The lonely bench

I'm sat here all on my lonesome... on the bench! Gutted!
My foot has got worse since Wednesday, and I think the longish walks with the dog probably haven't helped. It hurts when I put pressure onto the ball of my foot, and although not mega painful, it's enough to know I shouldn't run this weekend.
The last time I did run when feeling like this, it was a huge mistake... although I have to say that when I ended up having to have a cortisone injection, I had done a 3 mile run on the Wednesday and all was fine until I walked downstairs. The pain was excruciating back then and the next day I practically hobbled to work. I gave myself only one day off because I was concerned that if I didn't get my 14 mile run in, I would be doomed... as it was, I limped the last 7 miles of that run and had to have a full 2 weeks off running... dooming the race I was training for in the first place! Ah, how you live and learn!

So, I was due to see the physio anyway, and will ask him about it when I see him next week. I believe it is bursitis, however it affects my right foot completely different to my left. With the left it's like a horrible cramp near my achilles... with my right it hurts to put pressure on the ball of my foot. I have been doing my eccentric exercises, however feel I may have made the right foot worse because of having to put my whole weight on the place that hurts so much.

My treadmill gets delivered tomorrow, so at least I will be in to receive it. I was going to get up at the crack of dawn to do my run, so now I suppose I don't have to! I emailed William about the run, and suggested doing my 3 hour 15 minute(ish) run next week instead (the week before Grantham). It isn't really too important what result I get there... after all I'm literally doing it for the time on my feet and passing the psychological barrier of running further than a marathon. If it takes me all day... does it really matter?
I do feel much stronger and fitter than I have for a long time (apart from the foot of course), but part of that is a mental thing! I totally believe in visualisation and convincing your brain that you can get through something. However I may have been doing this incorrectly... I always imagine being in the latter stages of a race and being in agony but finding the willpower and determination to grit my teeth and get to the end... and you know what? That's exactly what happens! So, I'm now imagining that I'm floating along and smiling and running tall, and I can see the finish banner... hey, apparently it's all in the mind and an ultra is 85% mental and 15% physical. I read a report recently about 4 groups of athletes. The first group did 100% physical training, the second did 75% physical and 25% visualisation, the third 50/50 and the final group did only 25% physical and 75% mental training.
Who do you think did best in the race? The fourth group did, with the least training... so, we shall see! Your brain is a very powerful thing. Graeme told me last night that for a week before a race he imagines finding the whole thing (in his words) "Piss easy", and for someone who does bot all on the training front, he totally believes the brain theory to be correct!
So... is THAT how he does it? Hmmmmmm!