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.