That brat!

Little Swirly Dictionary of the Brat : an injury/niggle which unables you to do what you love most: RUN
Description of the Brat: Every time, running is attempted, pain is felt first in the left front hipflexor ( or groin), which then moves to the left side of the knee, down the calf, up the lower back and then back to the hipflexor.
After 1 hour of this pain mixture, running becomes a strange limping (or penguin walk) witnessed by others that can last up to 3 days.

After the Trail of Herts mad run, I knew I had done something to myself that non runner friends said it was because I carried on and didn't stop (you nutter) but any ultra runner would have just said " it's part of the deal, well done for finishing, just need a bit recovery time now!"
It's now been 2 weeks since the race, and that recovery, well is not following "THE PLAN". That left leg is definitely a brat! Running was out of the question last weekend after I had to give up after a few uphills and a painful limping back to the car.

Last weekend disastrous hill repeat

So, all week I wondered if it was really my injury pulling my leg, or if it was my brain not wanting to revive what happened during the race and put physical blocks at every running attempts. Especially since I could walk or cycle (go figure!). Therefore I had masterminded a new plan for this weekend (wahahah), I thought I could use a different "mind strategy" ignore the blocks, keep pushing with a "no pain, no gain" concept and see what happens? I bet this sound familiar to you?
Results:

This weekend disastrous hill repeat

You've guessed right. I'm right now sitting in the car, waiting for Mick to finish “our” long run on the North Downs way.  I hate to admit but I've been defeated by the brat after less than an hour run and a slow limping walk back to the car, ... I ignored the blocks ( 5 mins down the run) and what I gained 50 mins down the run was... more pain so that no pain, no gain concept is utterly rubbish! Some will think “ nah! it's a niggle, you should have push it harder! or "don't worry, you'll be fine in no time, you just need some time”....but with all the niggles I got since I have started running, I had made myself a promise to keep running no matter how bad it felt, as I never wanted to be called a "pussy" for not starting or finishing a race or being a drag to Mick especially during our training runs. Many stories of how one had withstand pain to start and/or finish an endurance event are out there; many comments of others wishing to have that same pain threshold or asking how to train the mind to ignore the pain are omnipresent on social networks. And so,I always thrived to be that one who ignores the pain and just carries on. So is it a niggle? hell no!  As I listened to Stephanie Howe's interview after UROC about her decision to run the race on an injured foot and nursing it to be able to finish the race, I'm thinking I could just do the same, right? I don't want to just give up to that brat, so, any mind tricks? body tricks you would like to share? what would you do with the greensand marathon next weekend, and the Endurance Trail 2 weeks later?

Destinations to run before we die: Reunion Island

Before calling myself a runner I used to have a list of places I wanted to visit before I die.

Since I'm a runner, I now have a list of the places I want to run and race before I die and well, I thought I would share it with you and see if you knew other places I was missing out on. I've split this list in different posts so don't worry it won't be super long and you'll have time to comment :)

Destination 1: My Island

http://www.reunion.fr/en/

OK, it's not mine per se, but it is where I am from ;)

Reunion Island is a volcanic island with a sleeping volcano Le Piton des Neiges, its highest peak (3070m, 10,070 ft), an active volcano La Fournaise and 3 calderas: Cirque de Salazie, Cirque de Mafate and Cirque de Cilaos.



In one go, you start your run in a sugarcane field, meet up giant bamboo trees

St Suzanne Trail

  Go up to a forest type like trail with waterfalls, rivers, and root trees. With temperatures changing like the clouds in the sky.









And finish your day by follow the beach path trail for a rewarding dip in the Indian Ocean Lagoon.

 

 

Races

You have the infamous Diagonal des Fous, a trail race of 162 km and 9643m of ascent, in October, loved by Kilian Jornet, who won it twice!

Diagonale des Fous Profile

If the kilometres are a bit too much, you also have la Cimasalazienne in August a trail run of 53 km with 3700m of  vertical gain, covering the 3 calderas. It's a beautiful route where you will come across some of the best canyons and nature jewels.

View of Mafate Caldera from Salazie Caldera

More: the other Grand Raid de la Reunion, le Raid 974, a 101 km with 4500 m of vertical gain, in July. This route crosses the west side of Reunion, with beautiful views of the Ocean and 2 of the calderas. You have the 53 km shorter option with as much as vertical gain that you could also attempt.

So this island is a concentrate of every thing you could wish for: weather, trails and rewards!

So what do you think?

Best time of the year to go there: March to November as it is the winter. Days are shorter but you get a nice not too hot weather. From November onwards, it's the summertime with loads of rain and hot temperatures
Places to Stay while there: The South West side as it the less raining side
Foods to die for:
Fruits: Ananas Victoria (Victoria Ananas), tiny bananas, goyaviers, letchis, longani,
Meat: sausages from Salazie, boucane from St Suzanne, duck from le Tampon
Meals: Rougaille saucisse, boucane bringelles, vanilla duck, carry tijaques
Deserts: Anything you fancy from the Patisserie
How to get there: You can either take a plane to Mauritus and another to Reunion Island. Or you arrive in Paris, and take a plane to Reunion.
Recommended minimum time to stay: 3 weeks