Well, it has been a while since I updated here and it is safe to say there have been some ups and downs. To save time let me say now, I will not be running Northern Traverse in 2022. After cutting my training time down significantly due to last year's barrage of injuries it came as little surprise that my left leg continued its protest by giving up on running again. This time it did so only 5 weeks out from the race. While my physio has told me she is sure it is only a minor muscle tear and should heal on its own in three weeks or so, that makes a big dent in the training plan so close to the race. Perhaps if I'd been able to train as I'd initially intended I would have been able to take the time I needed and still feel race ready, but I was already running on less training than I would have liked so with a heavy heart I have decided to defer my entry.
The initial decision was a hard one to make. I have been getting more and more excited about this race over the last 9 months or so and dropping out this late felt pretty rubbish. However, having spent a weekend thinking things over I have come to the conclusion that this might actually be A Good Thing. When I initially signed up for the race I had thought that I would quite like to finish well. Probably not win, that always seemed highly unlikely short of every other woman getting lost on their way to the start line, but finish as well and as confidently as possible on such a long race. As last year's Summer of Injuries wore on it became ubundently clear that just finishing would be my goal, and that might even come more down to luck than any kind of judgement or skill. Now I am able to resort to my original goal: In 2023 I plan to run the Northern Traverse, and I plan to do it well.
That is all I have to say for now. There will be more updates. This time I hope I will be able to document the journey better. For now, may you all run injury free.
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