An undulating day!

A day of real ups and downs, this may go on a while, sorry, stop reading now if you like, I would :-) Was back to work today with the protective boot and had the sense of dread I am sure you have all experienced. Basically as the challenge had covered the Easter holidays I had only missed 9 days of teaching but I knew the vocational students wouldn't have done any of the coursework I had spoonfed them before my departure and as well as that I just wasn't looking forward to facing everyone and having to talk about what had happened over and over. Was talking to Mrs T about it last night and she said how concerned she had been about my mental state over the last few weeks, I thought I had been quite philosphical about the whole thing, I am usually the type not to get to excited about the good stuff or down about the bad stuff, but apparently I have been very down :-( Anyway, as is also usually the case, it wasn't so bad once I was in work. The students were all exceptionally lovely and genuinely sad for me as were my colleagues, many of whom I have very rarely spoken to if at all. We have our own little staffroom right near the back entrance/exit and don't really have much interaction with the other lecturers. I knew it was a relatively short day with my last lesson finishing at 1430 so arranged to meet up with my bestest work buddy and show her my photos of the challenge. Yes she is a woman, Laura calls her my work wife, she is very good at looking after me and reminding me of things such as birthdays and anniversarys etc. Is this odd? Anyway this was basically the first time I had been through all the photos from start to finish and definitely the first time I had really reflected on everything I had done over the 6 and a bit days I was running and realised just what a fantastic experience it was. So many really good memories of places I visited and, more importantly, the people I met. Great stuff. Then I got home and logged onto fetch everyone (Check it out really), the running website and forum I use, and had a message which told me I was member of the month for March. What can I say except WOW :-0 The fact that people took the time to vote for me made me realise yet again just how much my trek captured the imagination and once again I thank you all. I will never forget the support, kind words of encouragement and understanding offered to me in the last 6 weeks and more. I hope I can repay you all in kind one day, for certain if any of you are ever in Llanelli or surrounding area please let me know and I will show you some Welsh hospitality. I asked many knowledgable people on Fetch last night if Chester in October (for a sub 3.15 attempt) was a viable target considering where I am with injury right now. To sum up I think the general consensus ranged from no to probably not to why don't you just train and see how it goes (a politer way of saying no ;-) ) I am happy to take this advice on board and having not yet entered am going to make a decision in the next two weeks whether to enter Chester regardless or make a low 1.30s attempt at Cardiff Half my target race for the Autumn, allowing myself a better recovery period and slower return, and then go for the sub 3.15 in London next year. Long term thinking but possibly wiser. I know right at this moment, and more on why in a second, I am probably going to go for the Cardiff option. After the success of last nights cycle I went out again after tea tonight, in freezing fog, planning on going about a mile further but turned for home after just over half a mile as the injury started to hurt a little more than it has. This is not, I think, a case of me trying to do to much, the doctor clearly said yesterday that I can do cycling, swimming, gym work as the pain dictates. It does however put things back into a little clearer context, is only three weeks since I stopped the run and I clearly have a way to go. Hence why Cardiff is probably the best option, who knows maybe that will end up being too soon as well, we shall see. Nothing now until Saturday when I will try to cycle the 1.5 miles to the pool and gym. At the least I can do some upper body work. So a day of good bits, hard bits and take stock bits. All I do know for sure is I am shattered.

Periosteum

Think that is the word the doctor used in the hospital now. Just been back to the review clinic where the continued swelling although improved, has been three weeks now since intial problem, and ongoing pain, especially in certain situations or positions led to another xray. Although it showed no fracture or anything apparently it did show that the lining of the bone was inflamed and/or has dis-attached itself from the bone which also explains the infection too. I think he said this lining was called the periosteum? Anyway I now have a protective boot to wear if I am to be on my feet for a length of time or as pain dictates. I am to return to the review clinic in two weeks where a decision will be made on an MRI but I am hoping the improvement continues and that will be the end of it. The doctor was very good and thorough in his explanations and although he made it quite clear that I shouldn't start running in these two weeks other exercise such as swimming, cycling and weights will be fine, again as pain dictates. When I do start running, 2 weeks fingers crossed please everyone, I am to start from scratch apparently, thing is I can't remember what scratch is ;-) I guess 1 mile to start with then if that is ok build up from there.... Today I am mostly being positive. I WILL be at Chester marathon chasing that Boston GFA time for 2015........

