Sometimes you need a few friends

We have just over 2 weeks left in the countdown to the run over the other side. Battling a sore back at the moment that just seems to tweak nastily every now and again. But then again when have I ever run a race without an injury so it’s going to be a fingers crossed and hope its ok on the day kind of thing, even if its not perfect I reckon it’ll be good enough.

So crew is sorted and we have a vague plan, its handy to have a friend who is willing to spend all day driving and meeting up with me and listening to me moan about how everything hurts. She’s seen it all before in my first 50 miler and doesn’t really give a shit as long as she gets to spend the day with the dogs.

Its a two dog adventure again and Murph will get to spend the day with his new best buddy Dug. We’ve been getting some training in but also enjoying the chance to to walk too with Dug, he’s a Romanian rescue and although not quite as damaged as Murph he has some issues that are being ironed out. Judging by the photo avalanche below you will see what I mean.

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  Dug is allowed off lead at the beach first thing when no-one else is around and we go mental – I’m not really trying to bite him but we playfight a lot

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  This is our dance routine opening

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  Oof – We playfight quite hard

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  But always best buddies

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  We went to Margam park one morning – we had to stay on long leads – Mainly cos we will both chase anything that moves

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  Chilling for once

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  I was very happy to try the back of the mini camper, Dug appears to be less excited

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  More zoomies

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  Dog wrestling

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  Headlock

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  Boxing…..

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  I will fend you off with my left jab

Released!

We were pinned at home by the storms over the weekend, nothing long was really possible so we made do the best we could. Sunday was utterly dreadful and it doesnt take long for cabin fever to set in. But this week is half term and so we took our chance on monday. Although we didnt mean to – I have a slightly dodgy back at the moment, I felt it pull while lifting but I figured a few miles to see the folks and back wouldnt hurt.

So off we went and although the wind was still strong it was just fine. We extended a little and then some more and then figured well we might as well go a little further which led to us covering around 10 miles or so and we got to see the damage to our forest – which turned out to be surprisingly little just a few trees here and there.

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  First blue skies for days – looking out towards Witches Point from inland

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  Trree down

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  Another tree down

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  Back along the beach

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  Happy to be back on the rrun

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  A different path – We are lucky enough to have a key and access to a prriovate path back from the beach

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  Normally we avoid people by running early in the day but today people were about as it was early afternoon so we used our key and slipped past them on the other side of the river

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  Murprhy rreturrning from a squirrrel chase

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  Flowers – sprring is imminent

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  We finished the day with a stroll though the fields at sunset

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  And I got a new bed – its huuuuuuge (I am spoiled)

Frisbee n Friends

Our weekend runs always include a visit to see Murphs friends now. Today we saw them first and then headed for the fields and the beach.

As the sun rose the day just got better and better. It was one of those runs where you never want to go home. 9 miles later we eventually finished – mainly so we could eat, drink and go out again later.

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  Dad also brought my frisbee to play with cos I don’t bother with the ball like my friends – but I love a good frisbee

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  My newest friend Dug turned up which was a surprise – we went a bit nuts together

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  Bodycheck!

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  So happy!

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  Off to the beach – along the cliffs to get there

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  Tide is coming in on our playground

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  Time to check out the rainbow

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  A little calm

Today we proudly present …

The murphometer!  As mentioned in a previous post our goal this year is to walk and run 2000 miles. Progress has been steady and as you can see from the power of high-tec wizardry we have cracked the 500 miles mark!  After a 200 mile march – due in no small part to working from home and spring bringing lighter mornings and evenings we got there a few days ago.

Stay tuned for very infrequent updates when I actually remember to update!

Apart from that – obviously still running and walking while of course maintaining social distancing (It’s not hard to do while living out here to be fair)

Be glad of the fence – this is actually top of the cliffs and theres a 200 foot drop a few feet to the left

Dawn runs at the beach

Dawn skies in the fields – and the rapeseed is suddenly shooting up and starting to flower – bring on the spring allergies!

 

 

Always a pleasure

We rocked out this morning at dawn as I was under the impression it was going to be a really hot day (it wasn’t really) and I wanted to get a good run in with murph before it got too hot for him. I don;t mind a bit of sufefring in the heat but i wouldn’t want to inflict it on him, its just not fair.  So off we went on an adventure which as I am lazy i will recount in photo form. It was a great run, we were out for around 3 hours and it’s time on feet in innterested in these days not distance – plus im not wearing a watch but im guessing 11 or 12 miles over cliffs, fields, roads and forests ….

