Sneaky Running Training

Awareness of time and space and one's own place in it

The test of seafarers.  I left the house today without any navigation tools for I know this valley like my own hands and yet I had forgotten I do not run downhill in daylight - not in general - I just don't go downhill from my house during daylight hours on a nice day.  Every pathway was filled from edge to edge with identical people.  Bald and hatted short fat men with matching wives and daughters with bleached blonde long hair and parka anoraks with furred hoods.  The 2010s shabby chique - every one of them looking like they're waiting to catch the school bus to 1982 but that bus has sailed so now they're starting their new years resolution to lose some weight by coming for a walk in MY valley on MY paths.

I have to say, this is in preference to them going to a sweaty gym with other sweaty germy people but I forget how much I hate this fitness surge between Christmas and New Year excess. 

The reason why I'm running?  I have grown tired of not using my fell running membership.  I love running in the fells and have missed the longer races that I started to do.  I suspect it will only enhance my ability on the mountain bike (particularly the foot-based bit) so I have committed to a couple of fell races and today was my day that I start a mini-commitment to make sure I do OK there too.

I stomped through the bog on the other side of the river avoiding a family of 2 kids plus the 0.4 (labrador) and excitedly scaled the 50 degree slope of the valley side, heart racing, feet sliding from underneath me urging me higher until I am away from it and can perch on a rock to eat lunch part 1 - a banana.  A badly timed run. I think there's a path up here or I'm going to look like a knob! (there is).

I drop back down to the river and the herd of blondes have made it that far so I stay on the road for a while, now seeing the answer to my long-standing question of why on earth people run on that stretch of road when there's a perfectly beautiful path by the river.  I join at the next junction, keen to avoid traffic now and the normals have thinned out the further we get from town. 

I munch a rice crispie square to kill the time in traffic at the final road section before turning off into the Fox Hagg Nature reserve.  I always dutifully turn left at the footpath sign but today I notice a worn path to the right.  It's obvious that it runs along the road (if on the other side of the valley and 40m higher up) so I follow it.  I don't see a soul but have an, "Ahhh, that's where that comes out" moment when I reach the car park at the other end. 

No need for map part 2.

This is the runners equivalent of riding out to the start of an Audax.  I have been hankering after the run up Wyming Brook every day since I've started off-road riding and here I am, at Wyming Brook and I didn't even touch the car. 

I love the steepness of the Brook, its waterfalls and treacherous scrambles over the rocks (not really that scary) and the deafening noise of the bounding stream.  The walkers here are more adventurous and bounce out of my way with good day cheer.  At the top, a feisty old lady refuses to have anyone offering to hold her hand over the stepping stones.  I waver over the idea of running through to Stanage Pole or Headstone but instead decide to retreat to home and save my legs for a ride tomorrow.  I'm pushing my distance as it is.

I follow a pair of mountain bikers for a while and keep them on their toes as they have to keep stopping for walkers as I just skip by, running at pace with a biker doing the occasional push. 

The posh people on the other side of the wall are playing golf whilst I stick some gloves on to protect my hands from the biting wind, otherwise wearing only a pair of leggings and long tee against the breeze in comparison to their body warmers and thick leather gloves and flat wool weave caps.

I toy with the idea of a teashop lunch at the garden centre but push on for home.  My legs have been sore since 10k and I don't like the idea of stopping and trying to get moving again.  I'm having the occasional walk and then feel better so run the last of the route home.  A couple of near-misses - a trip and then a rolled ankle remind me I am not invincible and still a little wobbly. 

A little walk through the stables - so as not to frighten the horses - of course - then I run it home. 

A run after a rest day is exactly what the physio allows.  Now let's see if I can back it up with a ride tomorrow!