I am Premier League - A Final Word

May I begin by thanking you all from the bottom of my heart for your support in the last few months or for looking after me on route if you were one of the lucky(?) ones who put me up, fed me and/or run, drove or cycled with me whilst I was grinding out the miles. Your support really was truly amazing and now the dust is beginning to settle makes me feel honoured to know you all, it is one of if not the most rewarding part of my journey and has fully restored my faith in human nature. That I had not met many of you before, and some I still haven't unfortunately, just goes to further emphasise just how incredible the support has been. I owe lots of you a drink or two and am adamant that I will make this happen at some point in the future. Just to clear up the situation regards my halted progress for those of you who maybe aren't aware I ended up in Blackburn A + E (a nissan hut with zero heating) last Wednesday with a red and painful lower right shin and foot. As it happens this pain had begun a week ago today after meeting Andy as I passed by Wakefield. The last 10 miles of 30 to Hillsborough that day were pretty sore but I was willing to take a chance that it was another niggle that would fade away although deep down I had a bad feeling. However I still managed to negotiate 32 memorable, if bloody painful, miles across the Pennines on the Tuesday before hobbling from Etihad to Old Trafford on the Wednesday. The injury was diagnosed as a stress reaction in the hospital and it was made quite clear to me that I would not be able to continue, and this was obviously correct as I have barely been able to walk since. Have just returned from the doctors this morning as I was hoping to book an ultrasound as recommended but I have been told it is not necessary at this point. Turns out the leg is badly infected so I have got some super strong antibiotics and some anti-inflammtories and been told to rest completely for a few days (just bought The Hobbit so that is this afternoon sorted at least) and am to return to the doctor next Monday to see how things are progressing. Maybe, just maybe, I wont be out for as long as I first thought, fingers crossed please everyone. Thanks again. I love you all. I still managed to cover more than a marathon on average every day for the 7 days I was out there, even with the paltry 5 and a half hobbled miles on the last day included and without each and everyone of you this wouldn't have been possible. Until next time... Matt x

