Sunday. Bristol. The 10k. As Charlie had said he would be running as a crocodile I found a suitable outfit to run alongside him and we dutifully posed for photos, so this is Crocodile Charlie and Charlie's Aunt...
I'm not sure which outfit is least suitable - Charlie in his furry croc suit, or me with my wraparound crocodile. He's called Ike, by the way. Well, if the Beckhams can name their kids after where they were, um, you know, then I can call my crocodile after where he came from, even if it is a large blue and yellow Swedish furniture store...
We set off. Charlie manages to find Guy in the crowd and 'high-fives' with an unknown member of the crowd nicely in shot... Obviously I'm too busy running for any of this stuff...
And then later on Charlie grins at Guy AGAIN. Must be a little galling for the people wheezing and panting around him, as Charlie just bounds past having a great time and looking very comfortable at about 7k...
Meanwhile, I'm concentrating on proper running, having to hold off the elite runners as I lead the race at about the same point, me being super speedy and all that...
[What do you mean, it looks like it's been PhotoShopped??]
And here's Charlie with his fab winning medal!
Oh, ok, fess up time. I didn't run. My knee is puffy (see first photo, left leg) and those hands doing high-fives with Charlie are mine... Sad or what? And it's not entirely a heroic story...
On the Mud Runner I twisted my knee at about 6.8k and thought I was a gonner, but about half a k walking seemed to fix it and I carried on... the next day my knee was stiff, but round the back, and it got worse through the week so on Friday I went for physio. I have, officially, the first known occurrence of hamstring injury caused by being the back end of a pantomime cow. Yes, still. 4 weeks after Cowgate. Am puffy-kneed. And sore. For good measure I have also twisted the patella and strained my iliotibial band. I'm working on the 'if I can spell it I can injure it' basis... So I was advised NOT to run, and to keep putting ice packs on the back of my knee, preferably whilst lying flat on the floor. Elegant or what? And a little off-putting for my office colleagues but, hey, they'll get used to it...
So, yes, the picture was PhotoShopped - the route went absolutely right past Charlie's house so Guy and I went out early and I pretended to run (only for about 6 steps, honest) and then I got cracking with the masking tool....
It was still a great day - Charlie really was amazing. No training, wearing a croc suit and STILL completed 10k in 48 minutes. Amazing! He was the first fancy dress runner to finish, well ahead of any competition - what a STAR! I am so proud of him... and slightly worried about the speed I'll have to be able to do next year when I am determined to have another crack at it...
It is also mooted that I should wear a similar croc outfit. And that my brother, Charlie's dad, should join us... I'd better get training, just as soon as the swelling goes down.
At the moment I'd be a crocked croc...
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