January 2009

[Sweder]

There are few feelings in the world that compare to the embrace of a dear friend or a long-parted lover.
That reassuring touch, familiar textures, smells, behaviour; at all feels so comfortable, so familiar, so right.

So it was with the soft downland turf this morning. After what seems like ages of rock-hard frozen ground, unyielding, rutted pathways, angular ankle-snappers and frozen puddle-traps, finally the Big Thaw has arrived. OK, so it rode in on the back of an all-embracing mist that lay heavy across the hills, reducing visibility to 60 metres at best. I didn't care. The soft bounce of the born-again turf sent waves of pleasuire through my battered, fatigue-laced legs as I chugged into the hills. The eastern rise of Mount Harry took me into darker territory, mist thickening rapidly until it was most definitely cloud. As if to underline the fact that well-known inhabitant of nimbus, rain, bade us good morrow. It was like running through an endless curtain of tiny, ice-cold droplets . . . until they too were swept aside by the real deal, slanting, intrusive, bullying rain. I didn't mind; nothing was going to dampen my ardour this morning.

Black Cap offered more of the same, visibility down to 30 metres at the peak. After a brief pause I launched for home, down into the swirling fog. I smiled as I realised the conditions - slippery, bouncy turf, occasional clusters of rock and flint, thick mist, hanging rain - replicated those fabled fells so revered in Richard Askwith's fabulous book Feet In The Clouds*.
I have to say I like it; this feels right, feels like . . . home.

A modest 44 minute round trip, objective accomplished. Several pints of Sunday's residual lactic acid eeked out of reluctant muscles, sweated out and washed away for another week. A good stretch finished things off nicely before restorative coffee courtesy of Gorgeous George and a slice of granary toast with Manuka honey. Life is good.

*[SIZE="1"]If you don't already own it, buy it. Now. It's simply the best book on off-road running out there.[/SIZE]