TOP MARKS FOR THE NHS

  I haven't made anything of it on this blog but since the first months of this year when we suffered day after day of freezing conditions I have been experiencing "discomfort"   at the base of the rib cage predominantly on the left side; to a lesser extent on the right.  I suffered for a few weeks before eventually going to my GP. I had some blood tests which revealed nothing sinister.   However,  I have increased water intake and reduced alcohol intake as I suspected hydration was a factor  but also that the discomfort was probably linked to the surgery I had back in 1969 to "cure" my collapsed lung condition.  The scars are quite extensive on the outside of each ribcage. So i'm told the internal scar tissue is equally considerable.
  Pat and I ran the 5K in heavy rain last Sunday and  whilst I didn't feel particularly bad afterwards, coughing a bit of blood on Tuesday morning I thought a return to the GP was called for.
  We rang at 9.00 a.m.  The GP saw me at 9.30 a.m.   The next day I had an appointment to see a respiratory consultant at 2 p.m. I had spirograph, blood tests , x-ray and the consutlation and was out of the hospital by 3.30.  How was that for service!!
  The consultant felt that the pain was highly likely to be linked to the previous surgery but suggested I have a CT scan to investigate further.

 I reported for that today  at 1.20  and again was dealt with promptly and efficiently and was on my way within less than an hour.   Hopefully the scan will not shown up anything untoward.
  Hardly surprising to state then that with all this "in the air" I have giving myself a bit of a break with a very low intensity training week.   2 on Tuesday, 3 on Wednesday and 4 on Thursday. Sure it won't do me any harm!
  Going back to the blog on those Runbritain handicaps,  I was wrong in assuming that they take age into account.   They don't.  This became apparent as I checked a few of the runners who are normally near to me in races.   Whilst a variety of ages and both male and female their handicap scores were very near to mine.
  I could conclude that my handicap at my age can only go up but if I may well run a faster half marathon than the tough Haweswater which is contributing to my score. As I said they do not seem to recognise certain Fylde coast races.   So my faster time in the Great north west half marathon is not on my performance list.