TROUTBECK TRAIL TROT

  Monday.  Start of another week, with thoughts of a 5 mile race in 7 days time.  But still fresh in the mind is yesterday's undulating 10 miler.  As I wrote, probably my slowest 10 ever on the road.  A major dent for the confidence even factoring in the heat,  ceratinly mid 20s late morning and the roller coaster route. 

 We're not in a rush to get home particularly so head off on the trail behind us hoping I'll feel up to at least 4 maybe more.
  Straight ahead is the Troutbeck Tongue. If I reach that far it'll be a 6 which would be a reasonable start to the week.
  The very stony uneven trail isn't great for weary limbs but is at least a lot drier than the autumn winter months when water pours off the slopes to the right.

  As I leave the stony trail and drop down to the road leading to the farm the pace picks up a touch but it's a bit of a slog ; but I manage the dry grassy slope between the trees on the right without stopping and head off on the trail to the east of the Tongue.
  The will is saying keep on going and make it a 6; but the body is saying don't climb any more, turn back and make it a 5!   Mind overcomes matter and at the next gate I turn back for home.

  I feel more at home now even if the road is rather rutted.  This INGS BRIDGE is exactly 1K on the flat valley bottom farm road and the whole road is exactly a mile.   So perfect for speed work!
 So a weary 5 but better than last Monday which was only 2 testing the strain at the top of the right leg which seems to have cleared up but may rear it's ugly head when I try to run fast later this week.
  Hope you all survived the brief English summer we enjoyed at the weekend.  I'm sure a lot of you compromised your training plans. Well done to those who didn't and survived and of course those who ran the Edinburgh marathon!

I must credit today's photos ........check out Dave and Edith Brown's Walks On The Lakeland   Fells. (Troutbeck Tongue Walk)  I wish I could say I'd taken them but not so!