The Importance of Routine and Stability

I should have been in KSA for 3 weeks now, fitting into some routine and acknowledging the stability of what my work life offers. These things have not happened! There was a problem with my previous visa that expired in 2017 when I left the RAF. This meant that I was refused entry to KSA and now the mess is supposedly being rectified. As to whether the situation will be sorted at all is another discussion. Right now, as I remain in the UK waiting, I am realising just how difficult it is to train and set realistic goals when my domestic situation is so fragile. I'm not even sure where I will be living or working. The impact on my family of preparing to depart to Saudi and then departing, only to return for who knows how long is huge. The accumulation of these things mean yet more tick over training. It seems as though the last 2 years have been 'make do' training and hardly any racing as a result of external factors forced upon me...... That will be because that's the exact situation. This post is turning into a rant - not good. So after returning from my stalled Saudi deployment (which was just 36 hours hanging around in airports) it took a week to feel any where near fresh. The focus has been on remaining healthy whilst still training consistently. I have had rest days and easy days far more often than I used to. With increasing age, I need the recovery! However, interspersed within all this rest I have completed some key sessions that only really work if completed fresh. For example, yesterday I Completed a sweetspot bike session on the rollers (1 hour) followed by a run off the bike as a tempo pyramid set:2 min, 4 min, 6 min, 8 min, 6 min, 4min, 2 min all with 60 sec RI between efforts. I was aiming for half ironman effort level and pro ably exceeded this pace, averaging 4:13 per kilo. A decent session but my hamstrings are tight again. Not sure why this happens? More stretching needed.