Run, review, learn, improve

Right, I don't know where the time has gone, but that's week four of my training for the Lochaber Marathon complete. I've hit the 30 miles training milestone this week (first time for me in my entire life!) and I'm really pleased to report that not only is my mileage is increasing without anything breaking; my confidence is on the up too.

I feel like I've reached the end of phase 1 and as I enter the next stage of my prep, the time feels right to reflect on how things have gone so far and take stock.

OOOPS!!!  

I nearly blew it by doing my usual 'test to destruction' thing. Too many spinning and body pump classes whilst extending my runs was just too much for my right knee and it got quite sore (my right leg takes more of the strain and so tends to hurt first). So I really need to control my tendency to get over-exuberant when things are going well and I feel good. The deal is I can spin all I want when the marathon's over, for now I have to respect the work I'm asking of my knees and be more disciplined.

I usually run most of my runs on an empty stomach and that's been fine up until now, but it just doesn't work for marathon training. When I do a hard run on an empty stomach I have more niggles and sore bits as I got tired quicker than if I was well fuelled. Nick from Soul in Motion who's my Chi Running guru helped me see the value of getting your running form right, so form is my priority. So, no more running on empty for the moment. This is about running a marathon not losing weight.

HOORAY!!!! I'm  responding really well the reduction in impact. Neutral shoes, lots of cushioning in the shoes and socks and only running on the beach, trail or treadmill is making an incredible difference to my ability to build up the miles injury free.  I didn't run on the ice as that can increase impact and instead took myself inside so I could keep running and keep safe. My feet have stopped hurting almost completely now and the other niggles are manageable. I know I'll have to run on the road eventually but the more I can avoid it the better, I don't want to risk an injury at this critical stage.

I was also really pleased with how I handled my sore knee. Because of previous injuries, I think I'd developed an injury 'mindset', a sort of post injury stress syndrome.  I lost my ability to be objective about pain, and every niggle that lasted more than 1 run was a bad sign and I panicked.  This time, I panicked and then read up on knee problems in Runners World. I worked out I didn't have runners knee, my knee was fine when I was actually running, so I could still run but I had to reduce wear and tear on my knees. No more spin, instead, lots of foam and tennis ball rolling, more time in the pool, up the glucosamine and knee exercises to prevent future problems. It's working and my knee is improving all the time and I'm running strong.

And despite the wonders of outside running, especially in North Berwick, I'm learning to love the  treadmill.  One of the benefits of treadmill running other than it being low impact and easy to access any time, is that it's so boring that it's easy to focus on how your body responds to changes in form or speed. If something hurts its very easy to change your form and play about with what works, without worrying about rocks and stray dogs or slippy seaweed (or being stuck miles from anywhere with a bad hobble).  So by learning to love the treadmill, I've been able to work my way through niggles and keep running. I'm not going to be quite so scornful about treadmills in future - as Borgen says - sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do.

 AND NEXT??? As my mileage increases to new levels for me,  I'm beginning to respect the work I still have to do to prepare for running for what will probably be about 6 hours.  Already I'm getting chafed in new places (you sweat more on a treadmill so you find this sort of thing out quite early on)  so I'm reviewing my clothing and digging out the glide.  I'm starting to reach the limits of my muscle stores and sometimes the long run seems daunting, so I'm starting to work out my mental and fuelling strategies. As the miles and the hours increase, I'm going to have to plan my runs more carefully and carve out protected running space.

The most exciting thing about the next phase is that I now have my insoles courtesy of Pam at Abbeyhill Footcare. They will provide the few extra millimetres I need to make my feet work like normal feet, plus she's added a bit of padding for my sorely abused big toe joint. I'm really excited to see how they affect my running. Preliminary trials are very favourable..... watch this space!

RUNNING STATS  I made it to 30 miles this week - a milestone for me. I ran a lot of it on the treadmill due to the snow, ice and tide times. It was a necessary compromise with some unexpected benefits. I'm doing 3 runs and a bit of cross training (no spinning!) each week. The 2 rest days are really paying off in terms of my ability to increase the long runs without injury. I do a short tempo about 6 miles,  a long run (which this week I split into 11 miles and 4 miles to fit it in) and a medium distance run between 8 and a 11 miles. Today I ran along the beach into winds the BBC has quoted as 25mph. Who needs hill work, serious resistance! Also I had to really work hard to slow down on the way back though as the gusts wheeched me along the beach at considerable speed. My splits were very very positive but I can't take any credit for that!

