Ooh, I haven't blogged for ages......illness, injury etc etc have been dragging me down. I've been a bit sporadic with my running, depending on how I was feeling. I seem to get one problem sorted, or at least under control, then something else knocks me back.
A couple of weeks ago I booked myself on four events over the next three months so I knew I needed to get out there again. I did a speed session with running club on Tuesday (cut short by the weather) and an easy 3.33miles with running club on Thursday - we took it easy as there was a first-time runner with us who expected to only run 2 miles, but we encouraged him all the way and he managed 3.33 miles instead.
On Thursday, I treated myself to some new trail shoes ready for my first event, next Saturday - a 5 mile off-road around nearby Attingham Park. Today, I tried them out for the first time with some friends from running club. We met up at 9.15 and set off from the Blists Hill Victorian Town and headed towards Ironbridge, through the nearby woodland then alongside the River Severn before heading back (uphill) along the Silkin Way. We were all fairly evenly matched so I don't think anyone felt under too much pressure, just enough to make a little more effort than when running alone. A local 73 year old man, a former marathon runner who used to run 6 minute miles, joined us "for the company" - he didn't look his age, was fitter than most of us but was very encouraging. I found lots of mud and puddles to splash through and was really pleased with my new shoes (although they don't look so pretty now as when they were new!) and didn't get any pain until about 4 miles, when my right arch started to ache. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't run and we managed about 5 1/2 miles - a very scenic and satisfying run in good company.
I've ordered some compression socks with arch support and I feel ready for the Mad Jacks Five next weekend. I'm due in hospital for an op on 16 November, followed by a week to recover, and I'm hopeful I'll be ready for the Turkey Trot event on 2 December (yes, you get a nice turkey joint as part of the "goody bag" - yummy!). I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that things might be on the up ! 
Long long run
Bad run this morning. 
Given up the fight.
Hounded on our run
Run 100!
