A wet week, some running, some decorating, bit of cycling

4^TH Feb 2017

It’s been very wet week this week, not great for an ageing athlete!! Spent too many days out in bad weather in my younger days, don’t need to do it now.

After the Wednesday Wobblies ride from the last post, I decided I needed to get more running miles in so managed another 12 miles on the road around the lanes and local reservoir, timing although not great was considerably better than the off road 2 hrs 10 mins compared to 2hrs 40 mins for off road, admittedly there was considerably less climbing a 1000 feet to be exact. Although it did seem harder on the feet.

Sunday was a complete washout with heavy rain setting in early in the day, Monday was off road day once more so another drive to the coast, this time Seaton Hole for the 9 .5 mile run over to the Fountains Inn via Hole House etc. and back along the beach. It seemed a very hard 9.5 miles today!!! And I got back to the van just as the rain started to get heavy. I ran the half mile beach this time; it kills the legs on the shingle.

Tuesday was a wet day again, so some decorating in the bathroom to spruce it up a little for when we eventually do put the house up for sale.

Wednesday, was Wobblies day, the day started with a fine drizzle, but soon brightened up and five souls headed over Drimpton, Cheddington, Halstock pas t Sutton Bingham reservoir to ‘Goose Slade Farm’ at East Coker  for coffee. Very nice it was before the return over the hills to West Chinnock, Merriot and Hinton St George; 40 miles covered, on very dirty roads, only one puncture, which was good as there is much hedge cutting at the moment, the farmers’ last chance before the bird nesting season starts.

Thursday afternoon I managed to get a 5.4 mile run in before the rain set in again. I felt it was a hard 5.4 miles at a quite slow pace; I did seem to struggle and did cut the run short. My plan was for 6+ miles.

Friday a very wet and windy day, so much so that the Park Run at Seaton had to be cancelled on Saturday because of debri on the sea front. I drove over to meet up with a Friend at Dunkewell Aerodrome for coffee. Dunkeswell is on the top of the Blackdown Hills and played a significant role in the D Day activities in WW2.  So the car was somewhat battered by the wind and horizontal rain.

Saturday was much calmer [today] so a trip to Sidmouth for coffee on the front, and lunch in the Whitehorse café. The sun was very warm as we sat drinking our coffee on the sea front, no wind and few signs of the storm, unlike Seaton. The afternoon, trainers on and 7.5 miles round the lanes before once again the rain came in!!! I was pleased with the run and felt much better than Thursdays run, although it was hard work and doesn’t seem to get any easier and I don’t seem any faster. My confidence for a good time in the Grizzly is shrinking, in fact at the moment the 19 miles and 3500 feet of climbing seem out of reach, even though I did it last year. My thoughts of another crack at Exe to Axe have all but disappeared. I will do my 12 miler on the coast again on Monday and see how I go, I am struggling to see any improvement in either fitness, stamina strength etc. I have also still to lose the weight from Christmas!!!

Tomorrow will get out on the bike for 30 – 40 miles to keep up my twice weekly ride and 3 times run each week.

So this week 22.5 miles run and only 40 miles cycled

Lets hope the weather is better this week to give me more opportunities to get out.