The regime plus lots of stretches and rolling to keep things working and a monthly sports massage to ease out the knots and alert me to any problems and I'm doing great. Today's run was great, all that is best about running out of doors. And I barely noticed the time or distance after those treadmill runs - I just kept running until I knew it was time to stop.

So bring on phase 2! This next phase is going to be about getting that long run up to 20 miles; getting the nutrition and hydration working for me, keeping me strong and just making sure that I stay safe and healthy. I'm not thinking about pace or times, just about getting ready to run 26.2 miles.

Thanks for the recommendations for running socks, I'm looking forward to trying them out!

Whatever you're up to have a great week!

Take care,

Suex

The Joy of Socks

My running hopes have been saved. So today I want to heap praise and gratitude on the Cinderella of the running world - the humble sock.

So often the sock is the subject of fun and mockery for being smelly, worn out or embarrassingly visible.  I too have heaped derision on the sock. Yet socks are indeed the foundation of good running for many of us.

I have history with socks; they remind me of my Dad whose socks were a regular topic in our house.  Every year, Santa left our Christmas pressies in one of Dad's (washed, Headingly Rugby Club) socks. As a little girl I had a kiddy-type speech impediment and pronounced socks as 'thocks' (said in a juicy fruity spray-y way).   I was very insistent about my pronunciation and my Dad never let me forget it and teased me mercilessly. Even today if you say 'thocks' to Mum she remembers the joke, she beams with happy memories and memories are a rare gift indeed for her.

Later on in life, the sock theme reappeared. My gone but never forgotten monster cat Kyle had a big thing about socks. In his younger years he used to steal socks from nearby washing lines and bring them home for me proud as Punch.  Kyle stopped his stealing when we moved to North Berwick (it's not that kind of place) - but he remained partial to Ali's socks if he could get his paws on them. Just a week before he shuffled off to the great litter tray in the sky, Kyle had placed one of Ali's socks in the middle of the kitchen for me - a token of his love.

Socks loomed large when I was cycling and again when I got into running, and as I really got into running, things began to change.

My first running socks were my cycling socks. Then as I ran a bit more, I started to worry about blisters, so I got 1000 mile socks (they are good!) and those brilliant twin skin Hilly socks.

My first summer of running, I had to think about what length of socks to wear - all that running on the beach meant sand got into my shoes when I wore short sockettes giving me awful  blisters which took ages to heal. So I got long socks to keep the sand out; I got over wearing knee length socks for the first time since second year at school.  My sock collection was beginning to get serious and my horizons widened further.

Next came the injury, and yes there were more sock-related consequences. After doing my calf in I got seriously into compression socks as the sock of choice, I really liked the way they made my legs feel all wrapped up safely.

That was followed by a too brief but very enjoyable sock free period when I got into barefoot running. I am by nature a non- sock wearer, I love to feel the earth under my feet, but dear reader, as Borgen's husband says: 'sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do' and the socks had to come back.

My deformed feet mean I have to work extra hard to run and they don't absorb impact properly, so I can't run barefoot (at least whilst training for my marathon).  To work round my limitations, I have to minimise the physical impact of running on my body. It's basically the same stuff you do to avoid shin splints - wear cushioned shoes; run on soft surfaces, take rest days.

All has been hunky dory with the new regime, but I had a few niggles now and then. I analysed my training diary for an answer.  When it was cold I had fewer niggles. Hmm, usually it goes the other way. It wasn't speed, it wasn't route, it wasn't shoes. Then I twigged. When it got cold I wore my lovely thick padded winter socks and of course they absorb more impact than thin or even compression socks. I tried it out and the difference was indeed remarkable. The best socks I've found so far are Falke, but I'd be very interested to get some ideas from other runners.

Whilst I love the freedom of the barefoot, I also love my big cuddly padded socks, and so do my toes. It's much less of a sacrifice as the ice and snow set in up here! Wearing padded socks is like wearing one of those lovely comfy duvet coats round my feet and they snuggle in comfortably for a long run. On a very long run I might get a bit of a twinge, but every time I go out, it comes  on later, hurts less and goes away faster.  The positive effect of padded socks is cumulative.

