Disaster seems to have struck in its own inimitable style.

First my knee is now playing up as the weather is changing for the worse and the compression bandage and anti-inflammatories are not working.

And the last two runs my feet hurt. They hurt so much this time that I stopped after 2K of the most dreadful running ever. The time before I got a blister on the instep of my right foot. Now the toes on both feet hurt quite badly. Is it the shoes? I have been running in them perfectly well. Is it the socks? I tried Injinji and MoreMiles and Nike. All caused the problem. So what is it?

My quads just didn’t want to move. They are rock hard. I mean sure, they look awesome right now but when you want them to move they just don’t. Even standing on one foot, bending, going up and down stairs is killing me.

The bastard cat also kept me up all night. As it is cold and doesn’t have long fur it tried to get in with me. Then it tried to get to the other cat in the mirror in the parallel universe. Then it would wake me up, I would chase it way and then it would come back. Then I locked it in the living room and it howled and howled. It can really howl, and will do so like a metronome, so much so I call it the wind-up cat.

Although this just in… Maybe I am pushing myself too hard…? Is that really possible? I am not a pro athlete, I am just an aging Englishman who only started running in March.

Who knows? If I learned anything I listen to my body and so here it the plan…

1. Compeeds on the blisters.
2. Nurofen
3. No running until the race
4. Barefoot in the house
5. Comfy shoes when out
6. Read FIXING YOUR FEET by John Vonhof.
7. Rest
8. Lock bastard cat in living room all night, and close bedroom door.