Now that the Peroni has been drunk, and the chocolate has been scoffed in celebration of last Saturday’s double whammy, it was time for a wee bit of reflection. Now my problems with injuries have been well documented on here. Consecutive days running could put me out the game for a while. So I was always looking for options. Earlier in the year I won a competition in Men’s Running magazine, and the prize included 3 months of Solgar 7 as a trial. This claimed to, amongst other things, 

1) Structurally support collagen building blocks and sensitive joint cartilage*

2) Improve flexibility, overall mobility, and range of motion*

3) Balance out joint stressors, daily wear and tear, and the “overworking” of an active lifestyle*

So I was obviously an ideal, if cynical, candidate and willing to take a chance. So I was fortunate enough to win and got the stuff through just as I was nursing a hamstring niggle, so was late in starting it. Once I got into it and training again, shortly after it I got my first top 3 parkrun placing and course PB at Strathclyde Park. This therefore appeared in the magazine.

So non committal but kept taking my wee tablet a day just to see. The next few weeks and on holiday in France and I ran almost everyday, including a second place in the Paris parkrun and a week of hill running. Over the next few weeks I started to train and run more often. My mileage going up and my training getting better. I hit a load of track races and felt my stride getting better and easier and was recovering quicker. And then last week, as I finished my 3 months trial, 2 PBs in the one day, my sub 18 and a county medal. So, as the great philosopher Morrissey once said, what difference does it make? Now there’s no magic pills, and I have worked bloody hard, but I have been able to work harder since I started the trial. Is it coincidence? I’m not so sure. The running is all mine, the results and the hard work are all mine, but I may have found the dietary supplement that has worked to strengthen the parts of the body I needed, namely the joints, increasing my mobility and I genuinely have felt easier and smoother running. So Mr Cynical who couldn’t run 2 days in a row ran two hard races in one day. I can’t tell for sure if this all wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t taken the Solgar 7 trial, but with it happening at the same time then maybe it’s too much for coincidence. What difference does it make? I now go for a run when time allows not when my body allows. That’s the first time since I started back. So there you go. Anyway Stirling 10k this Sunday. Not sure I’ve done the stamina work for a good run but I’ll do my best. Head currently in a good place. See you there 🙂