Here is the second part to my short blog on the QRC run last night.
It’s the morning after the evening of my toughest run to date and I don’t feel as bad as what I thought I would. My legs ache but I’d have been surprised if they didn’t and the nettle stings are still tingling a bit, but it’s nothing I can’t cope with. I’ve been through a lot worse and may have a lot worse to come so this is nothing in comparison.
The route as I said last night was a tough one. The group I run in is called the intermediates group and whilst we do all try our hardest when we are out there I would not consider myself the best runner in the group, but every week we all do our best and give it 100%.
However last night was very different. Our regular group leader Jo was away on holiday and her stand in Karl decided to give us a run to remember as he won’t be taking the group again. Karl does Ironman competitions so as you can imagine he has a high level of fitness, far higher than any of us in the group!
The route he had chosen was mainly off road and a route I didn’t know about even though the start is only ½ mile from where I live. Quite often we don’t realise what is on our doorstep and I wish I’d known about this route before.
After turning down an old cobbled path you begin to descent over open moorland before inevitably going up open moorland on the other side. A short run down a road and you are cross country again running through nettles. I know because I got stung several times! Once at the end of this trail a short road run and then up a steep grass hill. This was the killer. Half way round and we are faced with this monster to climb.
But climb it we did and at the top we paused to get our breath back and take in the stunning views. It’s moments like this that make me realise how lucky I am to be alive, to live where I do and to have the use of my limbs. But moments like this don’t last long and nor did this one. Off we went again on another trail that led us to a short but steep downhill section and back onto the main road.
I had guessed where we would come out and I was right. Halfway down a hill that led to the infamous Brow Lane and a short but steep climb before the climb got less steep but longer on the way back to the club house. I walked most of this. I’ve never run as far before and this highlighted how much distance training I need to do.
But I enjoyed it. I love running off road, far more than running on road. It’s the changes of scenery, watching where to put your feet. Running through long grass, water and mud, running up and down steep hills that does it for me and you don’t always get this when you run on road.
And finding a tough route right on my doorstep was a great feeling. I’ve entered some tough races, the Pudsey 10k in June and the Eccup 10 miles in July and this is the perfect training ground for me to build up my distance, stamina and hill work.
Tomorrow is the very first Horton Park, parkrun and I am looking forward to it. I went to the trail run last week and it is a tough course but very enjoyable. I hope it achieves the success it deserves.
The Autistic FellRunner 