Who knew a Cat would fall on my head?
I was hoping at this point in January I would be racking up the miles but apart from one ill advised 6k run, I haven’t run since the 20th December. The running physio chap hasn’t run you say? Why? Why should we listen to him? Well have you heard of something called ‘Lymphadenitis’? Have you heard of ‘Cat scratch disease’? After weeks of doctor’s appointments, hospital appointments, random sore swollen lymph glands that were affecting my sleep and generally feeling under the weather. 2026 has not got off to a flying start… Why?
Meet Tallulah… butter wouldn’t melt you say. What a varied DVD collection… you must have been to all the charity shops in Dawlish.. who buys DVD’s these days? Why am I looking at a cat in a running blog?
On the 11th November 2025, Tallulah was practicing climbing the wall while her kind and loving owner rested in his bed. Tallulah fell off the wall landing on his face and causing a cut above his left eye. A few weeks later lumps on the back of the neck. Two weeks later fever. Three courses of antibiotics later and we finally got there on the 4th. Yes it was a rare bacterial infection from the cutest kitten in EX7.
Enough of my 2026 woes. 2025 had been a great year; Back under 17 minutes at Park Run. Park Run wins at Bilberry Down, Totnes and Teignmouth! A Fastest Known time on the John Musgrave Trail. I was finally ready to go back to the Marafun. I’d run 3 hrs 18 (trail at altitude, Kenya), 3 hrs 3 (London), 2 hrs 59 (Japan) and 2 hrs 57 (A runway near York, please Lord, never again). I had never had more than two gels. Foolishly on my first marathon I’d given my second gel away and that chap overtook me again in the closing miles. Years had gone by. I was a new man. I now had carbon shoes and was going to try what the kids these days call fuelling.
But I hope to practice what I preach and I will be making a gentle return to my running. I have ran 6 days a week for years but I’m not aiming for that week 1 after a month off. I could chase the miles in hope of getting back onto my marathon plan but I’m just going to let my body ease back in. I will listen to it like in the previous blog. Had you asked me what the goal was for Manchester before I was ill I would have said 2 hrs 50 and maybe less but I think this is a good thing. I’m just going to do the best training I can and turn up in April excited and hopefully not overcooked. This is the plan for week 1;
Saturday - Park Run - Easy
Sunday -50-60 mins
Monday - Rest (it’s my usual rest day)
Tuesday - 40 mins easy Am and S&C Pm (focusing on movement patterns rather than heavy weights)
Wednesday - 50 mins including 10 x 30s fast/30s easy
Thursday - Spin class and boxing
Friday - Easy 30 mins. Optional evening cross training
The long runs will come later. For now it’s just easing back in. When sitting in the haematology waiting room or wandering the maze like corridors of RD&E, feeling pretty ropey and incredibly grateful for the kindness of NHS staff, I did think “things could be a lot worse”. Fewer than 1% of the world’s population have ran a marathon and it’s probably worth remembering that when you’re considering whether you will PB or not.
So for now; no big interval sessions. No pressure. Some cross training. It will just be lovely to be back outside and doing what I love.
Who knew 2026 would have had such an odd start? Who knew a cat would have fallen on my head?
Tallulah Baker appreciates your time and would like it known that she didn’t deliberately give Charlie a rare disease! Thank you for reading the blog.
