Since I last wrote, I’ve been making great progress with my base miles, but I flew a bit too close to the sun during a hilly 18km run with Chris a few weeks ago. I let the brakes off and paid the price; the combination of speed and elevation triggered a fresh flare-up in my hip and glute (the other one). I’m now officially back in the ‘repair shop’. I’ve already ticked off RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate), mobility work and light gym-based activation.

The next step is a cautious return to easy running, gradually introducing weights at the gym and getting back to where I was in training over the next few weeks.

This past weekend offered a refreshing change of pace as I swapped my running shoes for a support role. With my recovery plan in full swing, I pulled out of the Leighton Hall Trail Half Marathon to leave Chris taking on the 600m of elevation alone. While he tackled the hills, I settled into a local cafe with a coffee, a muffin, and my laptop.

I’ve finally returned to the book I started three years ago after finishing JoGLE. The editing process is intense, but I’m finding it hard to stay away from the keyboard! After a productive morning of writing, I caught Chris at the 6km mark in Silverdale to cheer him and the lead runners on, eventually meeting him at the finish line to watch him fly down the final hill in the sunshine. Between the race and our walks to and from the event and the pub, Chris clocked a massive 36km while I managed a respectable 15km – more than enough to earn us both a deep sleep under the stars in the camper-van by the sea.