This week I've had some good sessions, just made the most of any opportunity to get some miles and fitness into the pot before it snows.  I've done 25 miles running - my long run a 12 miles on the beach. I found a way of mixing trail and beach to get a bit further.  I've also done  a couple of spinning classes, lots of stretch and a body pump to get those muscles firing.  Also started trying out gels and thinking about fuelling and recovery.

Some niggles in my right knee, but Pam at Physio Plus has given me exercises and stretches. I had a soothing bath and used Napier's massage relaxing oil after my long run today and that's worked wonders, so no new bathroom until after the marathon!

Wherever you are, have a good week. The snow is making an appearance here, so I'm off to find my yak tracks!

Take care

Suex

New Year Resolutions

Hello and a Happy New Year! Have you all got your plans to change your life and be better human beings? Have you set your targets and goals for the year ahead?

Now I don't know about you, but I don't work like that, I don't sit down and plan things. I much prefer to see what comes up and seize opportunities I haven't even thought of yet.  On planet Sue an idea bubbles up from somewhere deep inside and my head eventually catches up with what the rest of me has already worked out.

Despite all the busy-ness and running about for Christmas and New Year, it's a great time for new ideas and new ways of looking at things. A week or so away from the desk enjoying the company of friends and family, walking, running, playing with the cats, cooking and wrapping presents is just what I need to get my sense of perspective back.

A few New Years ago we decided to lose weight. We were out for a long walk on the beach and an idea that had been hovering round for months and months became a decision - a commitment to change our lives. I got home and signed us up; 6 months later I was 4 stone lighter.  The next year, I registered for a half marathon. That came from a conversation with the Tesco Diets people earlier in the year about how I'd always admired people who ran marathons, but I'd never thought I could do it. A few months later, round about Christmas, I signed up for a half marathon and started training.  I did the half and at the end of 2011 I decided I was going to try and run that marathon.  I didn't make the starting line last year, but I learnt an awful lot of useful stuff about me and running: of course it's the journey that matters not the arriving.

All of these decisions have been life changing and enriched my life immeasurably, in ways I could never have anticipated. I've had experiences I'll never forget.

Once again, the end of the year has worked its magic and I have my goals. The first is to keep trying to run a marathon.  I've signed up for the  Lochaber Marathon in April, with the Meadows half en route. Last year was a learning year, so I go equipped with a much clearer understanding of my personal challenge and with the expert advice from my ace Physio Pam to help me get there. Fingers are crossed.

I've a non running resolution too. Holidays mean time to read and my Christmas Book this year was  A Street Cat Named Bob.  It's a very simple, very powerful story about how friendships change our lives, even when those lives have gone sadly awry.  James lived on the streets when he met Bob the street cat. Having another living being to care for and that cared for him gave James Bowen's life real meaning and filled the lonely spaces. It really isn't relevant that Bob is a cat, or that the relationship involves more than the usual number of legs.

So there I was, snuggled up in a warm bed with a good book, a cup of tea and the wind howling outside. A bubble began to emerge and I had a resolution -  to buy the Big Issue every week not just now and then. My first thought that it wasn't big enough, I needed something grander. But of course  the longest journey starts with the smallest step and as I let that idea grow, I realised it's about making connections.

When we're busy, it's so easy to lose sight of what really matters as we charge about trying to get through our over-long 'to-do' lists.  We tend to focus on the practical. When I was caring for Mum, I had to focus on keeping her physically safe. Now she's at the Abbey, others do that, and I can focus on Mum's quality of life, helping her stay connected to family and friends. The worst thing about Alzheimer's is that it disconnects Mum from the world in almost every way you can think of, and that's a sad and scary place to be. But between us all, her family, the Abbey, the Day Centre and Crossroads, Mum now has real friends, lots of connections and lots of people who care for her. She's blossoming, and as  Mum puts it, she's 'living not existing'. That's because she has relationships that are warm and caring; something we all need and we can all give.

So I have two plans for 2012 - to tackle that marathon and be a better human being. That should keep me busy!

On the running front, I've done 2 runs (15 miles total) and 4 gym sessions this week and one Pentland hill walk. I'm going to run three times a week, with spin, swim, cross train sessions to build stamina and lots and lots of stretching.  Wish me luck!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year and that all your hopes and wishes for 2013 come true.

Take care!

Suex

On the hoof.....

Well, the mystery is finally solved. Almost a year to the day since my calf went ping I have an explanation for what happened, and cleared up a few other running mysteries besides.

