Friday 7^th Feb to Thursday 13^th Feb

Friday morning coffee was on Beer Head as the usual Seaton Front was closed due to storm damage, debris on the road, broken walls and toilet doors damaged from the stones thrown up, but the compensation for us was  great views from Beer Head.

After lunch I braved Neroche for a run as the weather was good, but parked at Staple Hill instead of Neroche castle, 5.5 miles and the last 1 mile in pouring rain [message to self run faster to miss rain!!!] also, I managed to trip on a tree route, falling on an inconvenient stone, result painful swollen knee! Will I ever be injury free??? Bathed in Witch Hazel, not sure when I will run again. Really nice run otherwise, although quite wet underfoot [more smelly trainers drying].

Text from running friend Ali says, she has a heavy cold and strained ankle so it gets to us all, and she has the Grizzly at the beginning of March, at least Exe to Axe is at the end of March, giving me a little longer to train, but as an experienced marathoner she will probably have the fitness to back her up.

Tim continues to tell me how far he is running, so managing to avoid injury.

Sunday dawned wet and windy [again] so had to wait until the afternoon for a bike ride – Very windy!! a ‘Billy no mates’ ride up over Combe st Nicholas, round past Ferne animal sanctuary, down through Chardstock, a steep descent, dodging gravel and debris on the road, followed by a steep climb from the ford up to the village and Tytherleigh. A descent again to Broome and cross the River Axe, which although flooded was not on the road. A climb up to Holditch and on to Thorncombe a couple of miles but not too steep and a nice tail wind. Left through Thorncombe and down past Forde Abbey, the Creamery at Chard Junction then back over Whitegates and  Forton, 24 miles a good ‘South Somerset alps’ ride with over 2000ft of climbing in a short distance. Hills combined with gales was good training.

Monday, looked a decent day weather-wise, decided no running as knee still swollen and painful, but not when cycling. Headed out up over Sticklepath and down Barley hill [returning later back up! all 1.5 miles of it] Horton and Broadway, Bickenhall [nice tail wind] Hatch Beauchamp, Curry Mallet, Ilton then back through Horton and up Barley Hill, a struggle today, road running with water and pothole dodging but clocking up 27 miles, lots of flood water in places and half pedalling to keep my feet dry. Cycling doesn’t seem to affect my knee, no pain but can still feel it, might be ready to run again by Wednesday [I hope].

‘My fitnesspal’ log continues to show calorie intake is down and balances well with regular exercise and I am down to 12st 2lb losing 5lb in 2 weeks. Think I can stop at 12st and then try to maintain it. Cake and biscuit reduction has good results, can I keep it up?

Wednesday 12^th Feb

After a very stormy morning doing a Bikeability course in Taunton we had to abandon at lunch time. The drive home found me driving up through Corfe along the ‘river B3170’ average of 6 inches of water all the way up and deeper in places. Glad I was in the Jimny a great little vehicle in any bad weather, excellent in snow. Inconsiderate drivers still seemed to think a good bow wave throwing water all over every other vehicles coming in the other direction as well as impacting on nearby houses is ok – why do they do it?

When it had all eased off I managed a 3.5 mile road run around the town, very windy, but dry! – Knee ok, shin ok [I think?]