Splosh, Squidge, Squelch: Or a short lunchtime run in the woods 🌳

[Birdlady64]

I only managed to run twice last week so wanted to run again today after Tuesdays Speed Challenge, especially as I have a lane swim booked for tomorrow.

So, it’s lunchtime and I get kitted up – long sleeved top and tights, with my brand new cushioned running socks that arrived in the post this morning (got to try them out!) and my lovely shiny blue trail shoes.

I’ve been going for frequent lunchtime walks in the woods with Mr B, but it’s been a while since I ran there. It must have rained recently a lot more that I thought. The path from the house down into the woods is a quagmire. In the woods the paths have been churned up even more by mountain bikers and it’s impossible to avoid the mud. Even the main path on my warm-up walk is flooded in a couple of places. Oh well I’m here now. Nothing else to do but go for it!

I set off on the circuit of the woods I used during c25K. It’s funny how the uphill stretches don’t phase me anywhere near as much as they used to.

I’m running “naked” today – no music, no NRC – listening for the bird calls and hoping to maybe spot a Muntjac deer. 🐦🦌 I hear the usual Robin, Blackbird, Blue and Great Tits but not much else. The main noise is the sound of my breathing and the repeated squelch, squelch of my footsteps in the mud. Here comes a big puddle – splosh! Oh no! I think that muddy water has gone over the top of my shoes! 😨. Squidge, squidge!

Squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch!

I see some birdwatchers towards the end of my run. I want to stop and ask them what they’ve seen, but they’re further along the path, past the junction I’m taking, and I need to get back to work so I don’t.

I reach the point on the path where I usually cut back through the trees towards home and stop running. Well that was great fun, in a weird, masochistic kind of a way😁 Mr Garmin tells me I’ve covered just short of 4.5k, which I know is correct, but my feet and legs feel like it was a lot further!

Then I look down. My legs are splattered with mud and it looks like I have half a kilo of mud stuck to each foot! My poor shoes!

Arriving home, I take my shoes off at the front door and immediately take them through to the utility room and put them out the back door.

Why oh why didn’t I go around the back? There’s now a trail of little clods of mud all through the house 🤦‍♀️. I try to pick them up, then go clean myself up and get back to work.

Now, having finished for the day, and written this post, I suppose I’d better go and retrieve my shoes and see how clean they will scrub up!

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

Lovely write up! We are getting quite literary with our run reports, they are becoming essays. I love them! Well done for your lunchtime squelchy run. I really have a problem. I hate the mud. With a vengeance! Fortunately, I can avoid it most of the time.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

I never would have attempted it without trail shoes. The lugs are really quite deep and the soles were actually by far the cleanest part of my shoes after the run! I have a bit of an issue with mud too. On one birdwatching holiday in Ecuador we were walking on a steep, muddy rainforest trail when a rare hummingbird appeared. In the scramble to get a view my feet slipped from underneath me and I fell backwards - arms and legs akimbo in a giant "X" shape".

I was brown from the top of my head down to my heels!

They made me sit on plastic bin liners on the mini bus- so embarassing.😳

And I never quite managed to get my shirt and trousers clean again.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Oh dear, that was an unfortunate tumble. You just have looked like a mud angel! I do have trail shoes, I did most of my C25K runs on grass, but I switched over as I was faster on the road. Maybe I’ll try trail running in the Spring next year if I am still here. (My house is now sold.)

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Yes definitely faster on the road, but I much prefer off road as it's so much kinder to your joints. I always notice it when I increase the percentage of road running.Wow! Your place sold really quickly.

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

Well done for running in your lunch break , that's dedication 😁👍Oh dear , your poor shoes , I've not had water come over the top yet 😐

Hope they clean up ok 🤞

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

It was more mud than water to be honest.

I'm sure they'll scrub up fine - they might be a little less bright blue, but trail shoes are meant to get muddy, right?

Running at lunchtime is a bit of a squeeze, but we're actively encouraged to take time out during the day and get outside in daylight by senior management. How refreshing and enlightened! And a bonus as we've just been told we'll all be working at home until Easter next year at least.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

What a lovely muddy run for you today. Back door every time for me after running, just need to remember sometimes the socks are as wet and muddy so need taken off too. Happy running 🤗

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

I would have done, but Mr B has the annoying habit of locking the gate from inside so I can't open it! 🤬My new socks were certainly muddy and damp today. Well and truly christened 😁

But they were so comfy

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Running naked with the sound of birdsong ....perfect 😀

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

😁Not literally though - obviously 😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Birdlady64]

No, much too cold for that!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

🤣

[Blackberrypie Graduate10]

Sounds like a good run despite the mud! I have a cardboard box that my trail shoes get put into at the door so I can put them into the airing cupboard to dry without getting mud where the laundry goes.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Blackberrypie]

That's way too organised for me, but a good idea 👍

[Blackberrypie Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

As long as I remember to bring the box down to the front door with the shoes when I am ready to head out, it seems to work OK!

[nowster Graduate10]

It's worse when the mud that you've walked in starts to stink.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Hmm yes.Are you sure it was mud and nit something else 😁

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Some of the paths I use get a lot of footfall and things get mixed up together. Who knows? 🤷‍♂️

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10]

What a great muddy run! It is amazing how heavy your feet can get with all the added mud. It is a bonus workout right there 😂

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Ha ha! Yes 🤣I suppose we could always run with weights round our ankles!

[Hareshaw-Granny Graduate10]

Great post and it all sounded idyllic. I don’t really mind the mud now, not many other options for me. Its the snow and ice I really hate. Absolutely terrified of falling!!!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hareshaw-Granny]

Thanks.Yes you are right about ice - I think I would be inclined to not run in those conditions.

[Roxdog Graduate10]

I love running in the mud! Well done you! Sounds lovely in the woods.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

Thanks - yes it's wonderful and its literally on the doorstep. I did most of c25k there through spring/summer.If you want to run long there are paths across the fields leading to other woods and a country park so I am really lucky.

[Lifluf Graduate10]

Well it sounds like your new socks and shoes have been well and truly broken in 😊. I can't avoid the squelch where I am too - I'm using my trail shoes all the time at the moment as they have better grip. The tractors have destroyed the footpaths in places and even left the main roads looking like tracks. But it's still a lovely place to run even with soggy feet.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Lifluf]

Yep well and truly christened. In fact I don't think I'll use the cushioned socks in the woods again. There are loads of bits of leaves and small twiggy bits stuck to the fluffy bits on the heels and balls of the feet - they took ages to pick off!

[Lifluf Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Ooh I don't think I've had that problem ...yet