Thursday 13 August 2020

Another day in paradise

 Thursday 13th August 2020

My totals for July I ran 129.6 miles and I cycled 122 miles and I am 934 miles into my 1000 mile target for running this calendar year, but, according to Garmin over the last twelve months I have run 1283.8 miles and cycled 1390 miles so I have nearly run as far as I have cycled over the last year!! which to me is amazing, last month I actually ran more than I cycled, which reflects the weather round here, its very windy and non enjoyable cycling into a head wind every time you turn for home!!! I suppose that also reflects living on the west coast with the wind direction normally from the South wets/west!!

Well the pain of COVID 19 goes on, but!! looking at the local holiday makers and their actions I think that they think its gone, there is little evidence that they care about others, local stories of rude selfish visitors to our town, not to mention the amount of rubbish they are leaving behind,[see photo taken at 7 am one morning ] then people blame it on the seagulls for pulling it out of the bins! but the bins are too small anyway....... I could rant for hours on this issue, and one local runner reported that she picked up [hopefully not with her bare hands] a total of 20 discarded masks on her 3 mile run one morning. I notice all our favorite mountain haunts and hill areas are having similar problems, roll on the end of summer, end furlough, get the kids back in school so we can all get on with our lives. Rant over !!

Last month I was able to get out running on the Quantocks and the Mendips a few times with the local running club, all safely social distanced of course, some photos below show some of the places we visited. the latest was an evening visit this week, on a very hot evening, parking at Crowcombe Park gate and running along the ridge upto Wills neck, a lovely run, in beautiful weather, if a little warm, but! one trip incident has left me with a sore bruised arm as I landed heavily grazing  my shoulder and arm. I was ok dusted myself down and ran on! there was thunder in the air and we could see flashes of lightening in the clouds over Weston super Mare, fortunately not near us. only 5 miles covered but a great run once again. Cycling, I decided on a long ride last sunday and was enjoying a new bit of cycle track through Cossington and down to Dumball, avoiding major roads, and taking me through some lovely villages to Chedzoy, unfortunatly I collided with a bee coming in the opposite direction and it stung me below my eye, even though I had glasses on. it was painful, and I decided as I was 20 miles from home any way I would be best to head home the shortest route. it was painful and remained so for a couple of days after despite applying bi carb etc. this is only the second time I have been stung on my bike, the first was a bee in my helmet many years ago, that gave me a severe headache too!!! 

Pleased with myself once again for adding to my blog!!




On the Quantoks looking over Minehead
Quantocks and Dowsborough
A lovely Harriers route out to the coast 
Top of the Quantocks looking at Exmoor
Glasonbury Tor from one of the lovely lanes in the area
Glastonbury Tor from Godney
Our local Low Lighthouse
The church at Christon, 6th Century
Ashleigh Mill
Church at Christon
Brent Knoll from Webbington
Blagdon Lake from Beacon Batch the highest point on the Mendips
Cows on Beacon Batch
Cheddar Res from above the gorge
a local footpath with me in full flow
Our lighthouse with me and wife and daughter circled 
Litter on the esplanade


1 comment:

  1. We have the same litter problem in the Yorkshire Dales, especially since the lockdown was eased. I can't understand the modern generation.
    I don't bother timing or logging my runs since I stopped racing so I haven't a clue what I've done. What I do know is that you've done a lot more than me. So congratulations!

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