Trashed!

Thats the only way I can describe my legs. I ran on Tuesday lunchtime a little 4.5 miler. It was my first outing of any sort for exactly 4 weeks due to my enforced lay off due to my ankle and more importantly back injury. My ankle seemed fine and my back about 85% recovered and with no time left before VLM I had to get out!
The run itself went well. 8.5 min/mile a bit quicker than I had intended but for the rest of the day after the run I felt fine. Also broke in the new trainers Asics Nimbus Gel 13 which felt brilliant!

Yesterday morning however my thighs were and still are screaming. Ridiculously they're as bad as if I had run 20 miles! This curtailed any hopes of a whizz out on the bike yesterday or today. I am running around Sutton Park tomorrow morning with #TNSG @madlot1 @jwultra @jules_perox @ajh1269. Its a good 7.5 mile route and I just hope I am up to it. I dont really have a choice with only 17 days to go before VLM I at least need to get up to about 16 miles by next weekend (the week before VLM) so for VLM itself I only have to tag on a final 10 miler. Easy if you say it quick! I think I now need to man up and just run through the pain. Tomorrow will be telling!
In other news I am now going to do VLM in fancy dress as I cant run it properly due to lack of preparation. My morphsuit is at the printers as I type and should be back with me next week in plenty of time to get a couple of Morph runs in full kit pre VLM. After VLM I will then have 10 weeks to get Ironman fit (I know this is effin ridiculous isnt it!) and I still think I can do this. I am tearing through Chrissie Wellingtons book A Life Without Limits and Andy Holgates Cant Swim Cant Ride Cant Run. Grabbing my inspiration from everywhere.
Finally I should fill you in on the Poppyfields Ball last Saturday. It is probably the last Poppyfields Ball as Lisa and Brian take a well earned break from fundraising. We raised a massive £14,000 on the night. Double our previous best. This is down to the hard work of Team Poppyfields and the overwhelming generosity of the people that gave us stuff to auction and raffle and the guests who came and bought and bid. Here's me and Mrs Brightside at the ball and some of the team! Thankyou to everyone that made it so successful!!