Frustration building

Now this is tough. Having checked it out properly, it's now plain that I've damaged the achilles tendon in my left heel. Not seriously, irreparably, but enough to make me stop running and rest it. And the inactivity is driving me crazy.

I'm now on a course of ultrasound and gentle stretching, but I want to be out there running. [You have no idea how strange a thought that feels in my head...] In the meantime, no running. And when I do, no hills.

No hills?!?

Have you seen the terrain around here? Granted, it's not exactly the Himalayas or even the Cotswolds. But Clophill sits in a valley - something plain from the poor radio and TV reception here. [Why do Channel Five only show programmes and films where it's snowing all the time?] So, as I've previously pointed out, every run starts off uphill. And that's the biggest no-no of all.

So. I've had two weeks of inactivity. I'm going to start covering the next chunk of mileage on a rowing machine. It'll keep me fit, and building my fitness. It'll give me distance to cover, so I can keep chipping away at that 500 mile target. And it'll stop me going insane with inactivity.

And soon I'll be back on my feet, ready to resume the road-pounding ahead of New York...