Last week's running total was just under 22 miles spread over three runs, the longest of which was 8.7 miles in 2 hours. The fundraising total now stands at £2,432.50, and I've been promised a cheque for at least £175 from a fundraising event run by a friend the week before last - so the target is already reached. Amazing!!!
Now, the observant among you may have noticed that this blog is late. I would normally write it at the weekend - but this past weekend I was feeling distinctly downhearted and didn't know what to tell you. I mentioned last time that my knees were rather sore after the 15 mile run. Last Friday I ran round Carsington Water in Derbyshire - a lovely 7.5 mile circular route of undulating trails. The plan was actually to go 1 3/4 times round and meet David (who was walking round once in the opposite direction) at the Visitor Centre for lunch. This would have given me a run of 13.5 miles, and then a 1.5 mile walk together back to the car.
Instead, I called it a day at one lap - because in the last mile or so, my right knee had become distinctly uncomfortable. By the time David joined me at the car, I was in pain, limping, and very discouraged. When we got home, I iced my knee and called the physio. The pain subsided after a couple of hours, but I knew, when I was honest with myself, that something wasn't right.
I have seen the physio this afternoon. The verdict is that I have a small tear in the medial meniscus of my right knee. When he said that, I expected the next sentence to be "and you will not be running a marathon", but instead he said "and we are going to get you round that marathon".
So, I have had some ultrasound and electrotherapy, which will be repeated next week. I also have the magic tape around my kneecap, slightly altering its position - and as I walked back to my car, I could feel it making a significant difference to how my knee felt. I am instructed to try running before I see him next week - cautiously, in a spirit of finding out how much I can tolerate. After I run, I have to ice my knee (even if it feels fine) and then put a tubigrip on it. I have another sequence of strengthening and stretching to do, and instructions to use my foam roller on a regular basis. I have the promise that he will tape my knee for the marathon itself. And I have hope.
Back in the day, every craft activity on Blue Peter started with a wire coat hanger, cellotape and sticky-back plastic. It does rather feel as though my body is held together with those at the moment - not so much finely honed athlete as meccano and rubber bands. I knew the marathon would be hard. I knew the training would be hard.... but I thought the difficulty of the training would be about discipline, running when I didn't feel like it (I've had a little of that), going out in bad weather (I've been very lucky on that front) and dealing with a few aching muscles (I've had plenty of those) and blisters (I've had none of those). I didn't anticipate having to nurse my body through injuries, trying to do enough-but-not-too-much training. I didn't expect the emotional ups and downs - believing, then losing hope, but keeping going anyway.
When I get that medal round my neck, I will know that I have earned it. I will have earned every penny of sponsorship. My reward will be the satisfaction of knowing that I did everything I possibly could to do this - I owe it to the people who have already donated (rather than waiting until I've done it before paying up!) to try. But the real winners will be the people who, in the future, will get earlier diagnosis and better treatment for their cancer, and longer life as a result. That's something worth working for.
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