Sometimes its a head thing...

I've had a fortnight out with a thigh injury.  Worst possible timing - I was just back from walking across Scotland, and then ran my second fastest 10km ever... And then for 2 weeks, bugger all...

Well not quite I walked a bit, and climbed less - when you try and push through on a bouldering route and your thigh says "no go" it's time to become the dead weight at the end of a rope.

However, two weeks isn't really enough time to affect my fitness, but it does get into your head a bit...

Throw in not having run a lot - bit difficult when you're walking the Great Glen Way with a backpack on and its beginning to nag at me - how am I going manage the 30 mile / 50 km ultra in July and the 100 miler in August.

Which is what this weekend was about - go out, push myself with some hills and then burn some miles on good surfaces to see how my thigh holds up...

Three thousand and a bit feet of up and down, 22 miles along - with the rule being - no running, bring it in under Naismith.  Naismith is the rule of thumb for calculating how long a walk should take, I use a plan vanilla version and also include in my total food & other breaks - so to beat Naismith is good going. 

Why?  Without running keeping to Naismith can be a little tough - averaging 4km per hour over a long distance and whatever the conditions throw at you isn't always easy.  If you don't believe me try it - oh, and make at least half of it on a new route so you're navigating as well...

And taking a few photos...

 
Stanage Edge Looking North


 
Derwent Edge

 
A cheerful piece of graffiti
 
 
 The weather was interesting - over 18 degrees C and very humid, then on Stanage Edge blustery then gale force (I was getting blown around) then along the valleys I could see the torrential downpour arrive - which was good I could get my waterproofs on.

The weather settled down, to showers and wind for the stretch along Derwent Edges and then the drop down to the Dams.  Then it was hit the warp-drive, power on - flat, good paths and time to make up....


Which I did:-) Naismith for the route is 8:47... 16 min is a km... Not bad:-)

Sunday was a stroll, objective the same keep ahead of Naismith, and get to Chatsworth in time for a trip around the house & gardens...



This is an old friend of a walk - I know it well, and have walked many along it... And Chatworth was cracking...










All in all not a bad weekend's walking - now to translate stamina into some speed... Hopefully!  On to the Ultra:-)

TTFN

Paul
 
 
 
 

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