I wasn't going to post as Katnap and Time_Lord were both going to but I had such a good experience at today's Stratford Big10k that I had to share what happened in the hope it helps others.
As you may know, I've been struggling over the past few months with my Achilles. It's got worse and worse to the extent that I've been considering deferring today's and the next race (which is the Great South Run and I really, really don't want to as you can imagine). I've had two physio appointments in the past 3 weeks. Physio said I had a 'touch of' Achilles Tendonitis but that I could run. Although the physio trips and subsequent exercises had made a difference, by yesterday morning it felt like it was back to square one. I blamed Thursday's trip to the gym and an overly enthusiastic 5k on the rowing machine as I hadn't run since Wednesday.
Well, as you may know I'm very stubborn and just got on with it. I had a race to run today and too many parkruns had not been run over the last 18 months. Yesterday I did parkrun to test my speed and my Achilles spent the rest of the day shouting at me. I stretched, iced, rested, stretched, iced, rested and went to bed hoping it would ease overnight.
This morning it was stiff, so I did my stretches and got into my running gear ready for the Stratford Big10k and just kept everything crossed. I had a running plan that would gently get me to a sub 60 minute 10k. Well, that went out of the window on the first 1km as youngest kitten and I just went with the flow. Actually, I found the first 5k fairly easy, sore but easy. We could chat away without too much of a problem.
By 7-8km though it was really beginning to shout again and with it my heart rate, so my watch kept shouting at me for over-exerting. Apart from my ankle though, I felt ok and towards the end I put the last of what I had into overtaking a few people on the bridge as we went on our way to the finish.
First thing I did when I finished, instead of going to find Katnap, was to head straight for the Fire & Earth massage tent. Tempo Events always have a massage tent at their races for free massages, you are just asked to put a donation in for their charity, 'Time Out'. Thankfully the queue was short so it was a no-brainer as my ankle by now was really throbbing.
The first thing the masseur did was ease my right hip, which has been getting a battering supporting the opposite side. Then she went on to my ankle. I said I'd been getting treatment for it but I'd got the ok for running. As she kneaded away at my calf I felt a relief coming over my body like I've not had since after youngest kitten was born!! It was truly amazing, all the post-run endorphins finally flooded my body, I didn't care how far she dug her fingers into my calf, it was just wonderful! Then it struck me, I'd stopped my monthly sports massage during lockdown and I hadn't gone back! I asked the masseur if it was a good idea to go back to them and she couldn't have agreed more!
My physio had given me a regime of stretching exercises and she massaged my Achilles, gave me ultrasound, but she never massaged my calves. I have really strong calves but weak soleus and glutes, I am also off balance because my right leg is much, much stronger than my left due to it being my push-off pedalling leg when I was a cyclist. So I know all that, just in the fluster of injury it hadn't occurred to me to go back and book a massage instead of more physio. I think that there was a good chance the stretches she was giving me was actually tightening my calves further, hence the Achilles getting sorer - nothing to do with the rowing machine but a lot to do with the recent addition of calf raises and one legged squats.
I honestly got off that massage table feeling a new person. Instead of hobbling I glided over to where Katnap, youngest kitten, Time_Lord and running partner were, with a big grin on my face. Finally, I knew what was wrong, which means, finally I can do something properly about it!!! That means as much to me as the 10k PB I managed to eek out today. It means I can do the Great South Run and it means I can keep going and not become a grumpy nightmare to my family as I attempt to rest. Sports Massages to be booked asap!
The running Gods are against me! 
Achilles Hell!
Calves still in agony when I run after 5 week break
Well that's February done.
The end of a love affair?
