THE searing pain came out of nowhere. One minute I was determinedly schlepping through the torrential rain and gusting wind, the next every step was agony. It felt like the sole of my right foot was being prodded by a white-hot poker - or repeatedly standing on the same jagged Lego brick.

If you tuned in last week, you’ll know that I tackled the Edinburgh half marathon a fortnight ago. The conditions were tough. But, just before mile six, I found myself unexpectedly hobbling.

I’m still not sure what happened. My best guess is that I jarred my foot at some point. There were a few occasions where I’d had to swerve or slam on the brakes, so to speak, as other runners halted without warning in front of me.

My brain toggled through a gamut of emotions: shock, disbelief, fear. A thought bubble formed: what if I couldn’t finish? I immediately batted that flicker of negativity away. Because if I didn’t acknowledge it, then it wouldn’t become a........

© Herald Scotland