"Each step forward has a sacred meaning of its own" Sri Chinmoy
Maynooth 2 Mile Race - June 2026 - Ireland
After race-walking the last Joy Day 2 Miler in France, the next step on my long road to recovery was to jog the full distance. Fortunately my medic of choice (Alex the Osteopath) was encouraging me to get my injured knee moving and complete a couch-to-5k programme by the end of June. Just about the time of the gathering at Maynooth, I was ready to cautiously shuffle 2 miles. Well, I thought I was anyway. I got out early and started walking briskly to warm up, breaking into a jog every so often. The campus of the university/seminary where we were staying was an idyllic setting for a race, with perfect tarmac paths shaded by trees and fringed by meadows.
Getting together for the start was a little shambolic but we were soon ready to go. I started close to the back, jogging steadily with short, easy strides and trying to feel as if I was gliding along without much impact. Classic rehab running, and something I know well from several episodes of being benched over the years.
It was a strange sensation being towards the back of the race and having to hold myself back on speed throughout, but it was also a very meditative experience under the trees and along the fringes of fields on three long loops of the parkland. I was able to look up and enjoy the misty morning skies as well as the swaying branches and all the myriad shades of green as the morning lightened and the mist cleared. I was lapped by a couple of faster runners, including the eventual winner, Gianluca, but I held my place in the pack and finished in a pretty pleasing time of 18:58.
So, that's the benchmark - the foundation on which I have to build. Gradually the pain and stiffness in the knee are receding and the jogging and cycling are increasing. Hopefully I'll patiently wear away the injury like water wearing away stone - the immovable object eventually surrendering to the slow but unstoppable force. We'll see.
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