That's all folks....

After my unfortunate fall in the Bath Half Marathon a few weeks ago and missing a crucial stage of my marathon training I have made the decision not only to pull out of the Rotterdam marathon but to also take a break from running.

This has been a very tough decision to take but once I finally made the decision I knew it was the right one. I joined my local athletics club at the age of 10, so have been running for more than 22 years! I love running and I love racing but recently it has started becoming more of a chore than a pleasure, I feel if I keep pushing to get results without the enjoyment I will just end up resenting running and I don't want that to happen. I knew there would come a time when running wasn't my number one priority but it crept up on me much quicker and earlier than I expected.

Looking back on my athletics career I can't believe what it's done for me. I've raced in 14 different countries over four continents, met and made so many friends that I know will be friends for life. I've experienced different cultures and without running I wouldn't be the person I am today.

I am and always will be a runner, it's just time for me to move on to the next phase of my life.... whatever that may be......

Tom Payn - Time To Stop Running......

Still Hobbling

After my fall at the Bath Half Marathon last weekend my right knee has been in a bit of a bad state, on Monday I could hardly walk, Tuesday I still had a lot of pain whilst walking, by Wednesday I could just about walk pain free so yesterday (Thursday) I tried a 1 mile jog in the morning and it was painful! The pain didn't get any worse throughout the jog but didn't really get any better either. After the morning jog my knee seemed to loosen off so in the afternoon I went for another run this time around 3 miles, it was better than it had been in the morning but I still had very restricted movement.

Originally my plan for this weekend was to do a 20mile race but unless I am running totally pain free by tomorrow this will be a no go and right now I am very doubtful that's going to happen :-(

The Start of the Bath Half Marathon 2012

My Bath trip.....

So today I was looking forward to a good fast half marathon in Bath, the weather was perfect, a good field had been assembled and I felt ready to run. The race started at 11a.m. and after the first mile I was tucked nicely in the lead group, just after this point the course turns onto a hill and halfway up this hill the runner just in front of me moved quickly to his left to avoid a curb and caught my foot causing me to go flying to the ground. I smashed both knees and slid along the tarmac on my shoulder and face, not what I was expecting! I got straight up and tried to run but after a few steps knew I couldn't run so I had to limp back to the starting area with bloody knees, shoulder and face. I must say a quick thanks to the St John's Ambulance guys for cleaning and patching me up.

Bandaged and swollen knees

This race was going to be a good guide to my form going into the last stage of the marathon training but after covering only just over a mile I got absolutely nothing from the race, plus as I can hardly walk at the moment it's going to be a few days before I will know if any serious damage has been done to my knee. Not the best day ever!!

Back from Portugal ready for Bath

After a month of glorious sunshine I got off the plane at Stansted to be greeted by wind, rain and cold weather. Relatively pleased with how my training panned out in Portugal and have been feeling good since my return earlier this week.

The apartment I rented was in an area of the Algarve called Quarteira and was fantastic value for money, plenty of room and all the facilities I could ask for. The only problem with the apartment was that once the sun went down and the temperature dropped it was freezing! I guess all the houses and apartments in that area are designed to stay cool through the hot summer months and hence have very little insulation and no heating. The only solution to the cold was to wrap myself up in blankets like a little old lady, not cool but it worked! Some photos of the apartment below:

Living Room

Bedroom

Kitchen

View from the Terrace

This weekend I will be competing in the Bath Half Marathon, my second time doing this race after coming third in 2009 in what at the time was my pb, so I only have good memories of the race, I will try to make some more good memories on Sunday!

Racing at Bath in 2009