Running 200m...no spikes....old...battered achilles

Your concern over the potential damage from the spikes would more than offset any advantage they might give. Go with the flats.

Old-timer's tip: Make sure the bottoms of the flats are dry/tacky. Some used to scrub them with toothpaste to get that gritty, grippy, tacky feel.

I've never heard of rubbing them with toothpaste! Seriously, is that what people did? Would you do that right before the race?

It just doesn’t matter. You are running for fun and nobody cares about the times. Focus on not getting injured, the only risk that matters.

First some long-term advice. You've had intermittent achilles for a year, plus the pulled hamstring. These injuries can be caused when distance (slow pace) runners with a limited range of motion try to sprint (fast pace).

You need to add some dynamic (moving) stretches to your weekly routine to rehab and strengthen these tendons so you won't have recurring problems. Don't do them aggressively now. You could make your injuries worse.

Short term. Make sure you're warmed up before the race. Leg swings and good mornings might help the hamstring. A-skips and lunges might help the Achilles. Again, don't do them aggressively.

You can try this in your warm up. Take an old pair of inserts and cut off the front part, leaving a two-inch heel. Put those in your flats/spikes to give yourself another 2mm of heel lift. It might not be too comfortable, but you're only racing for half a minute. 2mm might not sound like much, but when you have sore Achilles, you can feel 2mm of lift. Or at least, I can. I assume you will be able to feel a difference as well.

Agree with this. With the spikes you would be so conscious of possible harm that it would be difficult to just let yourself go and run relaxed, and you could well end up running slower.

Full disclosure: My own achilles is still "tetchy" 50+ years after it led to a compensation injury that made me a permanent ex-runner.

I just wanted to give an update - and thanks - to the folks that responded to my thread.

The race was last night, and there were good & bad take-aways.

Positives: The extra heel insole worked! Thank you! Today my achilles has no memory of the race. I will definitely continue to use this trick. Secondly, the hamstring coped too. I did tape it myself, and it helped. So, I came out injury free - yeaaaah! Lastly, I didn't come last! I came 5th (a full compliment of 8 runners) and "not coming last" was always my aim. I was 3rd off the turn though.

Negatives: Ok...I'm embarrassed to write this...but I ran 31.5 . AWFUL time, and in fact slower than the 31.1 I ran last August, when I shut down at 150m. I need to work out why exactly this was. My training has been slightly different so I will look at that. But, on paper, in terms of what running I have been doing (programme-wise) I should be faster than last year. However, I have certainly done less heavy leg days in the gym, and last year I was doing cycling to rest the achilles - maybe I've lost some strength? My legs were like jelly in the last 10m in this race! Also, I went from 3rd at 100m to 5th....

Finally, for a giggle, I wish you all could have watched the race, because I did a Veronica Campbell Brown. As I came off the turn I veered into the lane inside me, and at the end I veered into the lane outside me LOL. Luckily those guys were two of the ones ahead, so no infringement. Why I was all over the place I have no idea.

Anyway, THANKS to all that advised - appreciated.

Congrats! It is also early summer, so you have plenty of time to improve. What does your non-running support routine look like? Do you lift? I'd also suggest using a gel heel lift. It did help me with my Achilles/calf issues. Good luck and well done!

I am glad to hear you survived the ordeal without busting a hamstring

thanks for the write up, I like to live vicariously through them