December 2012

[Sweder]

A range of hill runs to report, culminating in a nightfall dash to Blackcap. The trails are at their stickiest just now, thick mud sucking at your soles, feet sliding across slippery flint.

Timing is everything on these dusk raids. With no head torch and heavy cloud cover hastening daylight's departure I set off into a cutting headwind. In the relatively dry grasslands Ripley & Murphy flew escort to my heavy Lancaster, rushing up behind, criss-crossing, zooming past left and right, bodies low to the ground, streaking ahead before sweeping left across the open field. I made good time but the last mile, including the section in the picture below (taken as I set off) proved a real challenge in the gathering gloom. The usually helpful homeward tailwind seemed intent on shoving me face first into the gloop.

   

A good running week with over thirty miles banked. I plan to push on this week, run every day and finally hook up with the South Coast mob next Sunday to start hitting some serious hills.