Towards Firle, 1 August 2014With the family away I thought I’d take my time and try to make run #33 a much longer run, the course of the 5km Lewes Downlands Challenge in fact. I wouldn’t want you, notional and currently fictional reader of this diary hiding in plain sight, to think for one instant that I was even contemplating entering a race, but it was something to do while the house was empty.

So I started slow and steady, straight up Landport Bottom the shortest way. It was a bit tough on the climb, but no worse that it has been before. However, by the time I got to the top of the first field, just over 1.5km in, my right calf was beginning to hurt. I told myself it was cramp. However, less than 500m further on and it became clear that it wasn’t. I nearly kept going through the pain, but decided not to be a martyr, a wise decision as it turns out. It’s my shortest run since really getting into my stride and quite depressing really.

And three days later, when I’m finally getting round to posting this, and my calf is still hurting. I’d managed 32 runs without injury and limited stretching; no more. Proper stretching from now on. I’ve got at least another 3 or 4 days without running to make sure that message sinks in.

The picture is a sort of consolation taken as I hobbled back home, though to cap a rubbish evening, doesn’t do any justice to the view.