Minus 5.5

My spies in Brisbane have told me that my home town is going through a cold patch at present where the overnight minimums might dip below +10 on the odd occasion.

I'm sure that will be too cold for some runners up north. I can imagine some will brave the elements in their finest Antarctic running gear with a whine or two about how cold it is. Ahh!

Try running in Canberra where the temperature was minus 5.5 (yes -5.5) at 6.45 am this morning when my Arrows group took to the hills for their regular Saturday jaunt. And was anyone complaining about the cold?

Nah. We just got on and did the job in what was a magnificent morning for running. How's that for a sunrise (top left). The frost might have been as heavy as snow and the mud patches here and there frozen permafrost but still we went on, on, on....for about 16 to 18 k's of delightful running.

They breed 'em tough here in the national capital. There's a few of the Greek Goddesses and Gods (at right), rightful descendants of the heroes of Olympia, true Immortals! And did I tell you the temperature was minus 5.5?

On a (slightly) more serious note, I had one of my best runs this morning since the Boston marathon and my return from injury. I had acupuncture for the first time ever yesterday and although I was told not to hope for miracles my ever persistent groin/adductor injury was not quite so persistent during this morning's run. It was one of those great to be alive mornings in Canberra today. Minus 5.5!

Comeback....or is it?

After three weeks off I am finally back running. The left foot had been a frustration but my physio tried a new strapping technique that provided more support to the left arch and it made all the difference. Hey presto! - I felt greatly reduced pain and that sped up the healing process.

Last week I was away in Singapore for work and the foot continued to feel so good that when I got home on the weekend I just had to give it a test drive. Last Monday I did exactly that and the foot felt great throughout the run and most importantly after it as well.

Yipee, I was cured.

Or was I? Well, in fact, the foot has felt great. It's just that the evil spirits have paid another visit, playing silly buggers with my right groin/adductor again.

This is the injury I have been battling all year right up to and through my Boston marathon. With my post-Boston rest, the injury had settled down. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, I have felt that damn groin tugging, twisting, pulling, somersaulting, sidestepping, whining, bending, turning - through every step of that first run last Monday, my second run on Tuesday and my third run today. Aaargh, poo, bum, sook, sook (and additional four letter expletives as desired!!) come to mind at this point.

Mood definitely grim. It's about as bad as that freezing, frigid wind we have have had to put up with in Canberra today.

What do I do? I am going to keep running, that is what I am going to do. I am off to my masterful physio on Wednesday and (are you hearing this Tesso?) taping of the adductor will almost certainly be on the menu this time.