Wet weather, another heavy cold and an offroad run

23^rd January 2018

Last Friday was the last time I was able to get out and do a few miles on the bike, since then  the rain hasn’t stopped! Saturday was a brief respite in the afternoon, so I was able to dash out and do 6 miles round town just as it was getting dusk, one of the down sides of these late afternoon runs is that my route takes me past the local reservoir, which I sometimes run round [no dogs allowed!!] and late afternoon is when all the dog walkers come out with the stupid extending leads that means by the time the dog has lunged for you its too late to pull it back in, I do try to give all dog walkers a wide berth, risking life and limb sometimes by running on the road !! not to mention those that don’t pick up the mess, so you have to keep an eye where you are putting your feet. Anyway, Saturday was quite mild, but damp, I found the 6 miles hard work once again, my PF in my foot reminding me every so often that it was there!! But! At least I got out.

Sunday was a very wet day , heavy rain all day so no outdoor activities, which I find hard to stay in all day, however, I could have gone out in the rain and got soaked, which brings me onto the next point, my heavy cold has returned with vengeance, I had a sore throat on Sunday, Monday [yesterday] I was sneezing all day, and felt dreadful, I was hoping to get out and ride or run, but! My mind wouldn’t let me, so another wasted day.

 views from Neroche  looking over Taunton Vale towards the Quantock hills, showing how low the cloud was

Tuesday [today] we had another viewing on our house, another timewaster we think! So had to make ourselves scarce, Mrs B had the hairdressers so after a wet start to the day  and the weather had cleared up I forced myself to get out and run , the cloud was low and it seemed at times as though it would rain again, but it held off whilst I did a 6 mile route over Neroche once again, it was very,very muddy and my feet were soon wet! I decided to take it very steady as I was suffering from my cold, I was alright until about 4.5 miles then realised that my legs had no energy, and I was feeling quite ill! I struggled on back to the car, feeling I had overdone it!!!! But pleased I had a 6 mile off road run in the bag, I just don’t see how I will be able to run 10 miles in a months’ time or 19 miles on March the 18^th!!! My PF was also giving me some pain, so am looking forward to the miracle cure of my expensive orthotic insole.

On another point the ‘spine’ race has just ended where the runners do the Pennine way in winter, I really don’t know how they do it, non-stop, the weather was atrocious, but the still manage it in about 6 days, that’s over 250 miles, huge respect for them!!!

I would settle just to get rid on my cold once and for all [ the third this winter] and build up my running and cycling, I am way behind last years miles for both and this time last year I was running 12 miles over the Quantocks, this year I would be lucky to walk it! I must stay optimistic, the days are very grey and wet at the moment, we could do with some bright sunny dry days.

Its wobble day tomorrow, the weather forecast once again is for heavy rain, I think at this rate I will have to get the paint out for a bit of DIY to tidy up the house as it doesn’t seem to be attracting buyers!

Not a very positive post, I must make an effort to be positive ! all this negativity is not good.