Quick recap: I''d stopped running after a worrying niggle in my shin and sore feet. Something wasnae right. My physio Pam referred me to Donna the podiatrist who said I needed a biomechanical assessment. So I went off to see Pam at the Abbey Hill Footcare Clinic.  Pam got out her rulers and measuring things and put me through my paces. I love to see good diagnostic skills at work and Pam's are truly awesome. I was fascinated as she tested out different hypotheses about what was going on and held onto every word as a picture began to take shape - Sherlock Holmes had better watch out.

The punchline is I have  'forefoot equinnus' in both my feet and I've had it my entire life.  Those of you of a classical or scientific bent will immediately discern that I am a horse.  Well not quite, but  like a horse, my hoof is naturally in a toe-down position with my heel off the ground. It's something to do with having deformed metatarsals and it can't be corrected or aligned, it has to be accommodated. So when I run I take a lot of pressure on the fore foot which the foot can't absorb properly because it's an odd shape.  Having equinnus foot basically means I am permanently running up hill. Here's a drawing.

As one writer says 'it is like having a built-in doorstop pushing you backwards and jamming your knee backwards.' Equinnus can cause calf strain and achilles, hip and piriformis problems as the body adapts.  You would shudder to know at the amount of treatment I've had over many years to sort out hip and lower back pain - and it was probably all related to my feet.

I now know that this is why I prefer to walk round the house on tip toes - (I'm a toe walker apparently, it sounds quite exotic doesn't it?). I thought it was because we lived in houses with noisy floors and I was embarrassed to thump about. Now I know why hills are such a struggle, why I trip up and why I can't stand up for long periods - those youthful demos were hell. 

The great news is that it doesn't stop me running, I just have to learn to work with my horses feet and adapt accordingly.  

 Pam advised me to go back to cushioned (neutral) running shoes to reduce the impact that my odd foot shape has to absorb. No more barefoot running, no more minimalist shoes. No more cute little pumps with no foot support and back to shoes with a small heel.  I have to make sure that I have the laces done the right way to take the pressure off the arch (ignoring helpful sales assistants with great ideas).  I just need to factor in the hoof shape and reduce the impact on my feet as much as possible.

So I'm back on the Brooks and my most cushioned hilly socks with as much compression as I can decently get away with in public. I'm building up the runs gradually and so far so good, everything is calming down. Ten good miles so far this week and feeling fine, and secretly enjoying the lashing wind and rain. The sea has been amazing if somewhat destructive.

Equinnus foot is not rare, so if you have a very high instep and a history of unexplained injuries, it might be worth checking it out. I found Physio Blogger's website helpful. 

I can't believe I've got so far through my life without knowing this. What's interesting is  that it's the Chi Running that helped me solve the mystery.  Along with the minimalist shoes, Chi running meant that I ran naturally and so the right bits hurt.  Because I was paying attention, I got things sorted without causing too much damage on the way.  

So I'm back running on the beach and loving it. Looking forward to some good running in between the celebrations - if I can drag myself away from the boys! Here they are giving me a bit of help with the ironing

I hope you're all setting up for a lovely festive season full of all the things that make you and yours happy.  Take care and have a great time!

Suex

Pussy Riots!

Well folks, meet the next generation. The new kittens have arrived and they've already taken over the kitchen and our lives. And this is just day 2!

Please say a great big "Hello and Welcome" to  Masters Dougal and Hamish; a couple of braw cats who hail from Auchtermuchty and came home to North Berwick via Newburgh.  Dougal is black and white and Hamish is white and black. They're a couple of months old and they're cutest things on four paws. They are as cute as the cutest cute things on planet cute.

We're knee deep in feline paraphernalia - cat nip mice, bouncy spiders and a brilliant play tunnel. My arms are scratched to pieces and  everything is going to wrack and ruin. I'm typing amid a cacophony of crashes and squeaks as they re arrange the kitchen and race round like mad things before collapsing into that deep deep kitten  sleep. I'd forgotten just how wonderful kitten energy is and how hard it is to think of anything else when they're about.

We picked the wee darlings up on Friday from their foster Dad Chris, a lovely man who gave them a great start to life. They were Dougal and Fred, but we thought Fred wasn't quite right and so went for Hamish from the Radio programme. They are lovely affectionate moggies with the sweetest of natures.

