Lakeland 100 has been my focus pretty much all year and with one misstep it has been taken away from me.
When I think of the time that I devoted to learning the terrain: the evenings at pretty much each and every Cumbrian YHA; the hours with my Peak District friends as I journeyed to and from the lakes; the days spent collecting Wainwrights.
When I consider the outlay on kit: the fast pack for my 8 day course recce; the oh-so-comfortable new race pack; the shoes which have all but eliminated toe blisters.
When I reflect on the people I’ve met: the parkrunner in Workington who was happy to share his tales of Lakeland 50 and 100; the staff and guests at the YHAs with their knowledge of and passion for the Lakes; the woman kind enough to offer a stranger a lift to and from her local parkrun.
All of that time, money and energy.*
What a complete and utter waste of** six months.
* Pure, unadulterated joy***.
** Fabulous
*** With just a soupçon of terror thrown in.
abradypus 
Naah! Try not to see it that way or feel bloo… I know that’s easier said than done… And you’ll probably wanna hunt me down and slap me with your muddy trainers… But I’ve heard it said that ‘what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger’… You have loads of km in the bag, you will have built strength and that will def help in the healing process… Sit tight hunny… All the best xxx
But did you have a beer? Or cake? (silly me, of course you had cake, you went to parkruns). Everyone knows that the cure for is lying in an immersion tank of Sneck Lifter with a rock bun balanced on your forehead.