Until late last summer, I would equally look forward and fear the 2nd day pains…You always knew that in order to get those pains, you have been doing something right. As the old wise ass in the dressing room would gleefully proclaim “Sure that’s just weakness leaving the body”. And to a point he would be right but I would never let on or agree. It felt like a preseason ritual that you had to endure…An inevitable right of passage.

Like I mentioned, that was till last summer. I was speaking to a colleague, an experienced marathon runner about a pain I was getting in my hip after any long downhill run I was doing. It is a very common issue. Something to do with an IT band or something. He too, had this issue in the past. His physio recommended he got a foam roller and it really helped him. So, like a sheep I went and got one…I really splashed out…Using a voucher from Elvery’s that I had received that previous Christmas, I got the best a voucher could buy with a cent in credit left over. To say it was the best purchase I ever spent maybe an over statement, but its definitely up there. No more physio tables, no more DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), or in other words the “2 day pains”. With the help of Youtube, 5 minutes rolling around on my foam roller(pre and post session), I would be right as rain…

I could literally feel the muscle knots and kinks iron out.

A part of me misses the “2 day aches” to be honest. And the question of whether I have gone the extra mile in training always arises but I’m not getting any younger and I will take every last little bit of assistance possible to get me to my finish line.