Dawn in the Grange – heading for the beach

On the lead due to big cliffs and idiot dog

Happy runner – technically going the wrong way

We even did roads – well lanes – as you can see not used much

A filter here a filter there

Happy up on the common as the temperature starts to rise – we actually ended up in the hottest part of the day anyway but it was never oo bad and we know where water is

As evidenced by Murph crossing the giant stepping stones

More lanes – note designer grass growing through

I always love the views from up here

Yay! We are out and about!

Does running make you as happy as this …

Thats one happy doggo.  We’re both happy to be out and running, so much so it seems I never update the blog. And I say that every single time I post now!

Something else I say every year at this time and I’m always too early is – Doesnt it feel like spring!  I just got back from a beautiful run and whether its february or not it felt like spring!

So what have we been up to? Plenty of runs and plenty of rest days so the niggles dont become injuries. Plus a hiking trip to the Brecon Beacons with friends.

Trust me people winter is officially over – its spring!  (Bet we get more snow)

Sometimes we run. Sometimes we stand still

Oh hai – got any treats?

So if you’re gonna climb a tree ….. so am I. Now what?

oh right I got to help you down!

Adventure buddies waiting on treats

The dog is an idiot but I love him regardless

Haven’t been running in a few weeks due to injury. Seem to have torn a glute or something, well no seem about it I have torn a glute due to ….. circumstances.

I present some photos of circumstances. Luckily circumstances means that I am still walking around 8-10 miles a day without much pain so hey ho its all good everything needed a rest anyway.

Circumstances resting during a run

More resting

Meeting an old friend – fluffy dog!

Loves to dig!

Loves to play

Sunsets

Sunrises

Dusk dog

Afternoon sun

Handsome beast

Sunrise over the cliffs

Turning circle

Everyday can be beautiful if you let it

Amongst the rocks

Rain and shine (and mist and stuff)

I’ve run everyday for the past week (except friday which was actually a rest day) but havent blogged any. Cos im lazy and its summer and Im not at the PC so much and a million reasons so you can have a smorgasbord of photos from the last week.  Ive looked at my movescount stats and Im still a abit scared but nothings broken or hurting too bad.  This morning it was beautiful out and we just kept purring along feeling good which turned into 12 and a half miles some of which was even tempo (which is around 7 min/mile pace these days which is shocking me).  Murph loves it as much as I do thankfully.

Much of the week has been proper murk – rain too.  I dont care really as it just means its more likely I get the whole beach to myself

The face in the cliffs – Found it works both ways as long as you get the angles right

Pouty lips too!

Derp dog derping along derpily

Different beach, we ended up in ogmore and so I took Murph to where I used to throw stones for Soak a lot when she was getting on a bit

Returning from yet another unsuccessful skyrat chase

Having fun? I think you might be

Returning from unsuccessful skyrat chase number 293

Just a beautiful morning, n o reason to go home so tack on some extra miles

 

Finds!

Well im finding that a days rest everynow and again helps.  Well I knew that anyway but for once I actually listened to my body when on wednesday night my legs were just saying no just don’t do it tomorrow. Then on thursday morning I thought “hey they’re ok I could run” and common sense kicked in people! I actually thought about it and gave it a day off.  I looked at my stats which I rarely seem to do these days and realised I had run a 50 mile week with 30 miles in the last 3 days which is is maybe overdoing it, truth is im enjoying being out with murph so much I dont really notcie the miles.  If you add on the miles we walk too its no wonder the legs protest.

So a few runs since and today i made a find. A find find.

Surfboard with leash and fins intact just washing in overnight.  Not sure what I’m gonna do with it as I dont surf (though i could learn) but a find is a find – So I ran back 3 miles with it

Extreme closeup

Hide and seek – spot the dog?

Poser

Rockfall

Everyones got a talent

Even sheep, one of the stupidest animals alive and always looking for a new way to die.  But they have one talent that I dont have and im jealous.

They have absolutley no fear of heights – I could barely watch them pass along a tiny gap between the fencepost and cliffedge to get from one field to another.  They didnt even need to do this as the fence ends a few feet inland and they could have walked around it safely.  But thats sheep for ya, always looking for a novel way to expire

Murph watching them, utterly mystified

Another 7 miles or so and came home in a lovely rainshower kicking out silly pace as we were having fun