I’m thoroughly enjoying my running at the moment.

I had a really good start to the year with a new personal best at the Wymondham Not New Year’s Day 10K and I’ve managed to string together some really good training sessions with my new Wymondham AC team-mates.

But I don’t take it for granted.

There is a dark thought that hangs in the back of my mind constantly, something that nags away at me even when things are going well.

‘What if I get injured again?’

I’m trying to use it positively to help make sensible decisions when pushing my training a little and when perhaps to rein it in or take a rest day.

As one of the pillars of both my mental and physical health, I need to look after my running.

This time last year when I tore a calf muscle after the Cross-Country Championships, I spent the next couple of months starting to wonder if perhaps my body just wasn’t suited to running and that I might have to take up something else.

One year on and I’m in a much better place. I’ve learned a lot about my body – what it likes, what it doesn’t and I’m working within those ever-changing confines.

It can be mentally exhausting, but I’m trying to use these thoughts for an extra sense of accountability when doing the things that I don’t want to do to preserve this great hobby.

I’ve learned that strength training is an absolute non-negotiable for me. If I don’t do it, then I will get injured – it’s that simple.

But I’ve also learned to listen to my body – a few aches and mild pains are normal, especially if you’re asking your body to adapt to a greater training load, albeit gradually.

It’s about listening to those and identifying why perhaps you’re getting that sense of discomfort. Confusingly, the problem area isn’t normally where the pain is.

It’s why it’s important, if you can, to speak to a professional who can help get on top of any niggles before they become a problem.

As well as speaking to Neil Featherby regularly about my training, I’ve been seeing Kyle Brooks regularly for the last few months and it’s been a huge help in keeping my training consistent.

I’m grateful for that level of support but I’m also aware that about now there will be some fairly new runners coming across problem areas when it comes to injury.

My advice would be back off the training (I know you won’t want to). But go and see a professional and they will be able to assess you and provide a roadmap to get you running pain-free. I will warn you now though: it will be gradual and is likely to involve plenty of strength and conditioning.

But if you can exercise a bit of patience then eventually you will get to run how you want to.

I’m really looking forward to giving the REEDHAM TEN a good effort on Sunday as the 2023 Sportlink Grand Prix Series gets underway.

I’m treating it as a really solid, hard training run that feeds into some bigger goals I’ve got this year, primarily the Brighton Marathon at the start of April.

After having a chat with Neil about my change of plans at the start of the year in deciding to run a spring marathon his words left an important mark on me.

“You must remember now… you’re training for a marathon.”

I knew exactly what he meant. Whilst it’s nice to set new personal bests on the way to any goal race, it’s essential to bear in mind that everything you do needs to be beneficial in running those 26.2 miles in just over 10 weeks’ time… eek.

But I won’t be able to do any of it unless I’m free of injury and it’s that thought that will hopefully ensure I make the right decisions before, during and after the Brighton Marathon.