The run where I explore unseen Leicester and pick up a hip injury

- June 29, 2018

Last week I travelled to Leicester as part of a team hosting an event for supporters of Mission Aviation Fellowship. It was aimed at those who have agreed to leave a Legacy in their will. There would be speakers including a couple back in the UK from Uganda, our Chief Executive and a pilot who flew with us in the 1970's.

My role was to supervise the car park, chat to those who attended and help with the set up of the display materials. We travelled up on Wednesday with the event taking place on Thursday. When I found out I would be involved I quickly looked up possible running routes in Leicester. From our hotel it was only a couple of blocks to the River Soar and Grand Union Canal. The choice was whether to run north or south. Eventually I settled on south.

Within half a mile I was out of the traffic and on the towpath. The water was smooth and disturbed only by swans gliding along in the morning sun. Temperatures had been in the 30's all week but at 6am it was just right.

I kept my eyes on the wildlife as opposed to the line of benches to my right each of which was surrounded by a collection of beer cans and fast food wrappers. My legs were heavy and muscles stiff as I had rested for a week. My watch showed I was running at 8:30 min mile pace but I felt like I was putting in enough effort to be pushing 7:30.

As the path wound it's way towards the suburbs I passed the Kingpower Stadium, home of Leicester City Football Club which overlooks the waterway. Hard to believe that this city had been the home of the Premier League Champions 2 years ago.

As I entered Riverside Park I began to warm up and feel more relaxed. A sign pointed to the village of Blaby 3 miles on so I made that my target. I had already covered that distance and with the return leg I aimed to complete a half marathon distance. The park was wild with long grass, woodland and plenty of birdlife. A narrow trail led me to the Grand Central Way. This is a long straight cycleway/footpath that leads directly into the town centre from the south. It used to be a railway line but has been converted into a commuter route.

I could still see the River Soar and the River Biam alongside it as they twisted their way either side of the path, sometimes on my left and other times on my right, bridges spanning their calm waters and families of swans floating downstream.

When I reached Glen Parva the tarmac path ended and I headed towards the river. I had to track back a few hundred yards to get onto the track on the other side. The only other people out and about were dog walkers with whom I exchanged greetings. Huge houses backed onto the river with jetties overhanging the water and faux Greek statues in their gardens. After another mile or so I turned around and retraced my steps, this time following the river all the way back to the city centre.

A few miles out my pace was back up to 7:30 minute miles despite being far less effort but then a had a twinge in my left hip. Gradually it got worse and began to be a sharp pain at the top of my hip. It became very painful but I still had to get back to the hotel which I managed albeit with a limp.

Since then I have been in a great deal of pain and from self diagnosis it looks to be an issue with the iliac crest. Probably caused by a tight iliotibial band which often plagues me. It can be caused by running uphills and on uneven ground of which I have done 150 miles in June. The answer? Ice, anti-inflammatories and rest.