Weekly Mileage: 90 miles
I've been a bit slow to update this blog lately, sorry about that. I was away this weekend and was quite busy so didn't get the chance. Anyway, back to the running. I was in Whitehills for the weekend with Gail visiting her family. On Saturday morning I decided I needed a change of scenery from the usual road routes I run while I am in Whitehills so I hit the Forestry Commission website and looked for some forest trails. In the end I found some trails that are used in the winter as cross country ski trails in a place called Clasindarroch. It took me ages to find the place, it may well be the North East's best kept secret! After getting lost several times, turning round and driving up and down the same road over and over I got annoyed and threw the map across the car. I was just about to give in when I pulled up alongside a pick-up. The driver, a friendly farmer helped point me in the right direction and I eventually found my way to a deserted car park.
It was worth the wait. I found the most secluded forest and within them were beautiful trails of broken stone and moss covered dirt paths. They stretched through dense fir trees and up on high ground looking out across the beautiful North East countryside. I had the most enjoyable 12 mile run and with the hilly trails I felt as though my legs got a really good workout.
On Sunday I was up early and out the door at 8am hitting the roads around Whitehills for another 26 mile run. It was a cold crisp morning, but a good day for running. The roads around Whitehills are very undulating with some big hills and some nice descents, and I found the first 13 miles pretty tough going. As has become a feature of my recent runs I was constantly on the look out for signs of pains and aches in my legs and I found plenty. My right leg ached from the hip down and my left leg was sore in the calf. Thankfully, it was the ache I associate with tiredness rather than injury and it was a case of endure rather than worry.
Turning back after my outwards 13 miles I found it a little easier and managed to pick up the pace. Although the aches were still there, they seemed to ease. It's funny, but you'd think after weeks of long 20 mile plus Sunday runs that I would be bored and fed up of running them, however, on Sunday I found myself at mile 19 smiling away as I ran down the road trying to pick up the pace a bit. It felt really good. I was ignoring the aches in my body and just letting it flow with the pure joy of stretching out one foot in front of the other. Even the hills didn't feel too bad and over the last two miles I found myself zipping along the road at 6.20 pace.
Having said all that I was pleased to finish another week's training and leave myself 7 more days of hard training before I taper. I am still very much looking forward to my taper. Despite the good feelings I enjoyed during my run today my body still ached a lot and is clearly in need of some down time before Amsterdam.
No comments:
Post a Comment