Kick start to 2009 in South Africa

Just as in 2008, I have spent the first part of the year in Dullstroom in South Africa. Dullstroom is a small town in north east South Africa, 2000m above sea level. The temperature there in January is a steady 20 - 25 degrees, and although there are sometimes storms, the conditions are very good for training. There is a good gym with spinning bikes, a forest close by which is beautiful to run in, and endless dirt roads and rolling grassland hills to run in. This year I travelled with Rasmus Soes, and we were joined by 9 orienteers from Switzerland, 4 track runners from Norway, Bjorn Eriksen from Halden, and Emil Lauri joined us for 10 days.
My training month was close to perfect. Some injury problems with my calf in the autumn did not stop me training how I wanted, and I had a really great month - my best training month ever. In 30 training days I did 540km running and 200km cycling. More than 61 hours training in total.

We aslo spent one night in Kruger Game Reserve (pictures below), and Emil and I took part in a race in Johannesburg Zoo, which was said to be the largest orienteering event in South Africa for 20 years.

I am back in the UK now, for the first weekend training camp with the new look GB team. Then it is back to Sweden for a few weeks. I plan to spend a couple more weeks in the UK in February and March, doing some good training and taking in some early spring races.

New website

I have a new website for the new season. Check it out at www.grahamgristwood.co.uk

October Update

Well October wasn't a great month for me, I injured my calf on the 1st October, and since then I have managed 3 hours of running. I also picked up a really nasty cold, which I haven't been able to shake off for almost 2 weeks now, which is getting annoying.

Despite (or maybe because of) me not running, Lidingö managed to pick up some decent end of season results (after a disappointing season) with 5th at 25manna and 4th at Smålandskavlen.

But now I am looking forward to November. I will not start winter training properly until December, but I plan to train a little in November as well. I am going back to England for 2 weeks, to do some work, see some friends and family, and go to a conference.

I have also spent a lot of the time I haven't been training thinking about next season, and how I am going to make it better than this season. I have just booked my flights to South Africa for a month training at altitude in January :)

London City Race

Premature season end

Week from hell-

Last friday SM middle qualifier. Bad race with two big mistakes, not enough to qualify for the final, but worse I slipped down a crag and jarred my shoulder quite badly so I couldn't sit comfortably or sleep very well that weekend.

Sunday SM relay. Team-mates ran badly, and mispunched before I ran.

Monday. Went out for a long run, got to half an hour before my lunch came back out and I had to jog home.

Wednesday. Natti natti night sprint relay. I ran last leg and we won, but felt something in my calf on the warm down, woke up this morning and couldn't walk. Hobbled to the physio and it turns out I have torn the top of my right calf a little. Not too serious, need to rest a few weeks, and running could risk making it a lot worse, so that is season over, no World Cup Final this weekend.

Balls