Lyme Park take 2!

Well Jay66UK , this one's for you!

I decided that it was high time I visited Lyme Park again, and followed the parkrun route as best I could. Last time I tried it nearly finished me off, and was the reason I started to see a physio! Today was an experience, that's for sure.

Some words to describe today's run: 5k. Very hilly. Cold. Windy. Fun.

I did my best to follow the parkrun route today, starting off from the back of the carpark up the gritstone trail, which, from the gate, looks like a lovely gentle climb. When you get up close and personal with it, turns out it's actually vertical. Mountaineering gear would have been helpful, I feel. I actually had to catch my breath at the top, which I rarely have to do on a run. But once I had caught it, and of course taken one of the pics, I continued on my way. The path was level but a little uneven, perfect for twisting ankles, which thankfully I didn't.

A little further on, the path dropped steeply, with loose stones and holes perfect for tripping, but I dodged them all. All the time I was thinking "I'm descending quite a bit here... what goes down has to come up". On I continued, past the other side of Lyme hall, and down the far side of cage hill. This was where I took a wrong turn last time, but thankfully I got it right this time. The views were lovely, but the hill was less lovely, a long steady fairly gentle climb, but a climb nontheless. I was glad to reach the top, and be rewarded with a gentle descent.

Then I turned off the path too soon, largely due to the fact that I couldn't check my route against the parkrun website because apparently the inhabitants of Lyme Hall and Lyme Park (the Leigh family if memory serves) didn't think to install wifi everywhere, and clearly all the mobile phone companies followed suit. Anyway, no harm done, I headed along a reasonably level path parallell to the long driveway, and ended up back near the house again, but only after 4k. Somewhere I was 1k adrift, so I extended my route until I got to 5k. The carpark is large and very good for running around.

Of course every good run should end at a tea room, so I finished up with a mocha and some very nice homemade shortbread at the wood yard café.

And now I'm back, in one piece, and not in pain. I was flippin' slow, but given the hills, I don't mind that.

Maybe something easier for my next run, like an ultra marathon or something

Run safe!

Neil

[Jay66UK Graduate10]

Nice one, Neil! Thanks for remembering my run. I walked the first mountain as my warm up. And then walked all the other uphill bits too! I really should go back sometime.

[Hidden in reply to Jay66UK]

My pleasure Jay, even though I got slightly lost at the end, and it wasn't a proper parkrun, I felt like I had to complete it in honour of you. Honestly, that post of yours about when you did it really made me belly-laugh, it was so well written. If you fancy running it again one Saturday, drop me a message, you can laugh at me on the hills

[Jay66UK Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Laugh? And breathe?? Unlikely, mate!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

That parkrun was on my local to do list... until that description! Marple here I come 😂

Well done taming that beast!

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Just re-watched the video on Jay's post... I got the route more wrong that I thought. But it's something you absolutely have to experience UnfitNoMore

[Sadie-runs Graduate10]

“in one piece and not in pain.” That’s the bit where I breathed a sigh of relief! 😂 Wow! Massive well done, Neil! Hills! Hills! You conquered them. And slow is the way to go with hills.

Sounds like a truly invigorating run, buddy. Well done you for tackling it again. Will have ramped up the old fitness levels, that’s for sure - do treat yourself to a nice flat run next, oh man of steel! 👏👏👏

Sadie-runs x

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Thanks dear VRB Now that I actually know how to stretch properly, and I have a physio to put me back together if needs be, I feel a lot more relaxed about my running. It had got to the point where I was scared of it, scared of hurting myself, and I think that tension was the last thing my body needed. But today, this was actually a trip out with my mum. She went for a walk, whilst I tackled the hills, and you know what, I really enjoyed myself. I had to get back in one piece though, didn't want to dissappoint you!!

[mountaindreamer Graduate10]

Well done Neil! You deserved that tea room and shortbread! 😃❤️❤️

[Hidden in reply to mountaindreamer]

Thank you! Aye, after that I probably did!! Is Lyme near enough for you to have a run at some point, I was wondering that?

[mountaindreamer Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I’m the other side of Chester Neil, so am afraid I wouldn’t pop over for Parkrun! I’ve also not done any hills at all yet, and am not sure how well my pacemaker will cope with running up them...my pulse isn’t that reliable...❤️

[Hidden in reply to mountaindreamer]

Cheshire's quite a big county isn't it? Are you officially Cheshire? Although technically Cheshire doesn't really exist any more apparently, it's all these unitary authorities or something.

Good grief, don't go putting yourself at any risk, yes, you probably need to keep an eye on that, the hills are quite brutal. I'm hoping to get a Garmin for Christmas with a built in HRM, so I have all this heartrate following stuff to come.

[mountaindreamer Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

We’re just outside Wirral and count as West Cheshire, but right on the edge.

I don’t really trust my Garmin as much for HR, as my Fitbit seems far more accurate and matches Hospital ECG exercise tests almost exactly. Garmins are supposed to have some issues mixing up steprate and HR. Mine likes to give me pulse rate readings significantly above and below my pacemaker settings, and as all my pulse comes from pacemakers I know those are wrong!

The worst hills would do is make me gasp and go dizzy / pass out if I can’t get a high enough pulserate and don’t stop. I’m just not keen to look that unfit in public before experimenting! 😂😂

If hills don’t seem to work, then I’ll stick to running on flat routes. I’m eyeing up the Chester HM next May, which I think is pretty flat...

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Whoa Neil that sounds intense. You definitely deserved your mocha and shortbread! 👏👏👏

[Hidden in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Thanks Cheeky! Yeah, it was quite intense, but strangely liberating. I love running up there now, the scenery is breathtaking, as are the hills of course, but the endorphin hit you get from achieving something like that is just astounding. My speed was frankly abysmal, but I don't care, I managed to run for 5k in what I can only describe as mountainous terrain, and it feels amazing.

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

It sounds like you had a great time there Neil. I remember jay gave a link to a video after he did it. Definitely not my sort of run with all those hills. I would've joined you in the tearoom though. 😂🍰☕️

[Hidden in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy, yes the tea room is a must I think. I had a great time, even with the hills, and am very tempted to keep trying it, hills are good for me. I've just rewatched the video Jay linked, and it's insane isn't it?

[linda9389 Graduate10]

Lyme park (went many many, many times as a small child), Marple (went to school there for several years) ... ahh a real blast from the past

[Deals1 Graduate10]

Well done! That sounds an interesting and challenging route.... Definitely well deserved replenishment in the tea room. 👍

[Hidden]

Well done. It i's one of the hard park runs but the only one I have done. Not interested in speed at Lyme just fun and achievement. Worth ever step for the most beautiful setting. Feeling of space & peace. The views are amazing. There are regular runs there too. Check out the website. Doing the 10k there tomorrow... feeling nervous..definitely run walk up the 2 big hills.

[Hidden]

Fab run. love the ladder stile x