Paula Radcliffe and me

Well I did the Serpentine 5k faster than expected, got my x-rays done sooner than expected and saw the sunshine on the final leg of the Real Relay to the Olympic Park was much more than expected. Other than that the last few days before the Lakeland 100 have gone pretty much as expected – with the one big exception of the pain in my neck.

I read today that Paula Radcliffe’s appearance in the Olympic marathon could depend on her medical team’s ability to manage the pain from osteoarthritis in her left foot. Painkilling injections haven’t worked and neither, so far, has further treatment from sports doctor ‘Healing’ Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt.

I’ll be relying on ibuprofen for pain management (as little as possible since it has its downside in endurance exercise) and the knowledge that I don’t have to perform to Paula’s standards. However, I am 19 years older than her, and I will be covering 80 more miles. So I reckon I’ll deserve the medal I’m going to do my damnedest to get every bit as much as she’ll deserve the one that I really hope she wins in her fifth and probably final Olympics. Wish us both luck!

Passing on the baton

Tired, tired legs and too much work. Sixteen days to go to the Lakeland 100 and I'm in need of an energy boost. However, I completed my leg of the Real Relay on Tuesday morning and the photo provides the proof.

Actually it doesn't because it shows me receiving the baton from the previous runner at Waltham Cross. You'll have to take my word for it that I passed it on to the next runner in Hertford.