So what have I been up to I hear you cry, well relax as that is what I am about to tell you. While Goolab and Sharpy hold hands in the sand and pretend to train and while Bowser does what Bowser always does (say what he thinks) I have been running, yes running. This is handy being on a running website, but with a long standing problem it is nice be out of the pool and able to do enough running I don't cross train anymore. I am not 100% but I am running 8 times a week (will post up after lunch at parents) now with a sort of pattern with an interval session on the beach, a tempo run and a long run surrounded by easy miles.

I still have the lump on my foot and it still aches badly in the morning, along with this it does make me run a bit awkward so the ankle then hurts but compared to what it was like its much better. Physio has said I can start to increase speed which will help brake some very tough scar tissue left around the tear and that does seem to be working.

I of course raced on the weekend in the welsh relays but the foot didn't react to bad although stiff the next morning. One thing I disagree with and can't understand is that second claim athletes get disqualified even though in Scotland and Ireland they seem to allow it. To me it would help standards but they obviously don't see it that way for some reason even though guys like Mark Pollard and Dan Mulhare at Belgrave regularly compete for Inverclyde (Scotland) and increase the quality of their national relay much like Rory does in Ireland. Anyhow the federation probably won't change and I knew the rules before I ran and myself and Neath expected the disqualification hence why I ran in their 'B' team as not to scupper any chance they had of getting a medal.

Lastly and a big decision for me is that I have decided to have a cortisone injection which I was against to start with back in November. I have done some research and talked it over with my coach, doctor and physio in detail and think it is the next step to cure the problem and I realise this might not even work, if not then I may try a PRP injection which is relatively new (about 7 years old). I should be having it in two weeks; I would have had it next week but will be helping the mighty Saucony team in London most of the week.

I will be at the relays on the weekend hopefully another National medal but there will be some tough competition this year but we have some quality runners in the team who will fighting to keep our title!

simx