Every time I feel like im getting into a groove something like flu kicks in. This week has been mainly a writeoff, to be fair the flu didnt properly kick in until later in the week but last weekend saturdays run was around 10 miles and I felt amazing. Then on sunday everything was broke. Just felt bleuuurgh from the off. So you know what, I walked a lot of it, we did 6 miles or so but half run half walk and normally I cant get away from that “cheating” feeling when I walk but I figure its better to be out there doing something than nothing at all. I know Murph would prefer it!
So with 3 months to the first ultra and with a few fell races in between I feel like I cant get a solid training block started … and then i realise I havent really stopped and the fitness is there anyway so whats the worry.
Technically I shouldnt go out and run today but y’know…. techincally we’re all dead one day so im gonna seize this one
Great subject – terrible photography skillsNights are drawing outWe had a bit of snow – Murph loves it!Frosty morning at Nash PointWaterfalls of courseOur forest in between the showersSepia tinged doggo
The plan continues – run longer, take a day or two off to rest ankle then run longer. Each time the ankle takes longer to hurt more, it was fine til around 12 this time. Everything feels stronger. Might be the yoga (yep I’m still doing it although the breathing side of it mystifies me. I wanna breathe when I need oxygen dammit I cant wait for my arms to be over there ——> ) might be the general stretching, might be the work on the bike (and parents exercise bike – cheers for that even though I broke it immediately) might be the wobble board. Might be a lot of things but I’m feeling more optimistic about things holding together.
While checking out my ankles – yeah we all do it I’m sure. I’ve noticed that my right leg is considerably bigger than my left, I did spot it a while back but its definitely more pronounced, Im gonna look like a leggy version of popeye at this rate. I guess its from the right leg doing all the hard work – all the pushing up onto rocks and taking the impact when dropping off them. In fact any time I need to drive up anything the right leg does all the work as I protect the left foot and ankle. Cant be helped so Ill just look weird in shorts I guess!
Anyway enough waffling about my wonky body, bring on the photos!
Rainbow! See it this time dad?It was pretty damn amazing down there – hence a 4hr training sessionCan you blame me for staying out as long as I could?Molehills on a hill! Highest moles in the ValeSun starts dropping and time to go home
Finally a run longer than 10 miles. As I’m learning to ensure my body can take the increasing load I’m trying really hard to listen to it. Finally it seemed to be telling me go for a bit longer – So I did the 13 miles to Ogmore by Sea and back along the beach and cliffs. It was good to be out for a few hours and the better news is that it didn’t feel particulary difficult and there was little in the way of an aftermath. So all I need to do is keep listening to the body and I’ll be fine! Oh and in other news I’ve been vegetarian for a few months – I dont know why but I kept forgetting to mention it. So far so good and enjoying it. To be fair I didn’t each much meat anyway so it’s not a big change an I’m learning how to change diet and stay fuelled =)
The miles pass by pretty quickly when you’re running hereLove finding a rainbowSoutherndown beach from aboveHad fun traversing these odd pools in the sand
Took 7 more miles and a sunny day to finally catch up with my posts! Only to Witches Point and back but totally worth it if only to realise my body is so happy at the shorter distances its building confidence for the longer ones.
I of course saw some stuff ™
Spring weather means algae! (and waterfalls) Look – I have discovered purest green!I found quicksand – Not necessary to throw myself flat as it was contnet to stop at my ankles – There are shifting patches of this all over the beach, running into one is a bitch as it suddenly stops you and pulls all your legs muscles at once.Of course there were beautiful viewsAnd a little boat braving the sea between the shore and Nash sands, I wayched in hope for a while but it didnt sink
But wait .. what is this ominarse looking cloudHey look at the bottom of the ominarse cloud, its got little rain showers out at seaHey look its getting closer!
At this point the light went super weird and the rain started piling down. Which wasn’t too bad as it was kind of warm anyway. The beach looked really cool but it was impossible to caputure the feeling on a camera but I tried
Best I could do!Since I’ve grown my hair out again this is the view I get when it rains and the hair sticks to my face. Note the visibility enhancing parting.
As I was running back the sun came out so I knew it was ….. rainbow time!
So friday was a beautiful day! So beautiful I forgot to write about it! I never thought it would be a utter pleasure to run for several miles but it was. Only downer was the battery dying in my camera halfway through but I snapped a few!
The fields on the way to the beachThe beach is simply stunning when the weathers fine …. its not so bad when its crap to be fairOf course I visited the waterfall and resident rainbow#spottedthesquirrel Can you?
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!
Rainbow one – From the cliffs, you can just about make it outView towards Nash Point LighthouseFoghorn and lighthouseRainbow two – Or other end of rainbow one I dunnoSt Donats slipwayLighthouse from the beachBrickwork holding cliff up preventing said lighthouse from ending up in the seaRainbow three at the waterfallMet this little dude halfway up a cliff who wasnt fazed at all by me being right next to himHe was just like “yeah move along”View from above the robin
So a painful run in some aspects but wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
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!
Fields were looking green this morningPerfectly calculated – By the time I get to the next headland along the cliffs the tide will ‘just’ be far enough out to run back along the beachSome kind soul has built a driftwood bridge across the stream at Nash Point – Saves wet feet before the beach (in about 20 yards but still ….)Always know where to find your own rainbowsTide going out leaving the beach looking pretty damn good and my turning point at Witches before running home along the cliffs
So off I went again to gather more running data from my new watch and hr monitor. Well ok thats not why I went I just wanted to be out in the sun at the beach but a little data gathering cant hurt too. It all looks very much like the first day only I managed to spike my heart at 180 something this time. Its the rocks I tells ya!
Did catch some sweet sunshine though!And sunshine means rainbows
Went out yesterday as the tide was low and the sun shining, didn’t make any plans other than enjoying myself. For those new to the blog I don’t subscribe to training plans, I’m an organic runner – In other words I’m too lazy to make a training plan and would be too ill disciplined to stick to it if I did. Running for me is about having fun and adventures outside.
So off I jolly well went in best Famous Five tradition. Only there was just one of me….
I digress.
First thing I noticed was a battle between extreme rainfall swollen stream versus tides. I’ve never seen all these steps and mini waterfalls before as they are always covered in rocks and pebbles but you can see how the stream has actually cleared a path. Freshwater 1 – Salt water 0
I headed off towards Witches Point
Witches Point is yonder! Head for the sunshine!
I got to play on all my favourite rocks as usual and felt pretty good once the usual two or so miles of awww crap its not happening ….. oh I feel awesome
Was delighted to rediscover the rainbow in the waterfall
Got to Witches Point, turned into a headwind and went back past the stream still battling the tide and kept going to Nash Point at the other end of this stretch.
Nash Point lies yonder – Where the land ends in this photo
I was feeling great, I had hit what I now refer to as cruising pace. Not even troubling my breathing in the slightest. The legs were starting to feel it but mainly due to the terrain, the constant buffeting of rocks and jumping up and down 2 or 3 feet at a time wears them down eventually. One day I’ll run somewhere flat on a road and will glide serenely – yeah right.
I turned at Nash Point and was feeling good still so as the saying goes I made hay while the sun shone. Back over the rocks to Witches Point for a second time.
Approaching Witches for the second time I noticed this smooth rock platform at low tide. Nature is a fantastic builder. It’s a completely smooth pavement of rock, utterly perfect, no way could man make anything so perfect and beautiful.Sun shining and beach looking a picture!
I turned at Witches and made my final journey home with legs aching but a happy heart. Spending 3 hours or so and 13 miles in nature makes for a good saturday morning.
Blue Green Gold Grey, Awyr Maes Tywod Aarreg 