Their first night, we spent the evening on the kitchen floor helping them feel at home. Dougal, who's big and beefy and looks so confident, immediately ran for cover via a rather tight squeeze behind the fridge. I don't think Ali will ever recover from seeing Dougal jammed solid. We reckon that might be life number one gone; Dougal already has the air of a cat that gets into scrapes, something I'm sure you cat lovers will understand (and a good few parents too!).  Hamish, who's slight and delicate was out and exploring very quickly, but he kept his wits about him and kept his distance at first. Hamish was happy just playing with his ball of foil brought with him from Fife.

By the next morning, Dougal was out from under the sink and under the radiator and Hamish was totally chilled.  As we head towards the end of their second full day in their new home, their characters are beginning to emerge. Hamish is the quieter, more observant of the two. He starts things off and then Dougal joins in. Hamish is very like the lovely Bute; he looks similar and has already taken to the bit of climbing rope that Bute loved to play with; he has amazing reflexes and is very fast. Dougal is a serious purrer and very vocal. He can jump and is already trying to jump up onto surfaces way beyond his ability (famous last words!). They are playing with the intensity and commitment of Olympic athletes and it won't be long before the bird table is at risk.

So the next generation has arrived; there are cats once again in our house and all feels well with the world. Kittens for Christmas - what a lovely lovely thought.

No running this week, but lots of spin and training. My feet are calming down a bit and I think I have an explanation for what's been going on. Watch this space!

Hope you've had a good week and that all is well, whether you're running, walking, jumping or just keeping your head above water.

Take care

suex

The non running runner: embracing the still calm centre

Life without running continues and yet I have travelled further in the last few days than I have for ages and ages.

It's now over a month since I last hit the streets, with no clear end in sight.  I should be feeling frustrated but I'm not.  I now accept I can't run and may not for some time.  It's a case of  going with this experience to see where it takes me.   If I try to work it out in my head it doesn't make sense,  I want to fight the idea that I can't run. But if I don't think, if I just go with how I feel,  I have to be honest,  I'm beginning to enjoy the space left by running.  I feel guilty typing that - how can a runner enjoy not running? Am I still a runner when I don't run? Does running in my mind count? I don't know. All I know is none of that matters at the moment - everything is as it must be.

I'm still no nearer to knowing what 's stopping me running. It's complicated so needs a more detailed analysis to get to the bottom of it all. My feet are sometimes painful and I need to rest them, but on every other front, I'm making great progress. My hip flexors and quads have loosened up nicely and I can go up and down that roller with barely a grimace. I'm sweating cobs on the bike and the elliptical trainer and spinning to a band playing. I'm swimming and stretching and getting down and sweaty with Jillian Reynolds. I spend a lot of time lying on the sitting room floor, tied up in multi coloured resistance bands, twisting myself into peculiar (and painful) shapes to stretch some muscle I didn't know I had. And I'm still walking on golf balls. Every muscle in my body is getting back into position and balanced up.

It is so weird to say this, but not running feels right. All sorts of interesting things are happening in what used to be my running time.  It began to get clear for me at yesterday's yoga class. Now I've not been to a yoga class since I lost weight, I've been too busy running and doing the things I couldn't do when I was overweight. But yoga is great for the feet and balance and muscle strength, so off I went.

It wasn't just my body that got a work out, the gentleness and calmness of the class gave my head a real treat.  If I had any doubts about being in the right place, they disappeared when Lucy focussed on feet and how we need to care for them and appreciate them.  What more proof did I need that this is exactly where I needed to be? The sense of being in the right place at the right time was very powerful and as the class went on, my anxiety and tension disappeared and I accepted the moment. All was well with the world, I was at peace.

I'd forgotten that yoga isn't just about yoga toes; it's about creating a space within which things happen and we emerge stronger. Lucy, the yoga teacher took us on a journey to the  still, quiet centre of our being.  I began to realise how rarely I stay still and listen to the silence these days. I am always moving, always listening to something or reading or analysing. My head and legs are at it non stop from the moment I get up til I hit the sack at bedtime.  Running, especially my long runs, gives me that space and I was missing it. I was getting out of kilter, out of touch with me. The peace and stillness of the yoga class was like cool water when you're thirsty and with all my charging around being busy, I'd been too busy to notice just how thirsty I really was.  Time to take that chill pill.

I now know that not running is the right thing for right now.  This time will pass and I am determined not to waste the opportunity it gives me to explore other paths and other options.  I'm quite excited to think about how I might take this stillness and connection into my running, but I have a bit more work to do before I'm ready for that!

