I sometimes read other London Marathon internet journals. One of them, Mike Henry (www.reluctantrunner.com) hasn’t written anything in the past 10 days or so. The reason is revealed in today’s message:
The past week has been a very long week for me. Last Thursday a tumour, that I didn’t know I had, burst in my brain and I began a journey into the inner sanctums of the medical kingdom. It was the size of a plum, it turned out, and when it burst it also flooded the optical nerve of my right eye with blood. I very quickly lost all control of my motor and speech functions and, in fact, became a gibbering wreck. I had brain surgery last Sunday and have been recovering ever since. I came out of hospital yesterday to continue recovery at home. Unfortunately this means that I will not be running the London Marathon this year. Right now I am glad to be able to put one foot in front of the other without falling over. Although this is failure in terms of my original goal…I’ll live with it. Right now I am busily re-baselining what I can achieve to set up a new aspiration. It’s still a bit early yet to be sure, but, I am thinking of keeping the GRN half marathon on October 6th as a great thing to do – I am sure I can recover and regain fitness by then – with possibly the London Marathon of next year in my sights. Just thoughts right now though.
Blimey. I know that everyone who has been following Mike’s progress will join me in wishing him well. If you want to mail him, write to: mike.henry@tascomi.com
No run today, and there is some doubt about tomorrow now. Two problems have arisen. One is a possible foot injury. Since yesterday evening my right foot has been swollen and painful to bend at the big toe joint. This foot has given me agro for a long time. About 6 years ago I was diagnosed as having gout. It comes and goes. I don’t think this current problem is a new attack but it might well be related. For instance, that joint has been weak and misshapen for some time but got much worse last summer after a particularly bad and extended attack. Running, funnily enough, has helped the problem but that joint is always a liability. It’s possible that yesterday’s longish run, combined with the new shoes, have winkled yet another problem out of a joint that remains vulnerable.
It’s been inflamed and achey for the last 24 hours though there are signs that it might be receding again, so I can only rest it and hope for the best when I wake tomorrow.
The other problem is connected to an enthusiastic burst of carbo-loading in Cheltenham today. M and I both had a large plateful of pasta and some rich mushroom and bacon sauce. It tasted good, but we both began complaining of stomach cramps shortly afterwards. Mine went straight through me and my guts have ached ever since. It even kept me from the planned treat of a debut visit to Whaddon Road to see Cheltenham play Rushden & Diamonds. This was to have been a consolation for not being able to get to London today to see the blue and white hoops of West London’s finest football side.
An alternative, more restful treat was arranged, and we found ourselves at the cinema enjoying Gosford Park. A decent film. Perhaps a little overrated but an entertaining illumination of country house life in the 1930s. Apart from Hugh Grant, everyone was present.
Earlier in the day I went for a mooch round Waterstone’s and found a copy of Julie Welch’s 26.2 which I’ve been hunting for some time. I’m off to bed shortly to nurse my aches and pains, and will have a read to ensure that at least my dreams remain on-message, even if my body doesn’t.
