You gotta go for it – out after work as I knew the tide was just perfect and was it too cold for just shorts and tshirt or would I be fine once I was moving – Im glad I opted for the latter as the sun kept trying to peek through and warm me. It was a good 7 mile run to Witches Point and back and … I’ll let the photos do the talking plus can you spot the surfer?
Last weekend (I know I know) I went for a run during storm Brian – You cant not run in a storm! Especially not at the beach. It was hell windy and the tide was in so I got to to the clifftops in a gale … no dont worry I satyed way away from the edge
The wind and high tides made the sea pretty cool – Everything was so wild and blown out if it wasnt so cold and windy I could have watched it for ages.
I did come across some rather photogenic sheep apparently completely oblivious to the conditions ….
Then when I got home I had to move a load of stuff from the landing pre decorating which meant moving all my running shoes … not sure I have enough …
You cant beat local knowledge
So when I was confronted with an incoming tide and the situation below
I knew I had around half an hour before it would be a trudge over the pebbles to get back. 15 mins full jets out and 15 min full jets back!
Running is fun. Beaches are fun. Running on beaches is double the fun!
I kinda like my legs now. They take me where I want to go (I cant remember which book I robbed that from) and so due to overwhelming demand (from CJ) here they are in lycra
You may think wow look at those shoes! and you would be right to do so as they are my current favourite pair. They’re the La Sportiva Mutant and I’m currently in love with them as they give such a comfy ride plus fantastic grip and feel. They probably arent as cushioned as the Hokas but they (the Hokas) are currently relegated to being worn in work everyday (I also walk miles every day) as I just can’t feel I trust them on anything tricky. Its a shame as I love the cushion they bring when running but they just dont do it for me with either grip or feel for the terrain. I might check out the ATR3 or others to see if they are any better – woo time to start reading shoe reviews again.
So I just did home to the barrow mound at Wick ladders and back for a 4 mile or so run. I can feel the pace increasing each time without extra effort so I’m happy with the progress back. I just wish everything in life was as simple as running.
There were mushrooms on the barrow and of course always an (albeit misty) view
A friend died today, 6 weeks after a cancer diagnosis it was all over. He was 55. Life is short so grab it. I used the anger and pain and ran hills as hard as I could until I was blown out mentally and physically. It was all I could think to do to get my head around it.
Sometimes life is shit eh. Then again he wouldn’t have wanted anyone moping.
I’ll use it
But its somewhere nice to chill out and think about things for a while
Please don’t read if you’re an animal lover. This one doesn’t have a happy ending.
I ran on saturday morning and planned at least a 10 miler so I set off eastwards along the cliffs to Nash Point, I dropped down onto the beach there and noticed a lot of blood on the rocks – Then I spotted a full grown stag among the rocks with a bleeding mouth. Ok not the usual sight on a beach. I called a friend to contact the RSPCA for me as I was in and out of phone service.
I figured if I could get it up off the rocks and onto the grass above it would at least be safe from the tide. Sadly as I approached it it leapt up and scrambled up the short edge of the cliff itself – but on two broken front legs. It had clearly fallen off the cliff during the night. It was so sad to see but it made it to the grassy bank above and lay down. At least it was off the rocks.
In a bit of a dilemma now I decided to wait for the RSPCA – who never came – apparently too busy. I waited there with it for an hour and a half until the police and fire service came (not sure who called them but i was grateful as I was getting hypothermic by then in shorts and tshirt). I spent the time keeping warm by keeping people away from it. Even after explaining it was badly injured and going close would force it to move on broken legs they still wanted to see. I virtually forced people to take the other path around it, in fact I would have quite happily chucked some of them off the cliff.
The police asked me what condition it was in and the only honest one I could give was “fucked” and it was, it would have to be shot but by now there were people around and a busload of kids probably doing the Duke of Edinburgh. Shooting deer in sight of them wasnt the greatest idea and so he called a vet to cover himself – probably the right thing to do.
In the end I left them there before I really did get hypothermia, I couldnt do anymore for the poor creature and so I said goodbye to Cedric (I dunno why I named it – I talked to it across the valley for a while) and ran off home. I’m sure Cedric wouldnt have survived much longer and I hope his suffering ended soon after.
This is a long range shot of him. You dont want to see a closeup
So few posts! Feels like theyt’re coming thick and fast again so im behind! I went to the east as I hit the beach this time for variation. Another seven miler in beautiful autumn sunshine. Legs and foot improving all the time touch wood!
It was cold, windy and raining when I got home on Wednesday and I was actually happy about It! I got the chance to try out the rain jacket I had to buy for the kit requirements at the preseli beast five months ago. Seriously it’s wales and I haven’t needed once – I carried it at the roseland ultra too so I figured it had done 56 miles without being worn.
It’s a ronhill jacket (not sure of type) which is fully waterproof with taped seams to pass kit inspections and its actually great to wear, I thought it might get a bit hot but was just perfect, I was a little damp afterwards from sweat but not excessively so and it was so worth it to keep out the cold and wind which it did a brilliant job at.
I also wore full length running tights for the first time. They were actually an impulse purchase as we have a “designer outlet” near work which have some good running shops selling last years lines (I guess) and one of these is an Asics shop which does fantastic sales. I picked up the tights for £7 and have picked up loads of shirts for around a fiver and being asics (I like their clothing) its all great quality.
The tights at first felt a bit weird but by the ed of the run (around 7 miles) I was sold. They kept the legs warm and did away with the annoying “drag and swish” of wider tracksuit bottoms (If youve ever run in them you know what I mean) plus they dont hold water like tracksuits.
So ok Ive now worn lycra shorts and full length tights …. Im guess im sold on this running thing. Luckily I gave up on careing what I looked like many moons ago!
Met some wet looking buddies too!
To what am I referring? Who has the dirtiest mind out there (Dont answer I think I know!)
This of course!
Wish I’d been around when it happened – must have been spectacular! The stack on the left is still standing too! So I had to investigate
I had a scramble over it nosing for fossils but found nowt. Bit wary of what might still be to come so kept within arrrghhhggh shit run distance
I did another 7 miles and everything is feeling pretty great at the moment, less pain and stiffness from foot afterwards too.
Apart from the rockfall it was pretty spectacular as usual!
Blue Green Gold Grey, Awyr Maes Tywod Aarreg 