July 14th, sleep well Beverly

6:34pm. The day started off well. I woke early, got up early and I was soon at Penistone Country Park ready for a run to Alcomden Stones. I chose a different route to my usual one and wore my Altra’s with different insoles in hoping they would stop the pain below my knee I have been experiencing recently. I set off on my favourite little bit of off road and then after a short run on the trail headed down and back up the valley, a similar route to the ALS except that goes through a farmers field. I ran up the hill for once and then headed up towards Top Withens but took a path on my left that allows you to  the trial that heads up from the Bronte Bridge. I was taken it easy as I’m still getting over my recent feelings of fatigue and I’m still getting used to the Altra’s and running in zero drop shoes.

It was steady progress up to Top Withens and up to the top of the moor and the trig point. I was happy to be running and feeling ok so wasn’t bothered about running with pace. I made it to the stones and there they were looking as majestic as always under a gloomy sky.

I looked around and could see everything I love, Boulsworth Hill, Crow Hill, Ponden Kirk and Stanbury. The wind was blowing hard up on the tops as if the spirits were talking to me. I took in the atmosphere for a few minutes and then set off back before I got cold.

I ran down to Top Withens and down to the stream at the bottom of the trial that takes you to the Bronte Bridge but I stopped at the signpost that points to the trail across the moor past Harbour Hill and towards Harbour Lodge. I was moving well now I felt and I was able to push the pace a little which felt good. I resisted the temptation to run up to the Stoop because I had a telephone appointment at 10:30am and I wanted to be home in plenty of time for it.

At the lodge I took the direct path back to Penistone a path I rarely take because it is relatively flat and featureless but I wanted to see if I could up my pace and feel like I’m running for the first time in weeks. To my surprise and delight I was able to push the pace and do it for over a mile something I haven’t been able to do for over a month at least. I kept pushing and pushing and felt good, the Altra’s biting into the ground and giving me a stable platform on which to keep pushing. I got to the end of the trail which is over a mile long feeling some confidence in my ability to run coming back.

I uploaded my run back at my car and to my surprise I had 2 PR’s and 1 2^nd. This made me feel I was going in the right direction at last with my running after weeks and weeks of feeling I was going backwards. I had no problems at all with the Altra’s today, they felt comfortable, supportive and fast and my feet didn’t ache afterwards although my legs do but that’s from having to adapt to a different running style because of the Altra’s.

I got home, had my telephone appointment during which I nearly fell asleep because my disability support worker kept going on and on and on about anything and everything and I rapidly lost interest in her inane ramblings and then setup my new printer so it communicated with my laptop. I did this in spite of the instructions being in every language apart from English.

And then I got the very sad news that my niece in Ireland had died of cancer last night. Beverly was only in her mid 40s and had all her life ahead of her. I remember her sleeping in a draw when my brother brought her to my mum and dads house one time unexpectedly when he came home n leave from the army. So, so sad. I ahven’t seen her for years and lost contact with her unfortunately like people seem to do these days. I don’t know how my brother feels as he keeps himself to himself. He lost his wife of 50 years 3 years ago and now his eldest daughter. How do you cope with loss like that?

I spent the rest of the day clearing stuff out and tidying up and I’m shattered now but in a good way because of a long, hard day and some really bad news. Life goes on, it has to, we still here have no choice but to carry on and do our best and that is what I’ll do.