The run on Friday never materialised. Up at 1:30 am after around 2 1/2 hours sleep to cover the Malaysian GP, I managed another 90 minutes fitful sleep around lunchtime. I thought that if there was any chance that the injuries were caused by burning the candle at both ends during the Australian GP weekend (And there is a good chance that there was) then I wasn’t going to take any chances today – especially as things were still generally hurting.
The left leg felt even a little worse through the day on Saturday, thanks probably to a lengthy self massage session attacking numerous trigger points up and down the back and legs. I hesitated about running but decided I should at least try, even if it ended up being aborted after a minute or two. Indeed that is very nearly what happened as the first moments of the run were a pretty sore, limping kind of affair. Thankfully, a little like Thursday, the pain largely subsided.
I did what the Physiotherapist ordered once again: two minutes walking followed by two minutes jogging and two minutes running. The running was the least uncomfortable of the three activities, the jogging sometimes uncomfortable. Keeping close to home as there were a few moments when everything appeared to tighten up and I didn’t fancy a lengthy hobble home, I managed six miles before the sensible side of the brain called a halt to proceedings. Better to finish the run in one piece and be in with a slim hope of racing in two weeks rather than risk all for the sake of an extra mile or two.
The post race ice and exercises were positive – I was able to climb the stairs without pain in the thigh for the first time in nearly two weeks – whether that was because it was numb from the ice packs is debatable – but I’ll take it as a positive sign. I need to try and stay positive, ignore the pitiful weekly mileage and hope that things continue to (Very slowly) improve.