Second Monday for running! Shhh, for goodness sake don't say it out loud, I don't want to jinx anything! The Old Boy came with me again so it was through the woods. But I wanted to do the same route as last week but in the opposite direction, hence the title, winding back! I think it's tougher than last week, strange really, just as many hills, going up, coming down, same elevation, but that's just the way it is!
After my fav soap, Hollyoaks, (it's the only soap I do indulge in these days!) I went upstairs to get ready for my run. I called the Old Boy to go and ready and we changed into our running gear. The weather was very warm and muggy indeed. When we pulled into the car park (yes we took the car!) I was wishing that I had bought along some water! I don't usually like to carry anything when I am running, but I would have done this evening.
So there we are, in the car park, satellites connected and we started running. Already I was warm, and clammy, but that seems to be my usual existence these days. I am thinking that maybe I am half frog! The first thing we encounter going in this direction is those steps! Three lots of them! The first set of steps really hurt me, I guess still warming up, I should maybe just walked up them. but of course I didn't. I had to walk across the bridge and down the other side. I always walk down steps anyway, just so that I don't take a trip!
The second and third set of steps though I ran up and over, then walked down. Psychologically going this way round, it seemed that once I was over the third set of steps then I was half way there. Of course I wasn't, we still had at least two miles to do, maybe more! Going through the woods is a popular pass time for everyone, runners, walkers and cyclists! As I was running along behind the Old Boy, by the rail lines I looked up and saw the cyclist coming towards me! It did make me jump! Just then Naggy's voice came into my head "I told you, keep your head up" I can just see her saying that to me! Then the Old Boy called to me "Come on keep going"
It does look slightly different going in the opposite direction, and I could see Dog Poo Ally entrance and just slightly lost my bearings. I told the Old Boy that we should take the left path that we just came along, "Are you sure?" he said, "Yes of course" But I was wrong, being a bit tired, sweat in my eyeballs and of course me spotting the entrance, I was a bit eager. We had to run back and then carry on the way we were going for just a few feet more! It does take us to the same place, but I just wanted to keep the same route as last week, just in the opposite direction!
And so it was the long hill, the middle path! I was hot, I was sweaty and I was feeling tired. This was going to be a tough section. In fact from here on till the end I found it tough going, really tough. I told myself off, the Old Boy urging me to keep on running, but that hill just mocked me! It kept on going up and up, each step felt like I was scaling a wall! The Old Boy seemed to be striding so easily, and when I stopped, or at least started walking and urged me to keep on running. My mind refused to tell my legs to run! I had to take those few seconds of walking.
The down hills I just used the momentum and gravity to keep me moving, the up hills was just so blimmin hard! I enjoyed.......I know, can you believe that I am using that word at this particular point in my run, but I did enjoy running down Goss hill! "You can take a tea break at the bottom" said the Old Boy, I was looking forward to that! I think he could see how well I was coping with running down hill and so changed the goal post for 'taking tea' to the rail bridges! "I can do that" I said to my self, it's all flat until then, just keep running over the little bridge, through the barriers and turn right! Just to the bridges, I can do that! I had that in mind and I pushed myself to keep on going. It was really tough, I know my fitness levels have gone really down hill, and I know my energy levels are some where in my left little toe, but I wanted to get to the bridges. I did it......almost, I saw the bridge just a couple of feet away but at least I got to the left turn.
Then it was the up hill of Barnet Wood Lane! "Why or why did you have to change the direction of the route" said the devil of a 'couch potato angel' on my left shoulder, "To get her fitter and stronger!" answered the 'fit muscle bound angel' on my right shoulder! You can see how my mind was working by now. The warm muggy evening was getting to me, I was getting delirious! I was also feeling a bit sick! But I think that is because I was really pushing hard! I think I need to start looking at my nutrition, but while the kids are off school I just grab what ever I can! My diet today hasn't really been what a runner needs. Toast for breakfast, fruit salad for lunch and several cups of tea! Put it this way, I was looking forward to my dinner when I got home, salmon with salad and couscous.
The struggle wasn't quite over as I still had the slight incline of Thornet Wood Lane! Even this little hill seemed like a mountain to me. I tried and tried to run as much of it as I could, but I still took walking sections, even through to the gates that go into the park. But from there, from that bit of open space I kept on going, even though I wanted to stop, the Old Boy was in front of me and I just fixed my steely gaze on the back of him and chased after him. I was pleased to see the car park coming into view! Just a little bit more and the run was done! What a bloody hard run that was.
After a walk about in the car park and a stretch out we got into the car, the air con on full blast as we drove home. You would have thought that would have helped cooled me down, but no, here take a look at this, this is me, 10 minutes after the run, and still leaking water from skin! I feel sure I must be at least 2 lb lighter after this run!
Yes, exactly, not the most flattering of pictures, but it does go to show that I really did work hard!
So geeky stats.
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