Injury ?!?

After a fabulous race in Bristol and realising for the first time that I can still improve my personal best times I had a nice rest week last week. This was just what I needed and I felt sufficiently good at the end of the week to be tempted into running a 3000m time trial on Saturday with the South West Junior Orienteering Squad. Last time I ran this distance on a track, I had finished in just over 12 minutes and I felt quietly confident that I could easily beat this time. I've used the Macmillan Running Calculator to calculate my pacing for training and in racing and it actually predicted a time of under 11 minutes. However, I think I am better at the longer distances as I fell well short of that time and finished in a time of 11m27s. However, I was not actually racing anyone as the track was pretty empty and I had nobody else to push me on - so I do feel that I could have done better if I'd been racing.

After the time trial and cool down I had to rush back to Ashton Court for an Avon Schools Orienteering event in which my son and friends were competing. Parents were also allowed to compete, so I took my chance and had a great run around the Ashton Court estate. It was a 45 minute score event and I finished just 7 seconds before I had to so I was quite pleased with my joint top score of 210 (21 controls).

HOWEVER, the result of fast running and hilly grass running had taken its toll. That evening I felt that I had hurt my hamstring. Not good news with only 8 days until Cologne half marathon.

So, what have I been doing? Well, starting with RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) as much as possible - no running at all since Saturday afternoon #withdrawalsymptoms. Icing probably not as much as I should but it has helped. Also plenty of rolling on my Triggerpoint foam roller which is just brilliant. I truly believe that over the past couple of years since I got one as a present (it is pretty expensive) it has saved me from injuries.

As of today, it is feeling much better than it was and I can't feel any problem unless I really start probing my hamstring. I think I will probably have a light slow run  tomorrow and see how it feels - but at the moment I am confident of running pretty well on Sunday.