The end is near.......

Not good news running wise from me as doctor and sports physio have said they think I have grade two knee cartilage problems. Last 6 weeks have been getting a random aching pain which then progressed to a nasty pain where felt like somebody was drilling my knee! Is very on and off so went to sports physio and after a few visits said cartilage issue. Went to the doctors aswell just for another opinion (even though sports physio prob more accurate) and they also said cartilage problems (without me saying already been to a physio). Doctor thinks I shouldnt be running at all until after MRI scan and some other test but physio says see how I feel and just make sure its now more than a few times a week on grass. So this week I havent done any running and will try and do 3 runs a week on grass which will basically be 2 speed sessions and a longer steay run! Down to run a 3k at the next British League 2nd July but doubt I will be in any decent shape which is a shame as thought I could get into reasonable form. A little but gutted at the moment but will see how it pans out but the days of 50 mile plus week have def gone out the window...time to get fat by eating pies could be around the corner.....

Learning from mistakes....

After a good spell I seem to be going through a bit of a bad patch running wise after another below par performance at the Wells 10k Sunday. Did my usual hard session last Tuesday of 2 x 5mins, 2 x 4mins, 2 x 3mins 2 x 1mins off 60 seconds recovery on grass and that went very well, running relaxed and a fairly decent pace but then the days after that I was feeling worse and worse instead of the body feeling more recovered!! Certainly wasnt the training intensity as was just running easy 5 miles the days leading up to the race but feeling more and more tired. The usual shift change at work didnt help last week as I finished work 9pm Thursday and had to start 8am the following day!! Think I got 4 hours sleep which finished me off for the weekend and wasnt feeling it all day Saturday. Come race day on Sunday after the first mile my legs were already feeling heavy and could feel my body beginning to just fall out from under me but still managed to finish second only 15 seconds off the leader in a slow 33:58 although the course was far from fast as had to run up a pretty steep 300 meters each lap which basically finished me off. No disrespect to the winner but I am usually a minute clear of him in recent races and was pretty annoyed at the finish! Sunday my housemate commented on how swollen my glands were and I wasnt feeling too great and Monday I went for my usual easy 5 mile run but turned around after 2.5 miles as just wasnt worth it as the glands were instantly swallon again and felt generally rubbish. Took Tuesday off from running altogether and this evening just a steady 40minutes with Kevin Sparey and although my legs are still struggling generally starting to feel better. Now if we reqind 3 years and when I was training flat out while at university in Cardiff I know I wouldnt have listened to my body as I would have hammered a 10 mile run on the Monday and then struggled through a speed session Tuesday which would have finished me off and put me in bed for a week!!! So I guess I have finally learned my lessons however long it took! I will proberly sack of any hard runs this week and go from there and proberly miss this months Yeovilton 5k as have nothing to gain and everything to lose when not at full health!