#loverunning

 After my grueling effort in the virtual ultra race Romania I had a week of next to no exercise except some foam rolling.  I was extremely fatigued and although I had no DOMS, I had a few strains.  Tuesday was my recovery massage.  The usual places were tender but I asked for my feet to be done.  My right foot is always a problem.  I said to Rhondda, if only it was pain free like my left foot.  Then she started on my left foot - OMG agony.  How the hell did that happen.  She could hardly put any pressure on it without me tensing up and grimacing.  It feels amazing when running so obviously something is going on. 
On Wednesday I went to see my sports therapist, Pamela.  My back was "solid", to us a non technical term, so she worked on that, my right foot and had a wee poke around my left foot - not good.  So my next visit it will get the full monty!  You might hear me scream!
It's always strange when you haven't got a daily exercise plan, you feel as though you're cheating.  Getting up at the usual early hour and then thinking, what will I do with this spare time?  On Saturday I went for a walk run with my pal Stuart who has just come back after 8 months off while waiting for a hernia operation.  We chose a flat 5km route and I enjoyed not trying to keep to a pace or heart rate.We ran, walked and talked and it was great just to be out and moving - but it wasn't a work out so today I had to go out for a proper run.
5 of my ATHelite team mates met at Chatelherault for our first run together since lockdown.  It was great.  The weather was perfect and we didn't push the pace.  I was delighted with my heart rate around a hilly lap and the pace was better than expected coming off a recovery week.  It was good to be out with friends, socially distanced, with the usual banter.
Tomorrow I'll meet with my coach.  We need to get a plan for the rest of this season and next year.  I was going to do a long run (160 miles) in Scotland in September but decided to book a holiday in the sun instead.  My "A race" is over and while 9 days to go before the race finishes, I am pleased with my performance.  I was the first non-organiser and fastest runner to come in on 9 days for the 250 km.  I was top of the leader board for 5 days before being overtaken by my team mate Graeme Scott (the race is based on the fastest time over the 25 days) who was then over taken by my other team mate Paul Noble.  ATHelite had the top 3 places.  I'm now down in 6th but my position is of no importance.  This was about making the best of a disastrous year and the race organisers have come up with  a winner with this event.  I look forward to receiving my medal and will wear it with pride.  The race might have been virtual, the pain wasn't.  It brought together athletes from around the world including my G2G pal Kim who finished yesterday - an amazing effort as she hadn't trained for the event and Richard Labbe another G2G pal.  So to the athletes still out there in the race, including my team mate Michael Martin, my nephew Colin Bryce and Kelsey Hogan from G2G, focus on that finish line.  The ultra running community is wonderful and I am humbled to be part of this amazing group of fabulous people that I can call friends. #loverunning