On the run...

BEEP _ BEEP _BEEP, is by now the normal sound of my Saturday morning dreams being shattered by the alarm.
All my kit is ready from the night before, some porridge and a banana and I'm off in to the dark.

I arrive on Dartmoor, as the darkness clears I can see the it's very icy, my camera flash bounces off the frosty grass.



Deciding to slowly get ready and give some time for the light to catch up with me, I ponder routes. Today I'm running by myself. Bryn has planed to go walking on the moor with his Ten Tors team, so it's a solo run for me. The ground is tough, even the grass feels like concrete.

I feel in good condition, so start running the route last timed at approximately 56mins over a month ago. It's a big looping circuit taking in a couple of Tor's starting with a straight up jog over Haytor. That's always a quick way to warm up and instantly hit lung max. It was totally silent, all I could hear was my feet pounding the ground. I've been reading up a lot on running methods and phycology lately, in a bid to fine some sort of rhythm and form, I think to myself maybe I'll get time to deploy a few. The route is complete different in the icy conditions. I can't open up in the normal places as my grip keeps leaving me and forcing a drop to a shorter amble.

Disappointedly I hit the half way point in a little over 29mins. Frustrated, but understanding why I'm slow I start to concentrate on my breathing and pump my arms on the hilly sections much more than normal. If I'm going to be slower in these conditions, then I'm at least going to give myself a good work out! My grip is still all over the place and really having to concentrate on not landing on my backside [again], every rock is like soapy glass. At the top of the last hill, I'm left with roughly 2.5km that gently rises about a 100m and then branches off to an old mining track. Pushing harder I'm determined to open up at some point and rid myself of my irritation with the ground.




As I come to a halt, I stop the clock. Then stare at it for a moment, 51 minutes 32 seconds, that's nearly 5mins off my last time? Unsure how I've performed well, I look up at the day dawning and snap one last quick picture of the local Parke tourist info office, sun poking up over its roof.

-------

There is a sucker punch though. About 30mins after getting home, I felt my left calf tighten. Luckily my girlfriend is a certified sports massage therapist and worked the area, but it was not cramp. My calf is now strapped with a heat pad and later I'll try ice and elevation. But it just feels very tight and can't walk any distance without pulling up. It looks like I've picked up my first injury of 2009! - Darren
Stumble It!