New Cloths

Last weeks half marathon wiped me out for a few days and work pressure / kids on holiday kept me from getting out much - Not that I was too unhappy about it, the weather is still cold. But I did manage a couple of trips up Mt July.

Today I added a loop off the side to extend the run to 7km. This allowed me to try out the new pants. Solomon Evo (Helps in movement, recovery and endurance according to the Web Site). There was sufficient cold (6 degrees) and wind to allow me to wear my new "cagoule" from Brooks and enough off road to wear my new Brooks Cascadia 7. In fact the only bit of Decathlon stuff I was wearing where my socks. I had a very old Brooks T shirt on.

I stopped a few times to put on or take off the wind jacket. It is small enough to stuff  in its own pocket easily and then run with in hand. And the breaks - or maybe the shorts meant I never got over tired and I found the run very pleasant. On the portion of the GR 51 North of Mt July the wild Box Hedge was so high and dense it was like being in a very slipy technical maze. There was even some ice on the already slick limestone.

But I did find some new paths to take and there where occasional peeks of sunshine.

I need to take some photographs.

Grand Fond Bresson (1/2 Marathon)

 
I had a ham sandwich on Friday night, not the best pre-run feeding and was still cutting tiles with an angle grinder an hour before the race on Saturday afternoon. (Lots of dust that I coughed up during the outing). I had had breakfast and then lunched on some ham and broccoli before rushing out the house to enter the race. Coincidently I had to raid Joanne's money box for the E14 entrance fee.

Having not run more than 10km since the Marathon in July I was not expecting any great time. I was more concerned about just finishing. It was lucky I was not expecting a great time as I did not get one.  The results are not in yet, but I did have 1:42 on my watch. The course was quite hilly (for a road race) at 280m gain.

I pretty much stopped at each feeding station, drank and eat sugar. And I discovered that eating ginger cake during a run is a really bad mistake. It gets stuck in the gums and almost completely blocks your air passage. On the plus  side, I did enjoy the run. (sort of) It was sunny and I chatted with a couple of other guys on the way round. I did not enjoy the blister that started to appear at about the 12 kilometre. I kept shifting my weight so that it would not grow too quickly.

All in all, quite happy with finishing.

Stiles and things

Two weeks ago I went for my last run before the cold descended. The average temperature has been about -12 degrees when waking. During this last run (15km) I realised why they have so many stiles (where no path exists) in this area. They are used for hunting only. Not really access for paths.

A couple of days before the long run I went for a run up Mount July and had been amazed to find a wild boar and about 10 hunters blocking my way. The boar had a hole in his side and was not moving. On the other hand, the hunters where also a bit amazed to see someone running up the hill.