Listening to the signs.

I would love to write another exciting race report and share with my team mates and friends my success, but last couple months injuries were holding me back from full running and competing. After training in Florida in a winter time and a very good race in Japan I was pretty tired with my body and mind, but I still planned to do a few more Ironman 70.3 triathlons before I take a short brake. Already back then my body started to send me signals, which I didn't want to listen to. After Strongman Japan I got a heel pain and I thought it happened after slightly moving a cleat on the cycling shoe. But such a small change usually doesn't cause any major pain unless your muscles are too tied and tired from over using them. I should've listened to it, but I kept going thinking that it's nothing serious and ache will go away very soon and I still have enough time till my next race. But 4 weeks wasn't enough to get rid of the pain without taking a good care of that injury. I went through the race and quit after 5th km on the run (swimming and biking didn't hurt).

Other than injuries the sign of overtraining is a lost of motivation. I couldn't believe myself, I was like a different person. So inspired and motivated 3-4 months ago, I had a hard time to go through my favorite training routings now. After the race in Florida, which I mentioned before I've decided to take a full 3 days off and put my leg in the orthopedic boot to avoid any movement of the injured heel. It helped and I went back to training ....., of course...., I had another race in a few weeks, Ironman 70.3, Mooseman. I didn't have any high expectations from that one, just wanted to go through run and see if the heel can handle it. And yes, it could, I socked on the bike and finished 6th not very happy with my results, but I could go through half marathon without pain.

By the plan I made before this season I had to have a week of the rest, but because I haven't trained seriously in May I've decided to keep going. And, yes, it was wrong again. Just a few days after Mooseman I slipped on the stairs and heat one of the toes very badly and got a small fracture in one of the 4th toe bones and another couple weeks with no running :(. What the accident? But maybe it's just another sign? It took me a whole week to put myself together and become with a new plan for training and racing. But I finally had that one week of rest. And let hope I'll be fine from now on.