Tentative Steps

I hadn't ran at all for 12 days, and hadnt 'trained' properly for over three weeks. At first my layoff was due to being on honeymoon, but the couple of short runs I did whilst away were worrying, as my leg hurt quite a bit.

Back home I convinced myself it was another stress fracture (as it was in exactly the same place as 5 years ago but on the other leg). The big difference this time was that I was aware of what might potentially be wrong and so sought advice at an early stage (in 2005 I ran in increasing pain on the fracturefrom february until mid May, even doing a 74minute half before finally getting diagnosed and told to stop running for 7 weeks).

My physio said he thought it was my bone that was hurting, not soft tissue, so most likely it was a stress fracture as I suspected. However....

There is a chance that I caught it in the very early stages, possibly as the bone was grumbling away to itself prior to actually having the fracture fully develop. The advice was to quit running for two weeks then resume gradually on soft ground. So tonight I took my pick from overflowing drawers full of clean kit and ran about a mile and a half on the grass. There is certainly something going on still in my left leg that isnt in my right. But it doesn't hurt more after running on it so I'm hopeful I can get away WITHOUT the 7 week layoff this time.

I have already decided to bin off the Loch Ness Marathon, its only 5 weeks away and I have missed 3 full weeks of my 12 week schedule with more 'easy' weeks to come as I nurse myself back into things. This does at least allow me to save a few pennies in what has been a big year for outgoings. Unfortunately though it also means I will not be on the championship start at next years London Marathon as I was relying on running the qualifying time (sub 2:45) at Loch Ness. As a back up plan I have entered the Good For Age but only posted it yesterday and it has to arrive in London by 21st - fingers crossed they get it in time otherwise it could be Brighton Marathon for me next spring.

Brighton beach looking toward the East Pier