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brer - Hardmoors sounded like a tough one so don't set any time targets for Shrewsbury.  A seasoned marathon runner like you shouldn't find any difficulty with consecutive weekends but I wouldn't make them both maximum intensity.

In October I hope to run eyeballs out at Abingdon, but SNOD? we shall have to wait and see.  I do need to get back under 4 hours, though.

Up to 10 miles now with Archie.  Enjoyable run with him on Monday of about that distance, and he was always trotting slightly ahead even though he didn't have a clue where I was taking him (a trail run).

One thing though - I have to lift him over most stiles which is a bit embarrassing.  Going to have to train him to jump them.  Border Collies should be able to, shouldn't they? Better go over to the SNOD ultra thread and ask Collie Dave and Fellrunner ...

Hi.  I'd avoid anything that involves high impact, such as racquet sports!  Also avoid running downhill, and speedwork for the time being. Keep your exercise up, though, sticking to level, good surfaces, but at a much lower intensity than normal.

You want to avoid getting tendonitis (which I had for 15 months and told my tale somewhere on this forum) where the tendon gets irritated, swells, and causes all sorts of problems.

As MsE says take care with calf stretches such as heel drops off a step because they are powerful.  Ease into them carefully.(and don't do raises onto tiptoe - you want to extend the tendon, not contract it).

Pilates is excellent and will sort out all sorts of posture and imbalance problems, but again avoid going onto tiptoe which some exercises involve doing, for the time being.

I've had a similar pain to what you describe behind the back of one knee.

It was caused by tight muscles that connect to tendons behind the knee, and in my case it was cured by stretching the hamstrings.  I was advised to do this by sitting in a chair and, holding a belt placed behind the ball of the foot (to flex the ankle and maximise the stretch), do a series of leg raises, holding, and then lowering.  This should also be done eccentrically, i.e. with the ankle flexed to the left, and then to the right.

But it might be tight calves as well, or both.

Have had Archie about four weeks and now that he's lost a few lbs and looks a bit fitter, took him out on his first run with me, the 1300' ascent of my local hill and back, about 7 miles, the first time he'd been out on open hillsides.  Took it in his stride.  I think he was a bit surprised, though.  It was great descending in the driving rain, man and his dog.  It felt natural, almost primeval.

He was quite interested in the sheep, as I suppose he would be, but the two times he went off after them he stopped and came back immediately when called.

Yes, go for it.  Believe in yourself and the hard work you've put in.  You may even have done yourself a favour by not overtraining.  Four long runs like those is excellent preparation and, as cougie says, more than a lot do!