Day 6 - The Pennines, Manchester tomorrow - The Pain continues

33.11 miles Running total - 182.32 (? ish my brain not working) Today was the hardest day of my life both mentally and physically, a nice run over the Pennines turned into a complete war of attrition with nearly 5000m of ascent and descent taking their toll on already tired legs and the shin that had been hurting since yesterday. To say I was in pain would be an understatement and more than once I questioned whether I could continue the challenge, to be honest if the pain doesn't subside in my shin on tomorrows hopefully easier route I will have to ask the question much more seriously, I do NOT want to drop out and do not intend to but I made a promise to myself and Laura that I wouldn't risk long term damage and I have no intention of breaking the promise. So let me talk you through the day, we, myslef, Monsenb and John, were away from Sheffield Wednesday before 8 and although the shin was sore it was more than bearable even with the hills out into the Pennines, it was not until we passed the first reservoir and hit the trails that the real problems started. Roads and trails that should have been there were buried under, and this is not an exaggeration, 7 metre snow drifts which we seemed to spend most of the morning clambering up and down. When we weren't clambering we were on very uneven rocky trails and every twist and turn seemed to exacberate the pain in my shin, the uphills weren't so bad, the downhills torturous. That Jacob's Ladder was the highlight of my day sort of sums up how bad I found it. I say that and it wasn't actually the highlight, the igloo someone had dug into a snow drift was, another thinked ticked off my bucket list. Stopping at around 23 miles for a pre-ordered lunch in Haywood was nice, steak baguette and chips, but by that time the damage had been done and by mile 29 I made the decision that another 13 to the Etihad would be folly so I contacted Elle and arranged pick up in Marple which was another 4 miles away and meant I had been on the move for 9 and a half hours. At this point, and at the risk of disappointing some but it is tough, I have decided that I will start from the Etihad tomorrow which means I am missing out just under 9 miles, whether I will do an extra 9 somewhere along the line I don't know but I do know that adding them on to tomorrows run, at this point, is not an option. I will need to grind out the miles to Blackburn tomorrow and then have what is a well needed sports massage off my host for tomorrow night. Have been spoilt properly by Elle and her partner tonight, a beuatiful home made lasagne, golden syrup roly poly, some nice beer and a specially bought for me lush bath bomb soak in the bath so am feeling a huge amount better already. Looking forward to meeting more new people tomorrow, must say thankyou for the company today to Monsenb and John and once again thank you for all your support, sharing and donations, I really couldn't do it without you. Please don't stop :-) One last thing, and I will ask elsewhere too, I am not going to carry my full kitbag tomorrow, I think it is a major contributor to my sin woes so am looking for ways to get it from Newton-Le-Willows to either Blackburn by tomorrow or Liverpool Travel Inn by Thursday. If you think you can help please let me know. x

Day 5 To Sheffield, Manchester tomorrow

Another day in the bag, and a it was certainly a day of three halves :-) Setting off from the hotel this morning with full kitbag for the first time I stopped in Burger King to pick up some breakfast to eat on route and I was away towards the city of Jess and the Arctic Monkeys, tidy :-) Walked the first 50 minutes and then got into my walk run routine of previous days heading through Wakefield and on towards Barnsley. I felt ok with the bag although it does slow you down a bit so I was looking forward to my brother joining me to take the weight off so to speak. Around 11.5 miles in he joined me in the car as he had quickly realised cycling the hills may have made him more of a hindrance than a help, especially with the pack and I was happier like this as the roads were quite busy and he could easily have overbalanced. He was amazed by the weight on the pack and made it quite clear I was not to carry it again lol, I didn't think it was that bad..... This was a boost as you could imagine and I got some strong miles in up to around mile 20 where we stopped for a sandwich on the outskirts of Barnsley and I felt I had broken the back of another hilly day. Not long after setting off again the limbs started to ache though, particularly the bottom of my right leg on the shin bone, so although I managed to keep going it wasn't altogether comfortable but have had a good rest and been well fed by Monsenb now and everything seems ok. This is going to happen isn't it? I just have to be careful to ensure I know when it is aches and pains that are par for the course and when, which touch wood it wont be, it is more serious, Anyway I got to Hillsborough via High Green (Arctic Monkeys fans?) and Penistone :-) Road and another 30.4 miles were in the bank, only 450 to go. Had my photo taken next to the Hillsborough Memorial, sent a bit of a shiver down my spine and just didn't feel in a celebratory mood about being there. Still remember the day it happened like it was yesterday, such sad and pointless wastes of life. So another hard day, again not helped by the lack of donations. I know the majority of you readers have helped as much as you think you can but with the Easter break over and people back in front of their computers can I plead with you again to keep spreading the word and if you have any media contacts trying to raise the profile of the challenge. I know I keep on but is for a good cause I hope you agree. Not wanting to moan though the positives still outweigh any negatives don't get me wrong, my lovely niece and nephew sent me an Easter egg each plus £3 each from their money boxes to buy some beer, I mean food, I got to see my brother and meet Monsenb again (he had bacon sandwiches waiting for me, how awesome is that?, and I have a Spurs bed :-) ) and had my usual past run chat and catch up with Laura which is always the highlight of the day. Tomorrow the Pennines.... http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MattRogersonispremierleague