Recent weeks have been really interesting in my training, as interesting as horrible it could be. I just couldn't imagine what have gone wrong so far, yet I was well aware of it and lucky to make the changes in time. So far, it has only been minor injury that made me feel horrible but I knew I could fix the situations. Glad I did so with no regrets after all, lucky me.
Two weeks ago before the Labuan Cross-Channel Swim, I was on taper training for 2 weeks before the race. As the coach has advised, he told me not to have high intensity with high volume training as I would suffer burn out in the end. So it was best to keep low intensity but high volume. I did as the coach has instructed for the 1st week of taper, but I got a little impatience for the 2nd week so I went into high intensity with moderate volume though it was still logically applicable for taper training. So just 3 days before the race, I almost snapped my wrist while swimming. I remember well, I was doing hard set of butterfly with paddles; it was just a 50m sprint. At first I didn’t feel I was going too hard so I decided to go harder to finish the set. Suddenly, when I almost finished the swim on the second set, just 10m before the wall, my left wrist just happened to bend upwards with pain in it. I didn’t realize I lost control of my pool not until the pain occurred, so I quickly back up and stop. It felt horribly painful in my wrist as it was in agony. So I couldn’t really swim that day, and the rest of the sets were all canceled including the main sets, then I did recovery. The coach has always reminded me to get smaller paddles as my paddles are size XL, I like it big though. But the coach has told me it’s not good for my stroking and water feeling, so it’s better to change because the big paddles are only meant for power training. I know I didn’t listen to the coach and bother to change, yet that incident gave me a lesson well enough. So I was lucky that my wrist was already recovered for the race, and I raced well. But till today, I still can feel my left wrist is still a little weak from the incident so I’m very aware of it as not to injure it to a serious state.
Then, I did a long run 2 weeks before the race as I liked it. It was just 2 hours run anyway, no big deal as I felt great throughout the run. But the big deal came the very next day and jeopardize my training for the rest of the weeks. I somehow injured my ligaments, just a little sprain like before as previously I couldn’t run due to this matter. But this time it felt the exact same pain as before till I couldn’t walk properly, I was terrified at first as my biggest concern was about my training as it had to be put to a hold and do recovery training instead. I tried really hard to run the very next day but I just couldn’t as the pain was just unbearable. So I calmed myself down and told myself not to worry as it would take time to recover. Thus, it’s been 4 weeks now since the injury and I was already fully recovered since last week. The recovery training was all done on the football field, as it is best to run on grasses because it doesn’t create impact to the joints. Then, I also realized the sole of my shoes have worn out so it was time to change new shoes. I remembered Kim’s advises clearly about the new Nike’s running shoes, so I bought instantly. I’ve been running in them and it just feels so great, and still running better than before. My legs are totally fine for now, I just gotta control myself more and not overdo to cause injury to myself.
Again, today, this morning I was out on the track for the interval session. This week is aerobic week, and my training are all scheduled properly. It was really hot this morning, but I felt alright with the heat as I’m already used to it. So the main set for this morning’s training was Aerobic 2 Threshold set, 5 sets of A2 Endurance, something for the heart as I have not done it for past 4 weeks due to the injury. So I knew I was supposed to maintain my pace, speed, strength, heart rates, and form at 70% energy and not over 75%. It had to be controlled well in order to perform, as to maintain and develop. I reminded myself well, not to overdo it as there were plenty of sets ahead. So after warm up, I was ready to do the main set and went off to the start. I was ready, and started the run. Right away, I could not control the speed I was going in the first set as I knew I was going too fast because I was all out, I felt like a horse at some point. I tried to slow myself down but I just couldn’t, yet the first set was already a 3mins per km pace, hence I knew I couldn’t do well in this training anymore as by the end of the first set, I was really dizzy and exhausted. I still continued with the 2nd and the 3rd set for last, as I felt really tired and just couldn’t run and maintain as I’ve overdone it so I cut the rest of the 2 sets. Then, I remember what my coach has always told me, “Jack, you gotta learn to control your strength and not overdo it because you won’t survive.” I forgot about it somehow, yet the phrase just pop out after the training.
So it’s been a big lesson, as I haven’t controlled myself well in my training. Even though pushing myself through the limit is good as I can improve, but yet the consequences can be really critical somehow. So it is always wise to remember what is right and not to do, as not to harm yourself. For now, I’m gonna remember it well that I have to control myself well in my training or else I’m gonna injure myself again. And I’m pretty sure someone will be really mad about it. But no matter what, though I’m a risk taker but yet I’m well aware of what I do. Just gotta be more careful next time!
