I sat in all morning completing the dubious task of sending belated seasonal greetings cards, then ate lots of good energy food and set off with an ambitious target of finding out what I'm capable of on a run.
Basically I'd have been happy with another 10km so soon after the last one but it was so beautiful out there. I got onto footpaths I don't usually use and the sun was still out, glinting off the remaining snow and a fresh sprinkling of new dust. I just kept going along the lane of puddles, down Onkersley lane then onward towards Wyming brook. I had a tiny wobble at the road. Would it be wise to carry on up or should I retreat to the reservoirs? I persevered.
At the point I needed a short walk, I checked my watch - 7.7km. 5 days ago that would have been my longest run in ages. I couldn't run on hard surfaces any more but the icy leaf mulch was ok.
The lower path at the junction in the woods won out over Lodge Moor and I stuck to footpaths in preference to the bridleways for a change of scenery.
As I scrunched across Fox Hagg a massive grin spread. I got that ski hill feeling. Despite what my brain thinks, my body really does function well in a harsh cold environment, especially with the sun on.
Talking of which, it only started to set over the golf course so by the time I had dropped down to my local park again small clusters of folk were out in the icy fields watching the sunset and drinking tea from flasks or smoking joints on the edge of civilisation.
More were heading out along the narrow bridleway so I adjusted (extended) my route to avoid them, zig zagging back through the allotments, the open field then communing with the dead at the cemetery.
An angel on my shoulder said, "you ran 10 miles today". A devil on the other shoulder said "yes, but you walked a bit". "Yes," said the Angel, "but when did you ever run 10 miles and not walk a bit"?
Strava said it was my longest run ever on Strava. True but only my 40th ever longest run. I haven't run this far since 2018, the year I first gave up triathlon but still had some random fits of off-the-bike activity.
At least mountain racing gives me a reason to keep running as hours on my feet equal practice and strength training benefit. It's exciting though.
I have new places opened up to me now. Footpaths to places I have not been in over 4 years - and all within 150 minutes of home.
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