Monday 2nd January 2012 - 75 mins Eliptical training

It's been a great Christmas for fun and time spent with the kids; but as far as my Marathon des Sables training and fundraising is concerned it's been terrible!  The torn calf muscle brought my training to a complete stand-still for over two weeks.  In fact I still cannot run even a single pace on it.  During one false dawn I tried hopping to show my Mum how much better it was and ended up limping for another two days.  With this experience in mind today I decided to eat a full bowl of realism and vowed not to run again until I am confident that it is fully healed.  Even if this takes another two weeks (which would mean a total of a whole month out!!).

However, in spite of this setback I am somehow filled with optimism and energy again.  I think a part of me has decided not to let it beat me and so I'm going to plough on with my training as best I can.  I went to the gym today and learned something very useful.  If I go on an eliptic trainer and keep my heel down on the pad I can use it without putting any strain on my calves whatsoever.  I went today did a 15 minute tester as a warm up and felt no problems at all.  So then I did some core exercises (avoiding the ones that put strain on my calves) and then went back to the eliptical and did a full hour.  I then went downstairs to the pool and swam 50 lengths and spent an age in the sauna and steam room.

And at the end of it all I feel ace!!  It's such a good feeling to be doing 'something' towards my training, even if it won't help with the old 'specificity' thing that I keep reading about.  If I can continue to build aerobic fitness and strengthen my knees and thighs then I will feel like I am making good progress even as I rest my calves.  I suppose it's a risk and maybe I ought to pull out of the event all together but I can't stomach making that decision.  So I'm going to plough on and work as hard as I dare on my training.  I'll also work as hard as I dare on my fundraising and to that end I am going to spend the rest of this evening designing some flyers that I can hand out as I am fundraising.  I intend to spend some days pushing leaflets through doors in the hope of encouraging some people to sponsor me - you never know, one might come through YOUR door!

Peace, out.

JUST THE FACTS!!
Weight: 79.6 Kg

TODAY 
Distance 0 miles
Time  0
Kcal  0
Press-ups 0
Swimming 1250 m
Sauna  1:05 mins

TOTAL
Distance 315.28 miles
Time  54:50:38
Kcal  34,388
Press-ups 400
Swimming 9250 m
Sauna  5:15 mins

FUNDRAISING
The fund is at £481.53. 
If you haven't already donated then take a look at http://www.justgiving.com/pitymyfeet and help the wonderful work of MENCAP.  Thank you so much to everyone who has sponsored already. I respect and love you all!!! 

Remember that you can now donate by sending a text to 70070 saying (without quotes) "MIFF70 £5" but replacing the £5 with any amount you wish to donate.  I've tested it to make sure it works and it's EASY EASY EASY!!!  Try it!

Feel free to contact me with any fundraising ideas you have.  You can email me at: miffjacobs@hotmail.com

DONATE
Please remember that I'm inflicting all this pain and misery on myself for a cause greater than just having a good story to tell over a beer. I hope to raise over £9,500 for MENCAP; an amazing charity who help those born with learning difficulties to live a normal life and to enjoy the same opportunities and choices that the rest of us take for granted.

Be an awesome human being today and click on the link below and help make someone's life better.
Thank you.  You really ARE awesome.
http://www.justgiving.com/pitymyfeet