Is it possible to feel too good? Some days I just want to fly and I know if I fly I can break. It’s at the point now where 8 or 9 miles after work (Gotta love BST) feel compltely fine and natural and keep my head in such a good place. I can go faster but I know I dont actually need to go faster. It’s just a matter of having to put the brakes on and it’s hard to drop pace, I naturally keep dropping pace to around 8 to 8.30 minute miles which over that terrain is ridiculous and unsustainable for my body but it just feels so good to fly.
Tides inFeisty little bugger on the left saw me off!Hard not to fly on days like these
I was torn on sunday about whether to run until I saw the weather and then figured my fankles (new word covering my feet and ankles) would survive one more push. The last few runs I’ve been trialing a thin ankle support and it seems to be making a difference. Plus I wanted to get used to running on tired legs and so another longish run was the order of the day.
A further 12 miles with as much climbing as I could get in (going all the way up Witches Point as hard as I could go after 7 or 8 miles surprised me)
I also had some sad news on saturday night – Master Robert had died. He was a lovely old guy who lived in the big house at the Cwm and owned the Bruce Estate. He loved the beach and area as much as I do and was always picking up litter. Guess I’m the only one left doing that now.
Will be odd to run past here knowing he isn’t around. Often used to stop to chat with him.Still – life goes on and so does the run. Racing the tides todayJust the perfect morning to be out before the trippersI found a map! Still exploring the Dunraven end of my runBadly focused cookie – Best thing about long distances – I eat what i feel like out thereTide racing – Tide won – Still the odd rock scramble never hurt anyoneAlways worth it
So in the last 4 days I covered 37 miles of pretty hard going terrain. The fankle, although aching a little is holding up. I’m just utterly knackered. Few days off I think
Only 12 and a half miles and 2 and a half hours but felt longer. I guess it’s the terrain plus I did some exploring!
Found me some wild bamboo off the beaten track… certainly did not expect that!The usual …A road! I wondered what was on the other side of the gatehouse at Derval Woods … well I knew it was a road I just wanted to see it. It was kinda dullMean ass looking bull!New forest to exploreAnd a fallen tree. Nothing earth shattering but a bit of a change of scenery never hurt
I can’t help it, I meant to take it kinda easy as tide was in so cliffs were only option and legs were a little sore I’m guessing from the hill repeats. And as I hit top of the cliffs and stopped to watch the surfers I realised there was a runner behind me. No problem he can pass me easy enough but he didn’t. So I figured if I wanted space I’d have to make it. Which I did at 6-7 min/mile pace along the cliffs which actually felt fantastic to put the hammer down and fly without stopping. Yeah ok maybe not sensible but it felt good to breathe hard but not blow up and the cwm’s were so much fun to fly up and down (well the first was a 200ft mudslide but hey its all foward motion right)
By Witches Point I was expecting to be half dead but I still had it in the legs to do the climb to the top. Recovery was fast and so I decided on the longer extremely wet and muddy route home.
Not so much a path as a streamThe gatehouse thingy at Derval WoodsAwwwwwww – They were playing together like you’d expect puppies to do. It’s easy to forget they just want to have fun too. STOP EATING THEMThe usual. I never get bored of the usualFuelling strategy – The school I worked in that afternoon had just gone through inspection so the staffroom was full of shit food! I love shit food but rarely eat it these days so when I get the chance … So kids if you want to run far and fast eat shit food when the sun shines!
Wednesday was literally to the beach and back on a grey day – even the beach looked meh. Not gonna lie I dont know why I didnt take a rest day when I had chance, I think the head was saying for christs sake run after work.
Look at it – meh or what
Thursday was better, the sun came out a bit and although the tide was in I did some more hill repeats barefoot, I’m really enjoying that and it feels so much easier to climb that way. Plus I get to see this at the top every time…
Reward for each repeat
Theere were surfers about too to keep me company. I can cope with company when theres zero chance it can talk to me
Look away now if you hate feet – Some people do, some people don’t. Most don’t lets face it.
