Training - Day 111 - 8 Days to Go

It was an 8 mile run today and I was extremely nervous. Joss had been ill this week so I was to be on my own. Yesterday I had bought myself some Deep Heat gel as I couldn't ever feel the spray doing anything. So, with that in mind, I coated both knees, shins thighs and hips - you can't be too careful, can you. Well, it appears you can. I applied liberally and then put on all the strapping that I intended to use. It was at this point I wondered exactly how hot the molten lava of a volcano was, and whether it would be slightly chillier than my legs. How exactly is having your legs on fire meant to help - except maybe evaporating lying water on roads for people to follow in a more safe manner? Joss followed me into the toilet (my place of application) and we are hoping that she will be able to come off the oxygen any time soon. From this run I learnt 3 invaluable lessons: 1 - Just because it hasn't hurt in the past it doesn't mean it can't hurt now. My right leg had eased but my left more than compensated for this. Lesson 2: Good music really does make you run faster. I was listening to some middle of the road songs and noticed that I was a few seconds per mile down. Then on came foo fighters and by the end of them I was 2 seconds under the pace I needed - a miracle. The 3rd and by far the most important lesson is, while running, never EVER wipe your runny nose with your hand unless you are ABSOLUTELY convinced that you have washed all the deep heat off. I looked like Rudolph and was breathing fire for a couple of miles and when you have a nose like mine it's much much worse. Still - live and learn....