Update (no running) - 27/04/2011

Pitchcroft Lane, between Church Aston and Lilleshall Hall.

I've not been running since Friday, despite the Bank Holiday on Monday. I've been trying to rest my leg following the problems I had after last week's runs, so I'm in shape for the Three Peaks Race on Saturday.

I went out on the bike on Sunday morning for a bit (photo above), and went to the gym early yesterday evening, instead of going over to Church Stretton for the usual Tuesday night run. I switched from high reps (12-20) of lowish weights to lower reps (sets of 8) of heavier weights tonight as I've heard that I should really be training for core strength in my upper body and not for endurance. We'll see how it goes... I also wonder whether the gym sessions have had any bearing on the injury, but I think not because generally I only work my legs on the CV machines. The other theory I've heard is that this is my physique (that's a joke) trying to catch up with the improvement in CV fitness I've made over the winter - perhaps improved VO2 max means I can push my legs harder than they can cope with yet?

Today I'm intending to do a few gentle miles on the Wrekin whilst marshalling or photographing the Wrekin Streak fell race. I need to hold myself down, be disciplined and not actually race because the Streak has very hard stony paths and fast running, and is exactly the kind of ground I'm likely to set off some problem in my leg again. I'd rather make the startline on Saturday in reasonable shape than risk it logging what would probably be a below par performance in the Streak: I'd only be going easy to try to make sure I can run on Saturday. I think it's better just to focus on some key events and try to do them well...