Running is good for you?

As I hobble round this evening with my back out of sorts and my scabby kneepit looking inflamed and infected, I'm wondering, just a teensy bit, whether running is always a healthy pursuit. ;-)

Today was my first run since the WHW training run last Saturday. That definitely took a bit more out of me than usual what with all the sliding round on the ice and my tumble.

My leg seemed to be healing up okay but last night it started to get a bit more swollen & red so I'm pretty sure it's a bit infected. Fortunately I had some leftover antibiotics in my cupboard that should hold things at bay until I can see a doctor tomorrow.

Today was the traditional "Turkey Trot" 10K and 5k fun run. For family reasons running the 10K would have been difficult, largely because I had to rush home and finish preparing lunch for 16 people. Consequently I ran the 5K.

It was really windy this morning and the race started head-on into the wind down along the seafront to the halfway point where we turned tail and headed back with the wind behind us now. Being a relatively small field there were precious few runners to hide behind so it was pretty much a case of battering into the wind on my own. It was almost spooky the way that the roaring of the wind in my ears stopped completely when I turned round. Suddenly I was running in eerie silence. From about 10th position at 1km I had worked my way up to 6th by the turn-around but the best I could manage on the way back was one more scalp and I finished in 5th place and 21:05.

Not a great time but given the wind, post-christmas lethargy and a dodgy leg, I was happy enough. Sadly, being a fun run meant no age group medals. Looks like I have to enter "proper" races if I want a medal. Well that or finish in the first three. ;-)