As the saying goes 'this too will change'. In a couple of weeks I hope I'll have a better idea of what the problem is and so how to fix it. In the meantime, who knows where not running will take me.

Whatever you're up to. have a good week and stay strong and safe.

Take care

Suex

Feet don't fail me now!

There was an article recently in Runners World about how many runners get injured and then injured again. It was quite scary. Well, despite everything, I just became one of that statistic.  Yes, I have an injury, a running injury and I can't run.

Now of course I'm fed up. Today has been beautiful; glorious sunshine. I've been here knowing I should have had one of those wonderful long sunny runs today. I can see that run in my mind's eye and I sort of wish it was snowing so I don't have to think about it. But apart from mild frustration, I've been fine; this is nothing like how I felt last December when I tore that calf muscle - a lot has happened since then.


It looks like I have a compartment injury in a tiny muscle just above my inner ankle.  It's caused by repetitive strain and I guess that poor little muscle just couldn't cope when I upped my mileage and was up to 4 runs a week - without a niggle.  A gradual increase in using minimalist shoes and more trail running all added up. I'd got some sore muscles but nothing that worried me. The I got a niggle. At first it was just sore and went away as soon as I slowed down.  It came back the next run, but pain wasn't too bad at all and only came on at about 5 miles. I could have quite happily run through it, but there was something about it that wasn't right. My instinct was to cut the runs down and see what happened. After a week's rest it came back a little bit stronger at 4 miles. I walked home.

My physio Pam had a good look at me, and it seems the problem is in my feet. Since my injury last year, I have to say my feet just haven't felt the same. They'd lost some spring and mobility but I never really paid attention, I thought it would just come back naturally. As a result, those little tootsies weren't absorbing the impact of running properly and it was going up my leg irritating that teeny tiny muscle. Apparently some people just have this weakness and I'm one of them.  Looking at my feet with new eyes, I can see the arches are flatter and I now have an explanation of why my trainers felt smaller. Yes, hindsight is indeed a wonderful thing.

So, no running, but I feel fine about it. In fact I'd been thinking of taking a couple of months off and do more cross training. Well be careful what you wish for! The big difference this time is I can move, I just have to avoid impact. I can cycle, use the elliptical trainer, lift weights and of course do Pilates and Yoga.  I can keep up my exercise plan and do some serious cardio stuff til my quads scream. After last year's enforced immobility, I thank my lucky stars that I stopped running before I did myself some damage.

One of the high points of recovery from injury is when you can get off your butt and start doing things again. Luckily I only have to stop running, so I'm already on it,  doing some serious work  on my feet. The golf ball is in regular use on the old plantar, the roller on the ITB and good old Jillian Reynolds is back on the DVD player.  Yes, my life is full of pain and it feels good!

I'm not quite sure how long this will take, but the next step is to see the podiatrist to get a more detailed analysis of my feet and to keep doing my exercises, giving the leg time to recover. I may be able to correct the problem, if not I will need an operation to split the fascia. But I'll worry about that later - no point in meeting trouble half way on this one.

Despite all this, my spirits are high. I am sorting out a weak spot and I've a good chance of doing so because I picked the problem up early on, went with my instinct and stopped running.  We all know that running is about our heads as well as our legs and it was my head that got me into trouble in the past. But Chi Running has helped me think differently.  I didn't just run through the pain; I listened hard and made sense of what it was telling me. Sports massage and physio have helped me interpret the messages and take action. As a result I've the chance to nip what could have have been a nasty problem in the bud.

It's by pushing our limits that we discover our weak spots and they tell us how we can get even stronger. So I see my injury not as a weakness, but as a strength - it's  evidence that I'm pushing myself to my limits and a bit beyond.  Weakness would be to ignore the messages, to keep on doing what I'm doing when I have clear evidence it's not working; to ride roughshod over my poor old feet.  This is helping me feel positive about my not running; I'm taking control, re-creating the balance and getting better and stronger. When the next weak spot emerges I'll be ready for it, and  I'll tackle the next one and the next until I get as far as I can go.

So, no runs this week, but 3 hard gym sessions, lots of yoga and Pilates and I've done my physio exercises with true devotion.   Those of you who have used the golf ball and roller will know that this is not a pain free path.  But this is pain I'm happy to work through, knowing that it won't kill me; it will make me stronger.

Have a great week. Take good care.

Suex