Jinxed by Jack Hargreaves. It was all going so well………

Oh dear, I appear to be falling apart a little. I haven’t missed a single Sunday training run/race in the schedule but this week I’m afraid I put up a black by stopping half way round the 14 miler. Regular readers will know that I have struggled with my left achilles for a few weeks now but so far I have managed to contain it through a complex strategy of running slower and drinking red wine. However this week the right achilles really started to play up and I decided that enough was enough. With only 2 weeks to go and with all the long runs behind me I decided that now is not the time to be a hero and so I stopped at around 7 miles somewhere between Maplehurst and Monks Gate and waited for the cavalry in the form of Ali & Nigel. After an intensive course of sympathy, advice and Mini Easter Eggs from the pair of them I felt much better, thank you.

It was a shame really as it was a beautiful morning for a run with clear skies and warm temperatures and I must admit that before the wheels came off I even had a few Jack Hargreaves "Out of Town" moments spotting Foxes and a Woodpecker along Sedgewick Lane. I bet there won’t be many of those to seen on the 22nd. Subsequently I decided to compensate for the abbreviated run by doing some cross training and cycled a route through Copsale, Southwater & Christ’s Hospital. Following some sound advice on hydration from Pete Leuw last week I made sure I stopped at the Bridge House in Copsale for some essential fluid replacement. Lovely light straw colour, cheers Pete!

So I think an easy week is in order. Plenty of HI-RICE and maybe an easy run on Thursday. 10 miles next Sunday? We’ll see but one thing is for sure; wild horses won’t keep me from the starts line in 2 weeks from now. The advice and encouragement which has been forthcoming from all those who’ve been there and have the T-shirt is amazing and made the training experience so much more bearable. I’ll try not to let you down.

N