March 27th

When I first thought about training for the marathon I pictured all those famous long distance runners like Haile Gabri Selassie, Rosa Mota and (arguably the greatest of them all) Forest Gump.

And after the gruelling Hastings Half Marathon left my legs in bits it is Gump who I feel closest too. Not the one who ran across America for fun but the young Gump – with the mangled legs shackled by his supportive leg braces.

After 13.1 miles going up and down around the South Coast (where were the flat bits, race organisers?) I could have done with some leg callipers but instead I decided it was time to bite the bullet and call in a sports magician or a physio as they are more commonly known.

I took my shin splints, tight hamstrings and aching knees off to Kentish Town Physiotherapy to get a 45-minute going over from Chris Myers.

It’s a busy time of year for Mr Myers and the other qualified physios who are based at the LA Fitness gym on Highgate Road.

I joined the annual conveyor belt of hopeful marathon runners popping in to get patched up and sent back out on the roads.

First up on the treatment table were the sore shins, the curse that affects most long distance runners.

“Shin splints, which is the term most people use for the injury, is one of the most common we have to deal with along with problems with the Achilles and something called Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome, which effects the outside of the knee,” said Chris.

“There’s many things you can do to help with shin splints like soft tissue work or stretches, but the key thing with shin splints is that they are normally the result of a different primary problem like poor foot posture.”

Walking up the escalator at Kentish Town Tube had been an ordeal in itself but after a short and thorough massage on the calves I felt ready to run again. I’ll sort the foot posture out after April 13.

But going to a physio is not just about massages. Some of the best help I was given was advice on how to stretch properly and warm up before a run.

Chris said: “For us it is more about helping these people get around the course. We want to help them fulfil that goal. If they can get round the rewards at the end are so great for them.”

I should have called on the help of a physio weeks ago and I recommend a visit to all marathon runners, whether you are struggling or not.

To make an appointment call Kentish Town Physiotherapy on 020 7482 3875 or visit www.kentishtownphysio.co.uk.