Lots happening but no running yet

OK, here we go, quite a lot of things to talk about today.

Bought myself some bathroom scales yesterday. Will use to weigh myself before and after each run and this will help determine my fluid requirements when running at various speeds when taking into account different air temperatures and humidity. It sounds complicated but I'm sure it won't be and I'll get used to it after a few weeks. Obviously not using the scales yet but I will be by March.

Will have to buy some Sorbothane heel pads too for when I start running again - but how many miles before I need some new ones?

I'll have to email Pam Storey later today to let her know that I'll definitely not be able to take part in the 12hr race she organises at Crawley - sorry Pam.

Looked at Les Croupiers website yesterday to see who's taking part in their annual Barry 40 mile track race. Found that John Pares hasn't entered yet (2006 winner, 2007 runner up) but Paul Tranter has. Paul lives in Otley like me and has run in Barry twice before - the last time was in 2006 when the weather was probably the worst in the long history of the race. That was my first ultra and the doctor pulled me out at about 31 miles with a badly blistered right foot (I still have the scar!!!). Good luck Paul - I guess you'll be aiming for 5 hours.

My daily schedule has now settled down to:

• morning: 3 sets of 25 achilles stretches with a weighted back pack
• two hours after breakfast: 300ml colostrum drink
• mid morning: five or six minutes massaging right achilles with Deep Heat
• lunchtime: 20 minutes of strength and conditioning exercises every other day
• lunchtime: 45 minutes on exercise bike two days out of three (followed by icing my achilles for 30 minutes)
• early evening: five or six minutes massaging right achilles with Deep Heat
• about 8.00pm: 300ml colostrum drink followed by 3 sets of 25 achilles stretches with a weighted back pack followed by 20 minutes of stretching exercises

I've also started looking at compression tights which I believe will help recovery during and after ultra races - a good idea but at £50 a pair ...

Over on the left you'll see that I've started a list of web links. The first two are my club and my sponsor (The Divan Centre - the owner [Carl Walsh] is President of Otley AC). I feel really bad though because no sooner do I get myself a sponsor than I develop a pretty bad injury. I only hope I can justify his faith in me later in the year.