The Walker With Heart

Well I’m in the taper… The last long run didn’t go well…  A kid freewheeling along a path on his bike had his feet sticking out, a scene of pure joy… Unfortunately, his foot bashed into my knee. I just about managed not to teach the youngster some Anglo-Saxon… and shook the leg out and carried on.   The knee didn’t swell, but also didn’t feel right.   So discretion became the better part of valour and a planned 25 miler became a 14 miler.   Until the knee, all felt good. So a weekend of easy walking around town, and some dancing at a friend’s wedding, and the knee is feeling OK.   I’ll test it on Tuesday with a gentle run and a climb – but it feels OK. Which is good, as it clear my mind to plan for the Ultra-marathon, 31 miles in one hit…   Being an off-road run it comes with a kit list – Waterproof top – woo-hoo excuse to get a new very lightweight waterproof smock (thank you TK Maxx!) Full length leg covering – that...

I don’t often get goosebumps, mainly because I don’t often get cold… That clammy feeling when the hairs on your arms stand up is normally restricted for moments of mild terror or excitement. Which nicely brings me to Sunday… When I got them three times! Those readers in the UK who watch the BBC will have seen the wall to wall promotion, may have watched some of the runners or the highlights show.   It was the Great North Run – the biggest mass participation event in the UK.   An half marathon, known throughout the world for its fancy dress runners, charity fundraisers and recreational runners. As frequent readers will have gathered I’m going through a purple patch with my running, which is nice as I used to go purple when I ran.   I wasn’t expecting Sunday though. Goosebumps 1 – it was wet , windy and cold in the massed start… People were wrapping themselves in discarded foil blankets to keep dry.   I embraced the cold… I’ve been warmer in Finland in wi...

This post was always going to be about how tough running 3 2h repeats in 1 day was... How I'd run & walk 46km in a day, and how I hurt but how I knew it would help in 3 and a bit weeks when I do the 50 in run... All of which is true... However, the last run, a gentle 11.5km in 1:45... very slow, yes... At night in an area I don't know - Yes! The run started surreally, in the middle of the woods, at dusk a battle of the bands raged so I set off to a reasonable version of Ace of Spades puncturing the night sky. As dusk turned to dark, my headtorch became an attractive proposition to the local insect life... Moths flew at me, chased by bats, close enough I could feel the wind off their wings.  Eyes glinted at me (science tangent - tapeta lucida is a specialised membrane some animals have that reflects light - and helps with their night vision), and suddenly I was jogging in a pack of horses... as they scattered, as surprised as I was, the big dipper started shining thr...

Same course... Same kit (close enough anyway)... Same hydration... Same fuelling strategy... Same result - 13 miles run... After being nervous as hell, it was a bit of an anticlimax - I went out and ran a good time yesterday (it was my 7th fastest 13 miler then)... 2:41... It's now my 8th fastest, as my run today (2:34) is my third fastest:-D The main thing I'm pleased about is I can move - I pottered around town this afternoon, I freely admit stairs weren't an easy option, but were done.  Yes, I'm wearing a full length pair of skins, but there's only tightness and no pain:-) My new trainers are working well, the slight niggling pain in my ankle is fading nicely, they soak up the impact of my thumping the miles out well and do seem to glide well over the various terrains I deliberately have thrown at them (paths, tarmac, loose stones, slidely mossy tarmac... One of the reasons I did this route). For those who like symbolism (and possibly irony) th...