After another visit to the shop to check out my troublesome feet yesterday, I hobbled away from my excellent sports physio with confirmation of a very mild dose of plantar fasciitis. Not enough to stop running (he has exactly the same condition in exactly the same place and still runs for an hour three times a week), but enough to do proper foot and leg stretches and exercises before and after each run, and ice/golf ball treatment on off days.
After five minutes foot limbering and a “power walk” up Rotten Row, I broke into a trot, looping down round the Pells and Malling Fields. Quick-walking posties did the six a.m. shuffle towards the Post Office sorting office in their regulation shorts and red tank tops (whatever the weather, even 30-centrigrade summers). From there I bounded over bridges, under bridges, round Harvey’s and onto the Railway Land, and ran a stretch of the Ouse towards the Dump.
The beauty of Ham Lane – full of blackberry blossom and buddleja – has a new addition to its kilometre-long length: a tough, interlinked metal fence to keep gatecrashers out of this weekend’s Gentlemen of the Road / Mumford & Sons extravaganza. Half-way along, I spied what I knew from the site plans had to be a temporary Bailey bridge for the main entrance. Flags fluttered in the early morning wind, and Convent Field is already boasting most of the main stage.
The Gentlemen of the Road start to take shape
Though I’ve got a very full two days between now and Friday – an off-work, Summer Friday to absorb and enjoy the full delights of the festival – I have to admit the prospect has put a spring in my step. That and the new warm-up routine shaved about 90 seconds of my usual pace for this loop. Quite nice!
firsttimerunner 