Taking the rough with the smooth...

I think the above pic probably sums up mostly how I've felt this week due to the fact that I STILL can't run. I'm trying very, very hard to keep things in perspective but when you're not used to injury and dealing with it, all perspective seems to go out of the window!

I had been utterly convinced that when I saw Liz, our physio on Tuesday, that she was going to say the tendonitis had gone, that I was fixed and that of course I could go out and start banging out some mileage in a desperate bid to to run the Dublin Marathon... then it became clear that I was clearly disillusioned and my prayers of hope to the injury god had gone unanswered as she prescribed another whole week without running. I'm due to see her again tomorrow evening and this time I feel sure she'll tell me that firstly I still can't run and secondly to just forget Dublin. It's a very odd time for me at the moment, I can't quite describe it. I certainly feel ready for the rest that I'm kind of having. I'm sure that my legs are enjoying a rest from the constant pounding and stress that running does to them, although I have been in the garage on the turbo to try and stop my legs from forgetting what exercise is. I should be looking at it as a great opportunity for me to concentrate on my cycling too... but I HATE doing anything under duress. I like to be able to choose to do something rather than to be stuck with only that option - Tom would definitely verify that (bless him, he truly is a saint.) While Tom's been out doing his run sessions I've locked myself in the garage and done my sessions on the turbo, it's taken an ipod full of inspiration (I listen to Ironman Talk) and my stubborn attitude but I'm in there doing it.

I've had four good pool sessions this week and on Thursday I had my stroke looked at by my friend Claire Huddart who swam in the Sydney Olympics in 2000, as you can imagine she makes swimming look so effortless. It's definitely what my swimming needs. I do hours and hours in the pool and although my swimming times have improved hugely, I know I'm not swimming efficiently and just having Claire watch me swim for 50 metres has already changed my stroke for the better. I'm meeting her in the morning for some more top tips so I can work hard on becoming like a fish while my foot stops me being like a gazelle!

Tom has a lot more focus at the moment than I do and to be perfectly honest I do feel well and truly 'raced' out. I think it's a combination of feeling de-motivated by my injury and therefore not having the drive that I usually have and also that this year has been a long season and I'm ready for the break. Not ready to have that break because of injury though so try and work that one out...you see how hard it is living in my head!!!?

This weekend we had entered a ten mile Time Trial on Saturday and today we did Carsington Duathlon but as a team. I was grisly about having to do either of them, my lack of enthusiasm all stemming from 'the foot' has affected the hard wiring in my brain and unlike me who is always willing to step up to the challenge I really kicked against it, even though I would have been more annoyed had I not done them. Tom knows me incredibly well, almost too well and has and is being wonderful even though I'm not behaving wonderfully. The TT on Saturday was okay, I got my heart rate up straight away and just hammered my legs for 26mins & 41secs, not bad considering I'd done three hours on the turbo the day before and I won £10 English pounds coming third on handicap. Carsington Duathlon was something that Tom has wanted to do for a while but as my injury has lasted a lot longer than we both expected I knew I wasn't going to be able to do it and so Tom thought it would be great for us to do it as a team (selflessly giving up his opportunity to do the whole race). He would do the two 5km runs either side of the 30km bike which I would do. Like the Time Trial I kicked against it and like the therapist that he's been I found myself up at 5am this morning preparing to go out and hurt my legs again, only this time we were in it together, and you know what... I quite enjoyed it, and we came second team out of six and about 20th overall in a combined time of 1hr 26mins.

So, all in all I've had a bit of a funny week. I go from feeling like 'the foot's' nearly fixed to wondering if it will ever be fixed, I guess the physio tomorrow is going to answer that one!

Finally today we had two friends running the Chicago Marathon and we've spent all afternoon glued to the coverage online. It's unseasonably hot out there and it looked like the conditions were going to make it a hard day in the office. Our good friend and amazing runner Liz Yelling ran incredibly well running a solid 2:37 coming fourth and beating the likes of Benita Johnson & Kathy Butler, so a huge, huge well done goes out to her. It's time for her to kick back and have some well earned R & R after handing over the baton to her husband and my coach Martin Yelling who is currently out in Hawaii preparing for the Ironman World Championships which will be held this Saturday (13th Oct.) Our other friend Matt also endured the heat in Chicago and ran 3:35 which is fantastic considering that the race was closed at midday for those who hadn't reached the half way point due to the unbearable heat, well done mate. I can't wait to hear all about Chicago from both of you.

Right, I'm going to take my sad face off to bed. I have a swim technique session with Claire tomorrow and as usual it's another 5am start for our household. Maybe if everyone crossed their fingers and prayed to the God of Tendonitis he would stop pressing his thumbs into my right ankle and the pain in there would stop? I'll let you know if the power of thought works, get those positive thoughts flowing...

H... small and a little bit broken this week :(