Common Sense?

I have decided to take a week (at least) off running. Which won’t be at all easy as I love it but I think after the summer the body is telling me it needs to recuperate a bit and the sensible thing to do would be to listen. The last year or so has probably been a bit of a shock to it after all :p

I have to admit that although its far better the foot isn’t fully healed and although I can run on it I’d rather not being running through avoidable pain. My right knee has begun its dull twinge again and in the last week I’ve felt tweaks in the left hamstring and right quad. Not much but all added up I’m guessing the right thing to do is take a short break.

Plus the tides are all wrong and the forecast is grim for the next week so if there ever was a time it’s now. Wish me luck I’m gonna hate it =(

I can look back on a summer of adventure, fun and improvements though. I ran up Pen-Y-Fan and Snowdon, the highest mountains in Mid and North Wales. I ran the Welsh Coastal path plus an inland half marathon in West Wales. Ive covered 225 miles in less than 3 months which is a lot for me.

My favourite photo from the summer

Not the most exciting, scenic or interesting of my Snowdon run but I took this when I turned a corner and saw the path and distance ahead and wondered whether to run to the summit that day or leave it til the next. I’m glad to say I ignored the voice saying “take it easy” and went for it. Thats why the photo is special to me.

Quick runs and new shoes

Got home today and they had arrived already – Have to recommend sportsshoes.com for extremely quick delivery!  And they fit perfectly too.

My new winter mud shoes – Inov8 X-Talon 200. When the trail gets slippery I shall grip!

I didnt actually wear them out today as I wanted to wear the altras as the foot had been feeling a bit wonky this week so new shoes might not have been the best idea. Plus they stay shiny for a while longer. But when the rain and mud arrive I am ready!

Just did around 5 miles today, my garmi wouldnt and wont pick up signal for some reason …. Hope it’s not buggered as I just spent the money I’m earning tomorrow on the track on shoes :p

Caught this moment of sun shining through on the sea

Sheep with non matching ear piercings

Sun & rocks & helicopters & shoes & stuff

This run was actually on tuesday after work but I’ve been installing a new HDD with Win 10 so I’m only posting now. Twas a lovely day in the month of September whence I ventured to the beach on a run whereupon I espied some sights to which I shall now avail ye.

Enough of twee! It was a six and a half mile run as the sun sparkled on the sea and made me forget any aches in the legs. The pace was actually good and the breathing does feel abnormally easy now. It’s always the legs that protest first. I think this is a good sign, at least it’s less likely that I’ll keel over from a heart attack these days (And if I do I’m fishfood anyway)

Oh yeah .. sparkly sea

What else did I promise?

Rocks! Well one in particular I hadn’t come across before. It’s covered in tiny white swirls of …. rock. Never seen anything like it before so if any geologists out there have any information I’d be grateful

Shadow clearly for scale not because I’m a crap photographer

Close-up – No it’s not toothpaste, its solid. If it’s solidified seagull shit I will cry.

On I went past the mystery rock and lo and behold a rescue helicopter hovering at the far end of the beach!

Sadly it flew off before I could get closer. It did some extreme low level hovering though above Witches Point, no idea why it was there

Stuff – I ordered new shoes as I have complete shoe envy since Sergei announced hers. I am awaiting their arrival and hope they fit. I also have a small tweak in my hamstring and a bit of foot pain so guess who’s being a good boy and resting a few days?

The birds!

Got back from West Wales on Sunday and the weather was beautiful and the tide was out …. So within half an hour of getting home I was back out on the trails.  An easy seven miles down to Witches point.

Lots of fisherman – They must be biting or some such fishing jargon

There were unusual numbers of seagulls on Wick reef – Never seen this many together before.

Those white dots – seagulls

Millions of the bastards

Which I enjoyed making flap about as I ran towards them

This lot stood their ground – So I left them to it

More West Wales

On friday I headed down to West Wales to stay with friends again and of course I managed to fit in a run.

In fact I fitted in a 15 mile run along the Welsh coastal path. I intended to do around 10 but I felt great and it was a beautiful day so I just grabbed the chance to go further. The thing about coastal paths is that they are very rarely level – My watch reckons I did 2500 feet of elevation gain! I have to admit that some of the climbs were steep but I had the common sense to walk the worst and managed to keep my heart rate down for the whole thing (Im a good boy)

You can see why I was enjoying it

I found a washed up buoy – Bigger than I thought they’d be!

The views were simply stunning

And it all went a bit deliverance at one point. Is #spottedtheskull trending?

