Grumble, grumble...not fair!

oh well, it was all going pretty good in the end, then wallop!! I've now got a rattly cough! I'm extremely cross, having worked hard to get the legs working properly again and I think doing a reasonable job - physio said he noticed a difference in a week - I do my exercises :-) this happens... just NOT FAIR!!!

I made it back to bootcamp last Friday and had a fantastic hour running around doing circuits in the mud and the rain, I've missed it over the summer, but it was too much to fit it all in, so I was all set to go back again tonight but have decided to stay in the warm and try not to cough too much.
I've not run much during the past 2 weeks, but I have had a couple of good long runs and half hour sessions on the treadmill and cross trainer, I was hoping for an even longer run this weekend to convince me that I would be ok in Frankfurt but I don't know now it will depend whether the cough stays up high or sinks down in which case I won't be running.

I know I shouldn't grumble I should be really grateful that I don't have anything more serious than a cough, but it is really frustrating when life slaps you in the face :-(

Fingers crossed that a good night's sleep and maybe a little medicinal rioja will do the business and I'll get my long run in at the weekend.

Where did September go?

I can't believe that's us into October already and I've kinda fallen off the blog wagon a little bit...

Probably a combination of being incredibly busy at work and trying to train, and not having much of import to share :-(

However, on a positive note, we did get to Berlin and we did get round the course, so I did finish my 12th marathon and get the medal I couldn't pick up in 2008 as I DNS due to something weird happening to my liver 5 weeks out...
John was still injured so it was to be his turn to DNS, we flew out on the Thursday and met up with friends with whom we were sharing a nice apartment in the Charlottenburg area of the city. I'd stay there again, it was leafy, quiet, loads of shops, restaurants etc nearby and only a short walk to the UBahn to get to anywhere in the city centre you wanted.
On Saturday morning we ran the friendship run, 6km which finishes in the Olympic Stadium, this is the second Olympic Stadium we've finished a run in this year, we did it in Barcelona in March, and there is something really special about running through the tunnel, into the light and out onto the blue track where so many other famous feet have gone before you :-)

The weather was amazing all weekend - better than we'd had here all summer so on race day it was yet again absolutely roasting! John was still injured but he decided he was going to run round with me - he is my hero, it was probably the worst run I've ever had, I had real issues with the heat and my leg was giving me some serious trouble. I don't think I'd have finished without him and the ice cream cone which he bought me at 36km was the best ice cream I've EVER had :-)
This is definitely, so far, the best finishing chute I have ever run down, to come through the Brandenburg gate 400m from the finish is amazing and the street is lined with people all the way to the finish line, it was truly a wonderful day.

I am hoping that I will be able to do Frankfurt on 30 October, fingers crossed, then I think it's time to have some exploration of my knee so that I can keep on running...

I have a lovely wee video clip of our finish which I can't get to upload here, but I will come back and see if I can add it later.