This is TracyW's sixth report back - TheEd

Another report time and again I feel that I am writing more about not running than running! I developed an odd feeling in the top of my leg/hip area as far back as May this year. It was not very bad in the beginning so I just ignored it. It eventually got to a stage where I was finding that there was a lot of weakness in the leg and I was battling to do the simplest things like put my leg into a pair of trousers or to cross my legs when sitting on a sofa.

I went to my local GP hoping for a quick referral to a Physio (lesson learnt - nothing on the NHS is quick!!). The GP sent me for x-rays which really confused me, only to find out 3 weeks later when I called into their rooms again to check for my results that they suspected I had Arthritis - not exactly what I wanted to hear 3 months before turning 37.

After three weeks and still no report back from the x-rays I gave up and went to an Osteopath. A new experience for me as I am used to either a Chiropractor or a Physio. In hindsight I should have done this months ago and would not have been so far off the beaten track as I am now. He said there is definitely no arthritis and said that the muscles in my lower back are very tight. He suspects it happened when I increased the running to the hour runs. Because I don't stretch before running (yet another lesson learnt) and have been slack with my stretching afterwards the tightness built up to such an extent that my back was out of alignment with one leg being quite a bit longer than the other. He did a number of manipulations and some deep muscle massaging.

The good news was that I could run two days after the first treatment and the day after the second treatment. The problem now is that the bad weather has really set in and to find motivation to get myself up in the morning is really tough. The Osteo was very good in motivating me the last time I went to him by telling me that he could not solve the problem if I did not run and it could re-occur.

I have now done two runs since then, just really light simple ones and the legs and hips feel good. There is still a slight niggle in the hip/leg but he reckons one more session should have it sorted out. I am now very keen to get back onto the road because I feel like I am putting on loads of weight.

A big lesson learnt for me - yet again. Some people can get away with not stretching and I guess I am not one of those. It is really not worth not following the stretch routine, the time off the road and the cost of the Osteo!

The toughest through all this has been staying motivated. I must admit to be considering signing up to a gym for 6 months for the winter months - but that would just be being a wimp and I am going to stick to the road.

Hopefully my next report is actually about more running. Have a good Christmas and New Year everyone, lets hope lots of New Years Resolutions are for people to get fit. Thanks to the Time 2 Run team for the support in the past year.