Aches and pains

Aches and pains associated with running tend to be one of two varieties: the gratifying tightness of muscles after a long run just painful enough to let you know they are there and the more worrying persistent variety. The latter category are made worse if the pain is in a muscle that only a copy of Gray’s Anatomy could help you identify. For weeks now I’ve been troubled by a strain around my pelvis and groin area that shot up in intensity if I led off with my right foot on a large step or low wall. My first panicked thoughts screamed hernia and I looked carefully ‘down there’ for any telltale bulges. Consulting my runners bible, the excellent “Alberto Salazar’s Guide To Road Racing”, I diagnosed a strained adductor muscle. The illustration opposite shows where it is. I know - all this and education too! Anyway, the pain has gone now and I realise I don’t know when it did. It just goes to show the flip-side to the old adage: there are some things you don’t miss even when they are gone.

Another thing I don’t miss – but my boy Luca does – are the toenails of both my big toes. Relentless pummelling has reduced them, particularly the left, to very distressed states. Luca finds them so gross he won’t come near me unless I’m heeled or socked at the very least. Recently, the necessity to plaster my toes to prevent blistering has had the pleasing side-effect of allowing me to walk barefoot in the house again. But in a typical example of universal karma, this has been offset by Elissa’s revulsion at finding old plasters in unhygienic places. Remind me to post some pictures of those beauties. Todays training run was 8 miles run in 58:14. A good time over that distance for a training run. Same again tomorrow.