By Jack Ho
Two weeks ago before the Labuan Cross-Channel Swim, I was on taper training for 2 weeks before the race. As the coach has advised, he told me not to have high intensity with high volume training as I would suffer burn out in the end. So it was best to keep low intensity but high volume. I did as the coach has instructed for the 1st week of taper, but I got a little impatience for the 2nd week so I went into high intensity with moderate volume though it was still logically applicable for taper training. So just 3 days before the race, I almost snapped my wrist while swimming. I remember well, I was doing hard set of butterfly with paddles; it was just a 50m sprint. At first I didn’t feel I was going too hard so I decided to go harder to finish the set. Suddenly, when I almost finished the swim on the second set, just 10m before the wall, my left wrist just happened to bend upwards with pain in it. I didn’t realize I lost control of my pool not until the pain occurred, so I quickly back up and stop. It felt horribly painful in my wrist as it was in agony. So I couldn’t really swim that day, and the rest of the sets were all canceled including the main sets, then I did recovery. The coach has always reminded me to get smaller paddles as my paddles are size XL, I like it big though. But the coach has told me it’s not good for my stroking and water feeling, so it’s better to change because the big paddles are only meant for power training. I know I didn’t listen to the coach and bother to change, yet that incident gave me a lesson well enough. So I was lucky that my wrist was already recovered for the race, and I raced well. But till today, I still can feel my left wrist is still a little weak from the incident so I’m very aware of it as not to injure it to a serious state.
Then, I did a long run 2 weeks before the race as I liked it. It was just 2 hours run anyway, no big deal as I felt great throughout the run. But the big deal came the very next day and jeopardize my training for the rest of the weeks. I somehow injured my ligaments, just a little sprain like before as previously I couldn’t run due to this matter. But this time it felt the exact same pain as before till I couldn’t walk properly, I was terrified at first as my biggest concern was about my training as it had to be put to a hold and do recovery training instead. I tried really hard to run the very next day but I just couldn’t as the pain was just unbearable. So I calmed myself down and told myself not to worry as it would take time to recover. Thus, it’s been 4 weeks now since the injury and I was already fully recovered since last week. The recovery training was all done on the football field, as it is best to run on grasses because it doesn’t create impact to the joints. Then, I also realized the sole of my shoes have worn out so it was time to change new shoes. I remembered Kim’s advises clearly about the new Nike’s running shoes, so I bought instantly. I’ve been running in them and it just feels so great, and still running better than before. My legs are totally fine for now, I just gotta control myself more and not overdo to cause injury to myself.
Again, today, this morning I was out on the track for the interval session. This week is aerobic week, and my training are all scheduled properly. It was really hot this morning, but I felt alright with the heat as I’m already used to it. So the main set for this morning’s training was Aerobic 2 Threshold set, 5 sets of A2 Endurance, something for the heart as I have not done it for past 4 weeks due to the injury. So I knew I was supposed to maintain my pace, speed, strength, heart rates, and form at 70% energy and not over 75%. It had to be controlled well in order to perform, as to maintain and develop. I reminded myself well, not to overdo it as there were plenty of sets ahead. So after warm up, I was ready to do the main set and went off to the start. I was ready, and started the run. Right away, I could not control the speed I was going in the first set as I knew I was going too fast because I was all out, I felt like a horse at some point. I tried to slow myself down but I just couldn’t, yet the first set was already a 3mins per km pace, hence I knew I couldn’t do well in this training anymore as by the end of the first set, I was really dizzy and exhausted. I still continued with the 2nd and the 3rd set for last, as I felt really tired and just couldn’t run and maintain as I’ve overdone it so I cut the rest of the 2 sets. Then, I remember what my coach has always told me, “Jack, you gotta learn to control your strength and not overdo it because you won’t survive.” I forgot about it somehow, yet the phrase just pop out after the training.
So it’s been a big lesson, as I haven’t controlled myself well in my training. Even though pushing myself through the limit is good as I can improve, but yet the consequences can be really critical somehow. So it is always wise to remember what is right and not to do, as not to harm yourself. For now, I’m gonna remember it well that I have to control myself well in my training or else I’m gonna injure myself again. And I’m pretty sure someone will be really mad about it. But no matter what, though I’m a risk taker but yet I’m well aware of what I do. Just gotta be more careful next time!
By Jack Ho
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