I have always tried to be careful with my training to make sure there was no (or little) chance of getting a long term injury. However, it appears that it is still possible for this too happen. 6 months off and a season missed. Still, if I take the positives out of this then:
1 - I probably would not have got a 2.1 in my final university degree if I had not been injured (a 2.1 and a 1st are the 2 grades that employeers look for from university graduates)
2 - If everybody has to lose a season to injury at some point it is good to get it out of the way early

I hope that I am completely fixed now, I expect there will be some imbalance issues as I continue to increase by training but I will be careful and keep an eye on them.

What is new?

I have moved out to Sweden to "chase the dream" so to speak. I am living in my first orienteers only house which I think will be a good thing for me, I have always preferred to train with other people where possible. I have mixed feelings about the Swedish winter (not being a fan of either the cold or the dark and mixed being a polite way of saying that it is going to be brutal). Still it is exciting. I have some decisions to make on my training plans and the goals for next season. I see night orienteering as a great way to improve my skills and also as the easiest way of breaking into the SNO first team at TioMila, so I think there will be plenty of that this winter.

This weekend coming is 25manna. I expect to be running in the 2nd team but am really looking forward to getting some more big relay experience. After that there is Smålandskavlen which will also be good experience.

Plenty of things going on to keep me occupied for the moment.
 
_ So there really hasn't been much going on this year. I was injured for the first time in a serious while so got 6 weeks off – almost got bored to death without being able to run. However, this has all cleared up now so I am back in the game with my base training. It is not quite full volume yet, that should come in December time, but getting up to 75-80km each week is plenty at the moment.

 For competitions there has not been very much, what with missing out on both the Senior Home Internationals and the Compass Sport Cup. I did go down to Oxford for the chasing sprint – which was a lot of fun, and I ran with John Rocke in the ShUOC vs SPOOK relays which we won.
Picture
ShUOC vs SPOOK Relays - Leg 1 changeover
_The main difference for me this year has been the amount of university work that I have had to do so far. It is my final year so everything is harder, and I am cramming more modules into this winter semester so I have more free time to go away for training in the spring. This has proved a bit of an organisational challenge but I think I have got through it fine.

Over the next few weeks I have some cross country competitions to run in order to prove my fitness to run in the Sheffield University team at the University Championships. A weekend that should be very exciting.

All in all very motivated and can't wait for the season to get going again.