Last weekend, I set off on what was supposed to be my longest run to date, the dreaded 20 miler.

Things did not start off well.

Just after buying my preferred running snack, gummy bears, I saw a dog get hit by a van.

It got hit with the front wheel, then run over with the back wheel. The dog’s back leg was clearly broken and its face was bleeding. The owner was clearly in shock and the dog was whimpering in pain. It was so horrible to see and it really shook me up, so much so that I started running in the wrong direction….

I ran to Chiswick House and round the grounds a couple of times before heading to the tow path. I was feeling really strong and confident, enjoying the sunshine. At mile 7 I stopped to crack into my gummy bears, and when I started running again, I felt a really painful twinge in my left knee. I tried to swap my knee supports over from my right leg to my left but it didn’t help. It was so sore that I could not continue running and ended up hobbling back to Chiswick High Road.

I limped my way directly to a physio and asked for an emergency appointment. I was in tears when I spoke to my Mum and Jack about my knee. I was so worried that my running was over for the time being, and therefore the marathon, a mere four weeks away, would be out of the window.

The physio had good news and bad news. The good news was that my running career was not over, merely on hold for 2 weeks. The bad news was that I had inflamed iliotibial bands on both legs which was causing tightness and pain in my knees, and that the ‘fatty bits’ (very technical term) above and below my left knee were swollen. He taped up my knee and told me to rest for a week and come back after our holiday.

So with the doctor ordering me to put my leg/feet up, a week in St Lucia could not have come at a better time!