Well, yesterday I posted I’d done my week 4 5k and would be going for a walk round Dartmoor National Park. The walk started off really well, beautiful day, lovely location, packed out and we only just managed to park but it was lovely and cool under the trees. We decided to do the 4 mile round trip. The first side is pretty easy. You have to watch your step for tree roots and stones and dips but it was pretty uneventful except for just as I turned to my son and said “ at least there are no damned cyclists here and you don’t have to keep leaping out of the way” 3 cyclists came hurtling through on mountain bikes!! But they were the only ones that we saw.
We walked alongside the riverside and there were plenty of family groups picnicking and swimming, couples with dogs throwing sticks into the water for them to fetch etc. And loads of unspoiled nature.
Then we cross the style and went across the bridge to the other side. We walked about half a mile and then sat and watch some kids playing in the water while we had a drink. This side seemed to be hotter even though it was still under the trees. And off we went again, this side being a lot harder to negotiate. There’s several bits where you climb up steps made using tree roots etc and they are pretty steep, and several bits where you are walking on dry stream beds which you would think would be on rounded stones but they aren’t- they are very jagged. At one point my son caught his toe under a tree root and nearly measured his length, but only managed to rip the toe of his old trainers.
Then we had climbed another lot of steps and were going along a flattish bit when I stepped onto a child’s fist-sized stone which rolled. I turned my ankle, started to tip forward, half caught myself and stumbled forward and then just slowly collapsed forwards onto my front. I’ve bruise left palm and wrist, left knee, right thigh and elbow and sprained my ankle. And more bruises are coming out as I move.
Amazingly I sat for a minute to catch my breath and stop the world spinning round ( thought I was going to pass out) then got up and walked for another mile limping a bit, then realised I’d lost my best running sunglasses which had been perched on my head so we retraced our steps to where I’d fallen - no joy!! And then I walk the mile and half back to the car. And drove home 46 miles!!! Then when I got out of the car I couldn’t stand in it. It had twinged a bit driving but nothing like this.
I hobbled indoors, ran a bowl of water and Epsom salts and soaked and then elevated and iced it. And went to bed at 9.30 with it up in a pile of pillows. Crawled on hands and knees to the loo in middle of the night and came downstairs on my bum this morning( no pictures of that!!😜)and then I couldn’t find my walking stick ( for elderberrying) either. I tidied it somewhere when the meter men were coming and I’ve tidied it too well.
My son is coming round in a bit to take me to A&E but I think I know what the diagnosis and treatment are already. Sprained ligaments and rest to and no running for a while. 😩😩😭😭😭😭
Gutted as I’d signed up to run 50miles in July in Race at your pace and had worked out that I could just about do it using jujus plan - can’t see it happening now, unless I add my walking too but I so wanted to run it all.
If a runner falls over by the river and there’s no-one to see them fall...
On the comeback trail!
Off the IC, and back on it again
