Another week has passed and things are going in the right direction. The training volume has ended up being slightly more than last week with a total of close to 10 hours of running. My coach, Kent, is trying to rein me in a bit, which is for the better. No need to push the training now before the WOC qualifiers next week, especially as I have made a lot of progress this week compared to last week. Since I have great progress now, it must indicate that I currently hit a training level that fits very well in relation to my current situation after the illness.
The content of the training this week has almost been identical to last week. The primary difference is that there has been a slightly higher load on the quality sessions. My time on the terrain test loop yesterday ended up at 34:53 min, and thus 1:37 min faster than last Saturday, where I ran 36:30 min (all-time top 10 on the run can be found in last week's post). Back in 2018 I ran my PR of 34:12 min and this was 2 weeks before the European Championships. At this European Championships I was 24th in the sprint and 33rd in the middle distance. On this middle distance I could have picked up a lot of time on fewer mistakes and by being able to read a map better. So with yesterday's time, I feel that I have a benchmark for where I stand physically ahead of next week's selection races. This comparison with yesterday's time on the terrain test loop and the time from 2018 makes me believe that I can go far with three good o-technical performances next week.
In a programme with Team Denmark experts
This year I am a permanently established part of the orienteering national team squad, which I have not been between 2019-2022. This also means that I am reinstated in Team Denmark, which among other things gives access to their expert team, which consists of sports psychologists, chiropractors, doctor, physiotherapist, masseur, dietician and more.
One of the exercises I have been given by Team Denmark physio.
I have had problems with my glute since December. An injury that does not affect me to any great extent anymore, but I intend to get rid of it completely. After having had some hands on the injury and an ultrasound scan, much suggests that I need to have worked a lot on my hamstring flexibility and strength. My back could also do with a little more work. The injury does not seem to be bone-related, but rather some muscle attachment up on the pelvis somewhere (I have been given a more precise explanation, but my knowledge of anatomy does not extend further). Anyway, I have got a lot I can work with now, and already after a few weeks I think I feel a good effect. So some of the exercises I do now are something I have to stick to.
My injury history over the past few years has not been great. Among other things, with a stress fracture in the sacrum in the spring of 2021 and last year a stress fracture in one of my ribs. In addition to this, I have had some illnesses that have been worse and longer than I have been used to so far. None of this helps me become a better runner. So it would be interesting to find out if there is something else behind the injuries and sicknesses than too hard or wrong training. I have been referred for a dexa scan, which among other things can measure bone density. In addition, I have started a course with one of Team Denmark's skilled dietitians, to clarify if there are things in my diet I change or improve. And after the 1st consultation, it immediately turns out that I have many things I should do better. I have already got some things I can start working on. There are a number of things that still need to be calculated, but in the first instance I can work on distributing my dietary intake better throughout the day and as far as possible have a better energy intake in connection with training.
Departure to Switzerland
On Tuesday we are travelling to Switzerland. Travelling from Aarhus to Zurich via Copenhagen. There I will stay in Pfäfers with the Thrane Ødum family, so Miri, Marius and Søren and the Cederberg family (Line and my old roomie Bjørn). And then Malte Kjær and Jacob Steinthal. So a good bunch, it will be nice. Wednesday and Thursday there are some organised o-technical training sessions, before we start with the selection races Friday to Sunday, which I have mentioned in a previous blog post. Then we will stay in Switzerland until the Wednesday after the selection races, where the trip then goes on to Sweden.
