Ouch my knee hurts

Wednesday 13th April

Roye, just north of Compiegne, France

386km run, not sure how many to go. Quite a few I guess

Apologies to all those to whom I promised blog updates, but this is the first time since we set off that we have had internet access for the lap top. So quick report on the first 7 days.

Day 1
le depart! Fantastic atmosphere at the restaurant. Friends, staff, supporters and some press photographers. Plus Sir John with the klaxon. First day was the longest and one of the hottest. John & Jamie kept me alive with provisions from the bikes. Dehyrdated and tired at the end but otherwise ok.

Day 2
Weather even hotter and carried on with John & Jamie as support. Second half of the day was tough with the first hills of the North Downs. Didn't notice it too much until the next morning when the quads were burning a bit. Enjoyed supper with the 2 boys and said good bye to them. Great job Jamie & John - couldn't have done it without you!

Day 3
Still hot and now properly into the North Downs. Joined by Uncle Paul in the car shortly after breakfast. Took most of the day to run the stiffness out of my quads but more worryingly the first signs of left knee problems emerged.....

Day 4
The trek down into Dover. Again supported by Paul in the car (Thanks again!!) I was surprised to find my quads had now recovered. Unfortunately the knee was deteriorating and by the time I arrived (frozen) at the port I had developed a severe hobble. Ferry to france late on Sunday evening then Calais for some sleep

Day 5
weather still beautiful. Knee not. Realised very quickly that running was not an option. So developed a curious sort of shuffling straight-legged run walk which got me through to lunchtime. Whereupon the knee gave me a bit of a break and the afternoon was unbroken running again. Fauquemberges was the first of our French B & B's with madamme cooking. Lovely night.


Day 6
another nice morning but this time with a cold wind just to knock the edge off it. Knee was just as the previous morning except slightly more swollen and more painful. But I had refined the shuffle and by lunch was running reasonably freely again. The afternoon's 30km were non stop and apart from the (by then) biting wind, fairly trouble free. Long stage this one at 63km.

Day 7
Blanket fog in the village by the river where we had rested our weary heads, but a 3 km climb out of the village brought a glorious spring morning. Within an hour the shuffle had turned into more of a run and for most of the day I had a glorious time. Stopped at all the war cemeteries which as ever were pristine, quiet and unutteringly sad. Only blot on the day was an acute knee problem with just 3km to go which reduced me to a reall hobble.

As I type this I have a bag of semi-frozen peas trying to take down the swelling which has now become rather concerning - even my left thigh has swollen in sympathy. Pain killers, Chablis then sleep are the only cures I can offer. See what tomorrow brings!

John & Julia