Twelve days ago, on the Sunday, I pulled my left calf muscle during an eleven mile run. I had run about eight miles, and after running hard up a one mile hill, I stopped to let my fellow runners catch up. Soon after, just as I was gently starting off again, my left calf muscle severely tightened up for about half a second, and the damage was done. I jogged slowly for one mile back to Reigate Hill car park, where I got a lift home. For the following week, I realised that I could only run for half a mile before my muscle hurt. I was very worried that I would have to give up running for weeks, and so loose all of the fitness that I've built up over the last year.

I saw my physio on Friday, who gave me good advice. Basically, don't run and don't stretch for four days, but ice three times a day. She massaged the muscle as well as giving it ultrasound. I ran 2 gentle miles on I decided that my leg felt a lot better, I speeded up and finished strongly. I'm really pleased that I seem to have got away lightly with this muscle pull. It's looking very hopeful that I'll be running in the Great North Run a week on Sunday.

I have my train ticket booked to go to Darlington, and a B & B too for the Saturday and Sunday night. I'm confident now that I'll be starting the Great North Run, although I may not run it as strongly as I might have planned. As I've already gone to expense to get up country, I would have gone up to spectate if I couldn't run.

I have my train ticket booked to go to Darlington, and a B & B too for the Saturday and Sunday night. I'm confident now that I'll be starting the Great North Run, although I may not run it as strongly as I might have planned. As I've already gone to expense to get up country, I would have gone up to spectate if I couldn't run.

The only other concern is that I have a small problem at the base of my right ankle - an achilles tendon problem which appeared at the same time as the muscle pull, may be because I was not running naturally after it happened. I always seem to suffer from tightness in my right achilles, but this does feel a little different. I'll have to be careful when I stretch, as I can feel the sharp tightness when I perform some stretches.