Friday 21 August 2009

Up(hill)date

Just a quick word to fill in the last few weeks. I'm now working in Manchester on a 3 month contract and am staying in a B&B in Whaley Bridge during the week. This is in the Peak District and has plenty of hills to play on. So, four weeks ago, with my knee more or less behaving itself I took myself for a run over Taxal Moor. I nearly stopped at one point with the pain but continued and found that the pain receeded. Since then I've been out at least four times a week and have started going out with the Goyt Valley Striders on their mid-week training runs. A fine bunch of runners (which is a relief after encountering some right miserable gits while out on my own). I even had a crack at their Eccles Pike fell race on Wednesday. This is a quick sprint straight up and down the pike (3 miles, 817 feet), much too short for me but the knee held out. I find that I've altered my running style since the knee injury. I can't storm downhill any more which was my one defence against being crap at running uphill. It still feels like there's a fluid sac under the knee cap and it is a little sore after a strenuous run but it's more than manageable. It's just such a relief to be running again.

I'm now being tempted by the High Peak 40 in September. Sounds like kill or cure.