Looking for early runners on Swirral Edge |
Looking for the first runners on our ridge |
The leaders arriving on Striding Edge |
James on Red Screes |
By Tuesday evening we were in Somerset. Visiting mum is lovely but increasingly difficult. It does though give us the chance to run on the Quantocks. I love those hills.
Ancient ways and boundaries on Beech trees |
Tuesday evening's run started well but after the first big drop my legs just refused to work. Various muscles hurt in turn and they did not just feel heavy but more like a succession of minor injuries.
I was frustrated and then upset. What was going on? It was a beautiful evening and I wanted to run! I arrived back at the van very dejected and worried about how I was going to manage the UT4M next month.
The next day I went for a short early run
and then another in the evening. I did not do so many drops and climbs but felt much better.
The colours of the heather and broom were amazing, there were deer and friendly foals ran with me before another foal tried to eat my camera.
I knew I had not really pushed hard but felt more positive. It is such a beautiful area that I really couldn't fail to enjoy myself.
Back home at the end of the week and I volunteered to help a young man with his degree dissertation. We arranged to meet at the Nick of Pendle.
Answering questions for a recording meant we jogged slowly and slowed to a walk on the way to the trig. Then as we turned back the rain clouds hit. We ran back at a fair speed and again I pushed it downhill, especially on the grassy paths. (again running fast downhill with a young man- there is a pattern here perhaps and I need to admit that I am getting old)
Waiting for Bob I did some exercises and I felt good.
On Saturday we had an errand in Chorley so I suggested we ran from Rivington barn. Bob would do the shorter Anglezarke Amble and I would do the long. I decided to go for slow, steady and to run as much as I could but at a gentle pace. Having to text Matt meant a very slow first climb and I missed out the Pike to make up for time.
It was interesting going more slowly than usual but then finding I was running more of the route, especially towards the end.
My overall time was pretty close to the race back in February. I was happy with that! Bob had finished just ahead of me so I jumped in the van and we drove home.
My legs felt tired but nothing exceptional.
Bob wanted to do back to back runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to prepare for his races in Grenoble. We agreed to a shorter run from Tockholes on Sunday. I knew the moors would be boggy and did not want to repeat yesterdays route so starting near the A666 I ran back through the woods towards Abbey Village. By the Fisherman's Dam I realised that my quads were complaining a bit. I turned up to cross the road and join the path that would take me down to Sunnyhurst Woods and another reservoir below Darwen Tower. My left quad was now refusing to work properly and I had to walk the downhill. I tried to run the flat and gentle up but something was not right. I knew I should try to find the easiest way back. The path around the reservoir was so overgrown I had to walk anyway but cutting down to the path at the end was agony. I walked fast up to the ridge that would let me drop to Slipper Lowe. I was now struggling to run even on the flat. The descent was awful and every step was making it worse. I ignored the safe permissive path and walked along the road side which avoided any more hills. I could now not run or jog even on level tarmac.
Spot the problem (it wasn't lack of battery) |
From the high of yesterday to the depths of despair now. Was this the overall price of chasing fast downhill from Red Screes to Ambleside, then chasing down hard again off Pendle? Did my 'gentle' run on the AA route really let me push the descents more than I had realised at the time? What the hell have I done? Would I be able to run at Bradwell? Should I run there or wait longer to recover for Grenoble? What if I could not run either? I promised myself no running all week and have iced my quad/knee frequently. It is better but not cured better. All of a sudden the foot problem that has plagued me for over two years seemed a minor issue. Yes, it hurts like hell sometimes but it doesn't actually stop me. A couple of days moping around and worrying... until I saw Sandra's post on facebbok- a broken ankle and stitches so no CCC for her. I guess I should be grateful that my summer might still work out OK.
How could I have so much up and down of emotions and my body in such a short space of time! I am trying to tell myself that it is like an ultra- there will be bad patches, they will not last, being slow or still for a while will not matter as it is the long game that counts. (fingers crossed).
Now my son Matt has just told me that after 7 years of training his friends brother cannot row at the Olympics- he has a virus that could make it dangerous. He must be devastated. the whole family have tickets to fly out and watch, his training was his life for years, how cruel. I almost deleted the whole post and cried for him but have decided I should leave it as a message to myself....it could be so much worse.
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