I ran along the beach at Broadhaven

Went past Littlehaven nad kept going (Everywhere around there appears to be called somethinghaven)

Went through some lovely woods (also full of bloody nettles)

#spottedtheship

Destination – This headland

Destination reached!

On the way back the tide was right out so I could run and scramble between the two Havens and was glad I did as I #spottedthecave and what a cave it is!

Found but didnt eat the mushroom!

This part of the trail is know for its man-chasing giant acorns – I was wary but didn’t see one

So 15 miles, lots of hills, controlled breathing and heartrate, good nutrition and hydration. Things are going well right now! (touch wood, don’t jinx myself etc)

And all this followed by a few hours in the kayak and some beers with Iolo the dog.

Last week …

I kind of promised myself that I would journal every run even if it was short and nothing really happened – Well that was last thursday and I’ve only just got around to blogging it due to circumstances.

It was short – Just the 2 and a half to the beach and back – But I saw a sheep!

All things bright and beautiful

All creatures great

and small

3 miles today to shake the legs out with my speedy and not so speedy buddies above

Happy accidents

You know that feeling when you plan a 5 or 6 mile run to shake the legs out a bit and it feels gooooood ….. and so you end up running 13?  That was today.  I was prepared though! After fridays disaster I had my pack with me with water, banana and my homemade energy biscuits.

The tide was in so I was happily tootling up and down the hills and along the cliffs. The sun was shining and I felt good so hey why not!

You can see why I kep going and going!

I ended up going as far as the rivermouth at Ogmore and though I’ve run this route before today I definitely felt better throughout it. I had also squeezed a fresh lemon into my hydration bladder – electrolyte city!  (PS if you do this do NOT let the pips go in too – they block the bloody valve)

After a 5 minutes break to let my legs sieze up nicely I headed back and approaching Southerdown wondered if my friend Swampy was working in the Cups as it was Sunday lunchtime – He was!  So I stopped for more refreshment

This may not have been the best idea 8 miles into the run

I’m happy to report that although cider is not a PED wolfing down a pint in 15 minutes then running again does mean a fair amount of sloshing in the stomach. Nothing too bad though and was nice to have a change on a run.

There were surfers in the sea at Southerndown too – I think I need a zoom lens

Sign of rain? Or just lazy cows. Check out the one on the right with the eye patches – mean bovine!

So after 8 miles last night and 13 today I’m off to rest the limbs in the pub with more cider which I won’t be runing home after (I’ll take the bike)

Happy weekend =)

Sunset and a night run

Thought I’d change things up today, as I continully miss dawn due to bed related incidents (Ie sleeping) I decided to go running at sunset.  Never thought I’d be choosing to do this on a saturday night!

 

After the sunset I ran back to the other end of the beach so I could run the rocks in the dark with a headtorch – Soooooooo much fun!  Bit tricky to take photos of it though.

However I did take a video – sadly I had the camera the wrong way up so you have to tilt your head :p  Then again i was concentrating on not killing myself so I think I did ok

Hey cool – WordPress auto inserts youtube vids, who knew!

I actually did 8 miles, around half of those in the dark (and back up the spooky path) and I had a blast!  I’ll definitely be back out for more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nature looks after its own

“Ill-preparedness, carelessness, lack of concentration, poor maintenance of tools. Oh. And overconfidence sir.” – Terry Pratchett, Pyramids.

This quote from the book actually sprang to mind yesterday. I blew it. Mainly overconfidence. I was flat out all day in work and although I never stop for lunch anyway I usuallt just eat fruit throughout the day whenever I feel hungry. I didn’t really feel hungry yesterday so when I got home I went for a run having had no more than an apple and banana all day. Which is why within 3 miles I had what could only be described as a mini bonk. The usual signs were there, lightheadedness, weird vision (like running through powerpoint slides – stuttery) and a general feeling of weakness. I realised  what it was and needed food (and roundly cursed myself for running with no food in me or on me) but had none and was on the far end of the beach. I knew it would be a long slow jog back although the symptoms did ease once I slowed it was tricky to do anything technical safely.

Lovely view but not easy to traverse feeling like shit

When I got off the beach though Mother Nature came to my rescue. Yet another benefit of running trails, especially at this time of year. Fruit!

Natures bounty

I ate a few handfuls of blackberries and a few minutes later I was pretty much rocking again. Amazing how quickly the body recovers with just a litttle of what you need.

Plus sloes – Not to everyones taste as they are very sharp but I quite like them

Sloes!

So yeah I was ill prepared, overconfident and complacent but this is all a learning curve. I wouldn’t drive my car on an empty tank, I won’t run again on one either.

However this run clocked up my 800th mile since I started, I won’t forget that milestone 😉