Stumbles and Spills In The Woods!

Hello blog lovers!

It's been a while, hasn't it. Have you missed my complete ramblings! Well, this past week has been almost a complete Uturn from the 'Wanna be fit and running marathons (well half)' me! Thank goodness I did a jog last Monday!

Today was going to be the same route as last week. I'm sure the risk assessor chap would be a little more pleased with my efforts this time though. I have a hand held torch as well as the head torch plus my HiVis jacket! Still no mobile phone though, as I forgot it. And it was just as well. Read on!

"Lets try and push the pace" was the Old Boys first words as we stepped out of the car! Now, I know me, I know my body, and I know my stupid 'hate anything new' brain of mine, I definitely need to warm up. Not only that, it is dark out there, and being one of the few millions of people who need corrective lenses, night time running is quite hazardous for me! But I thought I would give it a go, not that the OB noticed all he kept saying was, "Come on then, catch up, bring the pace up, you're slowing down" I thought I was doing bloomin well!

The weekend has taken its toll on my psyche though, and the three days of beer, beer and beer feels like it has all settled in my 'beer barrel' shaped thighs! I was finding it tough going, plus not doing any exercise since last Monday, and I mean not a bloomin thing, unless you count shifting a bed and a wardrobe as exercise, then I have done nothing but raise my beer arm And yes Mr. S, this blog is absolutely littered with excuses today, and I have still not finished!

It felt quite tough, and that is only the first mile, the first mile on Tarmac paths and roads! I have still got to get to the woods! I even had a little walking stop before I hit the first mile! Much to the OB's utter disbelief! "What are you doing, get going" he said.

Dragged and pulled up to the gate that leads to the woods. Now the harder work starts! That bloody hill, that bloody hill that is going to be wet, in the dark, with tree routes and what not all over it. I tried my hardest to get up there, I really did. I don't know why I stop. It's hard work! My legs hurt...... a bit, the energy levels are flat lining, and my chest is heaving and chucking up lung lumps again!!! "Think of the two minutes at the top of the hill" I tried to tell myself, "Yeah right" my old body said "you do it without me"

So, eventually getting to the top of the hill at 16:59 minutes into the run, and 1.51 miles from the start, I sat down for my two minutes respite. My chest was heaving, my lunch, which by now had passed through the stomach was heading back that way just so that I could throw up!! My nose was running, my eyes was running, and I was sweating! What a fantastic advert I make for the joys of running. Its a good job "Run England" hasn't decided to follow me on way to 'one day' doing a half marathon!!

The second mile was quite interesting! The paths had tons puddles, there were very sticky patches, and I was complaining that I couldn't see. All you could hear was me whimpering as I stumbled along, slipping in the muddy bits. The Old Boy ran slightly behind me and to my right. His head lamp lighting up the path for me, "I'm showing you the way, I'm taking all the shots for you" He said gallantly. I just tried to keep my footing and looking at the path.

Running down now, towards dog poo ally, but before we got there (and this is the reason I am glad I didn't have my phone with me) I slipped, only this time I didn't keep my self up right and landed on the floor! Nice soft landing, and fortunately for me it wasn't in the wet sticky mud! But no phone means no photo opportunity for the Old Boy! "Come on, what you doing laying down there, you're ok, get up, brush your self down and run through it" And that is just what I did, more or less, a little slower than maybe I would have been, but it is wet, and dark and muddy out here. And I have tripped over!

I was glad to get to the Tarmac again. But by now I was really quite tired! There just seemed like there was nothing left in the tanks! and I still have about half a mile, up hill, to do.

I started running, and I really did try and pick the pace up, but maybe I just moved my arms a little faster.

Reaching Little Thrift was good, there is not far to go from there. But there is those steps to get up. The Old Boy did his best to get me through to the steps, but my pace was probably at walking speed now, "Keep going up the stairs" he said but i just came to an almost complete stop, so he dragged me up there. If he wasn't pushing me he was dragging me!! This is where the cramp in the top of my leg kicked in!! Oh boy did that hurt!

Running through the last bit of the woods, "100 yards to go now, run to the car, touch the car" The OB said. Flipping nora! Normally its just till we get to the car park, and now he wants me to run to the car!! "Not too bad" he says, "Apart from you wallowing in the mud like a rhino"!!!

Well, it was an interesting run. A hard run today! That will teach me to slacken off with my healthy eating and exercise lifestyle!

Geeky stats for you.