Dark O'Clock X-C

Dark O'Clock X-C
Early morning cross country run from Flitwick to Luton

Thursday 25 October 2012

23/24th Up't norff



Day 297 Tuesday 23rd October 8.1 miles : miles to date 1948.8

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. The boy is back in town and raring to go. I have put in the odd good run since Chester, but nothing really to note. I have kept it low level and mostly slow. Over the last 5 days in particular I have enjoyed vino and lots of lubbly jubbly grub and I have bloated out a bit. 

So, after a hard days shopping in Geordieland, it was a case of lets just try to run 8 miles at marathon pace and no more ie 7 minute mile.  I warmed up in the first .1 and then bang, it came back. I was so worried that I might start breathing heavily and puff out, but despite the beer belly and mountains of food, I can say with some relief that hello mamma, Daddies back. Eight miles at an average pace of 6.39 makes me a very happy chappy tonight. It was actually fine. As I ran faster, I just felt good, flowing and on top of the world.

18 weeks ago I set out to make a 7.30 mile pace comfortable when at the time it seemed the fastest I could run. Without trying to show off - and I am very sorry if it comes across that way as these posts are just a reflection of where I am in a factual way - 7 minute mile pace is becoming the norm. I hope in the months that follow, that will become my recovery pace. 6.30 effort pace? 6.00? Barking? Why not?


Day 298 Wednesday 24th October 7 miles : miles to date 1955.8

 YYEEAAHHHHH! Today's little jaunt was one of the best runs of the year so far. Fi and I set out to run from a little place in Northumberland called Wark, heading up and over the hills to a slightly bigger smaller place called Bellingham taking in part of the Pennine Way as we did so.

 I have run the route twice before and knew that it was isolated, hilly, muddy and wonderful. It is so far removed from our normal runs, even the x-c's I do with the SMC. This part of the North East is sparsely populated and the scenery is just magnificent. The first two miles went almost straight up and a breather or two was needed. We soon hit the PW, which runs for something like 240 miles. As soon as we did, our feet just sank into the saturated field's. I kind of knew they would and I was a tad apprehensive as to how Fi would react. She just laughed and we then spent the next two mile's or so dodging mad sheep who looked like they wanted to fight and pulling our shoes out of the mud.

 We were up, down, running across fields, brooks, the odd farm and lots of mud baths. It reminded me very much or a race I did a few years ago, called the Lyke Wake where I constantly put one foot or the other knee deep into water/mud. This time it was only ankle deep but for almost all of the middle section. 
 And the best thing? Fi just laughed all the way. We struggled through bracken, waddled through quagmires, ran/climbed a crag and stood on the top of the ridge with the best 360 degree view I have seen in a long while and just rejoiced in it all. 

 I know I have been PB hunting for sometime now, but these are the runs that make it all worth while. The ability of being able to pull on your daps and just say, yep its wild wooly and wet, so what the heck lets just go for it, is what to me running is all about.



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