This morning it was long run time so I ran a circular route along the cliffs as far as St Donats then the beach back to Witches Point and then back along the cliffs home which works out at around 13 miles but the terrain is tricky for a fair bit of it. As I write this my legs are definitely feeling it!
So a painful run in some aspects but wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
This was actually Wednesday but been kinda busy … Oh I tell fibs I just forgot. Haven’t forgot about the sunset though. Only a 4 miler before dark along the cliffs but it was worth it. Except for the pain in my stomach … I think due to new stretching regime which has involved planks and such shenanigans.
But the sunset that night …..
Even if you don’t know what it is at the start. I wanted to do a slower recovery type run on sunday … except for some reason I sort of didn’t feel like it. But the day was kinda nice and I felt I should get out while I could. Plus I know that as soon as I do I’m loving it all over over again.
I was doubly glad I did as I met this little fella who I initially thought was dead as he’d been out of the water for some time as the tide was on the way back in.
I took a quick pic and grabbed him and chucked him in the nearest rockpool, upon which he sprang instantly back to life and darted for cover.
So yeah ok it’s one tiny meaningless fish in the scheme of things but I saved the little bugger which made me happy …. and that’s what counts right?
Plus as usual the scenery was beautiful and the clouds came to play
Just 4 miles but 4 miles I’m glad I did
Almost …. I dont have set days to run but I do want to do a long run each weekend and follow it up with a recovery run. I’ve done this twice in a row and am planning to work back slowly. So I’ve decided to just add a mile every week or so depending on how I’m feeling so I went from 10 to 11 this week. During the week I’ll get done what I can depending on tides and daylight. As the evenings lighten I can do more so hopefully by the time we get to spring I’ll be in full swing!
So this was saturdays 11 miles
I ran on wednesday and thursday this week. Two runs that couldn’t have been more different. On wednesday I got home from work, felt fine, got changed, warmed up, off i went and within a mile felt atrocious. Not the first time this has happened. I think it’s a nutrition thing. I made it to the beach and back for around a two and a half mile dispiriting run.
On thursday after work I strapped myself back in and wondered how it would go….. I felt fantastic and I flew, the HR stayed where it should, the flow kicked in and it felt effortless.
And the sunset helped ….
Oh yeah and I am also Captain Sheep Rescue! Saw this idiot stuck in a fence so had to stop to get him out, Dumb sod was driving forward into the hedge while I had to pull to release him. Tug of war between man and sheep is the outcome….. Might have looked a bit odd
So lesson from this learned is that a bad run is just a bad run and always get out cos there might be a sheep stuck in a fence somewhere that needs you!
So when did running for at least an hour become normal and a short run? Had camera issues today as in the battery is dead in the one I usually take so I had the one with the cracked screen – Just point and hope. Everything felt fine today, few creaks and aches but as usual they all smoth out in the end.
Today marked the start of an actual training cycle. Its 20 weeks until the Preseli Beast so plenty of time to build up to 24 miles of fell running. Today was a “short long run” in that its 10 miles which I don’t have any issues doing really but I want to build back to longer distances slowly to try to avoid damaging the foot and knee to the point where I have to lay off completely again. Should tie in nicely to the half in February. See – I’ve been doing some thinking!
Luckily the weather was fine apart from a stiff wind. I did a half beach and half cliff run so I got the best of both worlds including some steep climbing. Was happy to see that I hadn’t put the HR over 170 (169 is damn close though) and it seemed to spend more time in the working hard but not maximum catergory. And overall it was 136, I can live with that considering the route was hard.
Enough of the running talk, onto the photos!
So yesterday we were sort of promised a snowpocalyse which would surely herald the end of civilisation or something. If you believe the press that is. It never happened so instead I just took a blustery run down to the beach and back before dark.
Why do you have to be all wrong this weekend. I can’t really grumble as if I can’t run on the beach I can still get a great run in along the cliffs. Only around 4 miles and it felt harder than usual for some reason but took it easy and just let the body work it out for itself.
After four days off due to worries over the state of my legs it was time to go out on a slow test run. I’m glad to report that there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong apart from the usual slight foot pain on left and knee pain on right. I’m used to these two, I can live with them. The run was about clearing the worry of injury as much as anything which it did. However that was about the only clear thing today.
This route takes me past a spot where a friend died in a car crash a few years ago. He was a real lover of life and I always stop to say hello and remember that life’s short and can be taken at any time. We were talking about him not long ago and someone said that he was essentially uncoachable at rugby as he could only play utterly flat out, he would give everything possible for as long as he could and then would have to be taken off completely spent. Ultrarunning wouldn’t have been his game, patience and restraint was never his forte; but the way he approached sport was admirable. No matter the game or challenge he went headlong into it with utter conviction and gave everything. We live in a tight knit village and although we all miss him we can be grateful for having shared in his love for life.
I’m not sure why I’ve brought this up, I’ve stopped at the spot many times. Perhaps it’s only now I’m appreciating the lessons that his life and death have taught. Give everything you can while you can … but learn to see when the costs are simply too high.
Cheers Rhod
Blue Green Gold Grey, Awyr Maes Tywod Aarreg 