24th February 2011

          Had a busy day yesterday, my daughter's 16th birthday party. Hired a nightclub and had to stay to keep an eye on 150+ 16 year olds, DJ played their favourite music, (loud and fast beats, just a noise to me!) So, just a 5 mile walk round the block in the morning, then backwards and forwards all day with food and stuff, and a houseful of screaming girls for a few hours in the build up. I did make a teenage free cordon around the living room and sat with a cup of ginger tea watching telly. One minor setback, at least for me. I got up and danced with one of the records, tracks, or whatever they are called nowadays, banging rave music, or garage, whatever, I'm not up with the lingo, just to get in the photographs. Whilst "waving my hands in the air like I just don't care" I heard one of the girls say "Aww, look at that old man joining in with the real people. Isn't it cute when that happens?"
         Some things just make you feel old...

         I'm walking again, trying to do at least 5 miles a day at 5mph, knee in a compression bandage with deep heat, and locking the legs in a race walk style. The knee feels a little weak, and there is still a little pain, although nowhere near as much as there has been. It's 9 days until the national 10 miles in Coventry, and I'm hopeful to be at least taking part. My coach says we can have a training session in Fulstow in Lincolnshire on saturday as he's having a session with a couple of young lads in the team for next sunday, although I'm still not fully confident the knee is up to scratch for a 10k session and if it gives way it's a long way to drive back in pain, so probably giving it a miss to be sure. Deep down I'm still concentrating on the Parish and feel rushing back from an injury of this sort could bring on a much longer term injury. Maybe I'm being too careful, but that's probably the best choice.
         I suppose the only lesson I can pass on from all this is that, if you're serious about reaching your goal on June 26th, then you'll be putting in a lot of work in training. Prepare properly to avoid injury, build up strength and distance carefully if it's your first time, and always warm up and warm down. A sprain or hamstring a week before the race will be demoralising.