Training Log Archive: Rosstopher

Surgery Report is in. I survived. The surgery was a success. The fracture was slightly more complicated than indicated by the X-rays with a new benign fracture to the radius after the second fall ( nothing needed here except for time) and a smaller bone fragment that needed to be screwed into place. All the original hardware was taken out and replaced with screws and a new tension band in a new location.

The tendon attaching the triceps muscle to the ulna detached from the bone and the solution here is to hold the tendon in place with screws and washers, immobilized, until things reattach.

The risk for infection is very high. Prophylactic antibiotics, extremely fine sutures, zero tolerance policy for stupidity are the name of the game.

My after surgery summary. I am not allowed to do any running for 3 weeks. WOC is entirely out.

Along with WOC, the following week in Croatia I am not allowed to run. Walking is okay. I will need to wear a cast for 3 weeks.

I am incredibly sad now. This meant a lot to me.

Thanks to everyone for all the support, I will rise from these ashes for sure. No need for me to pack running clothes for my next trip... which will leave ample space for the vuvuzela.

C • You will rise again 25

Two weeks ago, I broke my arm jumping over a fence. Last week I got surgery to repair the fracture. I was eager (perhaps overly so) to get back to running, in anticipation of the World Orienteering Championships July 14-21.

Yesterday, in training, I fell on my cast. Today at the hospital I learned that the fall had the effect of re-breaking my arm in the same place. I will need another surgery to go back in and repair this new situation. This will in effect set me back another week. I have a surgery date on Friday in the morning, and that will be square one.

I will head to Switzerland on Tuesday, I will still aim at racing the Sprint. I hope that the urban setting will allow for a safe enough running environment to preclude a third misadventure. Perhaps also focusing entirely on one competition will help in the goal of a good result, ideally a place in the final. I can't believe that running in terrain will be safe in time for the other race I had been aiming for, the long distance qualifier.

Understandably, I am incredibly disappointed and frustrated. Still, I can recognize that this is, in the grand scheme, only a minor set back and I will channel my energies to the positive.

C • Tough luck 16

Healing + fun filled weekend = sleepy Ross. I did eventually wake up and start moving about. I finally got out the door and used my commute to work to get a little morning jog in and to practice map and compass skills with the wrong hand. The running felt great, and holding the map of Switzerland was encouraging. There is a knack to folding the map such that there is ample space off to the other side of the line where the compass and thumb sit, leaving the route clean for navigation. It is really ingrained and second nature to fold for the left-hand grip, but once folded, I think that keeping a compass bearing will be possible. I was struggling yesterday in the forest with the cast because folding is easier with two free hands. I also realized that for reading detail I normally use both hands at once to steady the map and bring it close to my face. I am now thinking that I might toy with the idea of using the cast during training and preparations, but during the races themselves run with only medical tape covering the elbow. Will evaluate closer to the competition.

C • base plate compass 3

Training on the track week begins! I suggested 1k repeats and Boris suggested doing them as a ladder, getting a bit faster each time. My initial plan was 5-6 of them, cutting down from 3:45. I jogged down the hill from the lab to the track and immediately got started. I didn't pace very well on the first one, just going at a pace that felt easy and sustainable, but this ended up at 3:26... perhaps too fast. 200 jog, and then into the next one, which I aimed to do 5 seconds faster (and succeeded 3:21). Then 200 jog, but a little slower jog as I was starting to feel a bit more tired, then the 3rd at 3:14, and a very slow 200 as I decided that 4 was going to be enough today. The last one I was hoping for 3:10, but fell apart in the last 400, ending up at 3:15.

So in general, very pleased with where I am right now. Those times felt quite relaxed, almost. I felt a little tired and too intimidated to do more than 4 today, but the recovery from the surgery is going very well indeed.

Then a lively romp back through the forest, feeling very positive and light on my feet in the stadsskogen, as I headed home to make dinner and play Carcassone with the family. It's a pretty good life.