A few weeks on from failing to finish marathon #7, and I’m afraid I will need to skip marathon #8 next week in Bath.

For a few days after the Space Race in July, I really couldn’t walk properly. My GP has diagnosed Lateral Collateral Ligament damage on the outside of my right knee, and I don’t feel it is ready for a marathon attempt yet.

I have spent a couple of weeks so far, mostly going to the gym to workout on the Rower and the Cross Trainer. Hopefully that is helping me maintain some level of fitness. I’m also starting to watch what I’m eating and drinking again, trying to get back down to something more manageable.

The two tunnels marathon in Bath next weekend, looks quite challenging, and on the couple of test runs I have done, the knee has not been painful, but certainly uncomfortable, right from the first mile. So I won’t be running in Bath. It’s a real shame when the organisers of these races show absolutely no sympathy to people that get injured, especially when they are running the race for charity. Would it really have harmed Relish Running Races to let me give the place to someone else, or even to let me go back and run it in 2020? I think that is just mean, I’ll try not to give them any more of my money in the future.

So, I’m going to keep the miles to a minimum for now, and will continue goig to the gym to try and strengthen this troublesome knee. In the meantime, no more cricket! Goodwood marathon is on the 22nd September, fingers crossed for that.