Up and coming Thames Gateway 60

The last couple of weeks I have been quiet on the blogging front. Apologies to you dear readers. Since getting back from Kenya I have been busying myself with a paint of every surface of the house over the last two-and-a-half weeks, completing the garden office and untold other DIY issues that have been on my list. In the meantime, running has taken a back foot as I have the need to prep the house over the school holidays in time for the start of term and then the delivery of our new baby towards the end of the year.

Punctuate the DIY with a 3 day trip to Berlin and Potsdam to visit friends and with my running gear in backpack, I thought I might have a little run. Maybe not! Plenty of walking and sightseeing, although the only rain of the long weekend was during the walk to the Reichstag building in the centre of town. Now that Mrs UB has a large bump......

....we are not going for our City centre runs so I stuck to a few Weissbiers and chilled out. 135 miles in 10 days last week required a few days off. Let's call it a taper. I have run 11 this week at the club on Tuesday, preceded by the most painful massage ever on a messed up back and worryingly, an high hamstring strain. Rest, recovery and gentle stretching along with foam roller work will hopefully allow me to be ready for the 60 miler on Saturday. An odd distance at that, I am concerned that this is not a 50, but dependent on how I feel, could end up being 3 hours longer if I am below par. No matter, I am fuelled with some excellent goods from Keith Godden's Ultramarathonrunningstore.com and hopefully there will be some good news on Saturday afternoon/evening.