Faced with an undulating out and back route and a south westerly gale, gusting at over 30 m.p.h. I was not expecting anything in terms of fast times today over 9 miles on the road. But I must admit setting off my thoughts (and sympathies) went to those training and racing off road on higher ground than I would be experiencing.
I know from having been in the shop on Friday that many were up in the Dales preparing for the 3 Peaks Race. Will have been tough!
Popular distance running advice is that we start our runs INTO the wind, whilst we are fresh and strong, so that the wind is behind when we are tired later. Unfortunately, that strategy does not suit aging astmatics; starting off into a gale tends to find me wheezing within minutes. So the plan was 4.5 out with wind behind and 4.5 back into the wind , when I tend to be stronger anyway.
I was pleased with the pace over the first two flat miles until a rather mature gentleman breezed past.....riding a penny farthing! Presumably borrowed from the guy in this picture. Just how he managed to stay upright in today's weather conditions I just don't know. Very strange!
Much of today's run was on country lanes through Castley and Weeton towards Harrogate so there was some shelter from the hedgerows but in open stretches the gusts would just bring me to a standstill. Not pleasent at all. Still as is my want I somehow managed negative splits.
Setting off I would have been satisfied with 81 minutes for the hilly 9. Clocked 81.45. So not too bad.
That brought the week's total to 40 miles. (5, 5, 5, 8, 4, 4, 9)
A week in which the emphasis was really on continuing to restablish distance tolerance and regain strength and confidence with an 8 miler on Thursday and today's 9 miler. Amazing to think that just 10 days ago I had to stop 6 times to stretch and relief the leg to finish 3 miles on grass.
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