock