I cracked. I could take it no more. Despite being injured, despite knowing that it was probably a bad idea, despite my only rehab instruction being to rest, I yielded to temptation and completed a parkrun. Not just any old parkrun, but Walthamstow parkrun*, one of the two parkruns in Greater London which I have not run.
In my defence, I walked the whole thing. And as walking has pretty much become pain-free over the last week, I thought I’d get away with it. I cycled there (stitching together bits of the 131, 155, 35, 55 and W16 bus routes), I walked every single step of the parkrun (having checked with the volunteers beforehand that they didn’t mind), and I cycled home (along the W16, 55, 59, 155, 493 and 131 bus routes). And none of it hurt. But by the afternoon, my foot was telling me in no uncertain terms that it still needed more time, and that walking the Arundel 10k (now my 4th DNS of the summer) was out of the question.
I’m back to the physio on Thursday, so I’ll find out then whether my impatience will have lasting consequences. I hope not, because with two London area inaugurals in the next two weeks, resistance may again prove to be futile.
*Walthamstow parkrun is one of London’s younger parkruns and has yet to celebrate its first birthday. It is three and a smidge laps around the horseshoe-shaped perimeter of the Peter May Sports Fields and on first glance you’ll probably register the laps as flat. Look again – there is a definite rise in the first part of each lap which will require careful tactics on any all-out PB attempt. Underfoot is grass, fine in summer but possibly a little slippery over winter, and the course looked very buggy friendly to my untutored eye. Unusually for parkrun, dogs are not allowed – I shall leave you to decide whether that counts as a blessing or a curse. I can’t offer any comment on the quality of the post-run coffee – by the time I got to the end of the run I’d been out in the rain** for the best part of three hours (including the cycle there) and just wanted to head home.
**Bank holiday weekend weather fairies apparently out-rank parkrun weather fairies, at least in the London area.
abradypus 
Hope your foot is none the worse for the parkrun and recovering well so you might get to walk the next few as well.
Happy to report that Devon has been rain free for the whole of the bank holiday! Now sit down!
Yes Mum. *sits down and tries to look contrite*
I’m impressed that you restrained yourself from running at all. Well done!
Naughty, but understandable – parkrun is very irresistible! 😉
Alas, I shall have to go back to resisting again next week, though I’ve been told that I may try again the week after. Maybe see you at Southwark inaugural!
Sorry to hear that you’re still injured. I thought that I might see you at Osterley parkrun but it sounds like you’ll be resting still.
Pah! I am under orders not to try another walk for two weeks, so have put myself down to volunteer at Kingston to remove the temptation of Osterley inaugural. Have fun!
Cycling and walking is a good day of exercise though. Hope your foot is better soon, blogging is not right without your parkrun race reports.