I have a few blisters and sore patches I usually tape up and ignore but the tide was in today and I felt like doing some hill sprints. So I decided to do them barefoot, I figured it’s hill sprints – the impact is low.
It was actually quite fun and surprisingly easy to drive off the forefoot but it was absolutely bloody freezing on the soles on the way down. I have to say I really enjoyed the change, I mean I wouldn’t fancy the impact at any pace but for a steep hill like this it felt like floating up. In fact although I stopped counting my GPS tells me I did around 20 and to be honest I didn’t blow up or get the jelly legs. I was sad when it started to get dark and my frozen feet drove me to go home.
High tide and sun in the skyArgghh feet and the hill of less pain that usual – What a terrible nameMy sun has gone =(
I followed up saturdays long run with another 7 miles on saunday to recover slowly. After a short period of ow shit that hurts everything loosened nicely and even better it’s now monday and I’ve been pretty much serious pain free all day including the left foot. I can feel the twinges though so a day off today.
Between the two days there are a few things I ned to remember – You can switch off here this is for my own benefit so I remember.
I got my fuelling working better on the saturday. I took bananas and the homemade honey bars and started eating after an hour and then every 3 miles or so which seems to sit well with me. I can get calories in without feeling nauseous without problems but I do wonder about how much I can carry for ultras, bananas are surprisingly heavy for the calories they provide. Might need to test a few other smaller, lighter and more calorie dense options. I mean I like the honey bars but after 30 miles I’m not so sure if they’ll digest easily.
I also ran with one bottle of plain water and one with some electrolyte supplements. Seemed to work well and although I prefer plain water I know I sweat so much I need to replace some salts and minerals. At least I felt fine after 15 and no harm done so i can keep testing this.
I wore the Inov8 ultra 290 which are GTX which I’m finding might be ideal for ultras thanks to a bit more cushioning, I lose some grip and feel on technical terrain but how much of that will I need compared to not screwing over my feet. I noticed tightning of the laces around 8 miles on and thats my feet starting the swell so remembering to loosen the laces for once helped. I dont need GTX for the ultras this summer as I dont want hot feet with no way of removing sweat so might have to invest in a non GTX pair.
So if you stuck around through that little lot you get some photos!
I was running out of sand and needed to get to Witches so between waves it was fartlek time along this stretchI never look up – theres some cool stuff up there!Hauled this heavy bastard back – Now its here I’m not quite sure what to do with it but I’m sure I’ll think of something. Sometimes I just see driftwood and think “want”
Even though I’m no fan of made up commercialised days that have no meaning beyond making money for corporations it is indeed mothers day and my mum is indeed totally awesome so happy mothers day! I truly do have special parents even if I don’t tell them enough.
I’ll give you an example: fell through their door yesterday a mile from the end of a 15 mile long run. Covered in mud and sweat with bambi legs … There are jelly beans waiting for me … jelly beans! Who doesn’t need jelly beans after 15 miles!? Then I get shown the model ghosttrain my mum had made with wiring and flashing leds and everything! Why? To go in the funfair! What funfair? The funfair on the model railway currently being constructed by the pair of them which is taking over the utility room. Dad does the railway bits and mum does the scenery. Seriously when I get yo your age I want to be as cool as you two 🙂
So happy mothers day I’m lucky to have you two who might just be to blame for me being the individual I am 🙂
Oh yeah and have some run photos from the 15 miles.
Up early – out of door by 8 is a miracle for meMothers day daffodilsCliff snot looking particularly green todayThat time of year again. Thank Christ I’m a vegetarian this year!Heading down over WitchesBetween the gorse (escaping with a stolen golf ball but that’s another story)Just gorse.Yeah thanks for the advice…. I’ll just go that way thenFloody river!
Blue Green Gold Grey, Awyr Maes Tywod Aarreg 