Negotiating the wind

[Yesletsgo]

Yesterday we travelled down to Brighton for a bit of boat maintenance. Our boat is pretty comfortable and, most importantly, has a heater so I normally sleep like a baby. Not last night. It was so windy, things kept banging, crashing, squeaking. No matter how much you tell yourself that everything is secure it's still unnerving being woken (repeatedly) by a loud noise!

Anyway, this morning my husband didn't feel like running but I told myself that every time I wimp out I am one step nearer to stopping and I really don't want that. I made a quick coffee and drank half (luckily, as with camping, our cups are like Thermos flasks) then set off. My original plan had been to head east along the coastal path, but a strong westerly wind was blowing. I decided I'd rather have the wind behind me on the way back so set off westwards, taking the full force of the breeze.

It was slow. I was doing NRC's Bests of the Year Run, so had Coach Bennett for company. It's a 40 minute recovery run and I took him at his word, starting very slowly. It was hard work, the wind physically slowing me down. When you sail you hear the word 'windage', defined as 'the air resistance of a moving object, such as a vessel or a rotating machine part, or the force of the wind on a stationary object'. I considered myself to be a moving object but thanks to the force of the wind an onlooker may have considered me stationary. I spent the first 5-10 minutes thinking I was just going to turn back, but knew that if I did, once the wind was behind me I'd change my mind again so carried on.

Coach B asked questions throughout about the best things in the last year. Some were straightforward, others not so. 10 minutes passed and I settled into the rhythm of the run. At the halfway point I ran a little further before turning for home as I knew that things would be much easier with the wind on my back.

The second half of the run passed in a flash. The wind behind me was blustery but it wasn't working against me. In a sailing boat, when you sail with the wind at your back it can feel absolutely still. I'm no sailboat but the difference from before was striking.

I finished my run, exactly as planned, outside Asda. I'd run out of coffee and so not only got my run done but managed to avert a domestic disaster!! A great start to the day

[Chinkoflight]

Stand by to gybe, gybe oh, just watch out for the dead run! Twas very windy today, but sunny here hopefully with you too. Rum rations with the coffee?

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Chinkoflight]

A bit early in the day for rum 😂Luckily avoided accidental gybes and other unwanted disasters. Bracing out there in the sunshine!

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

It’s certainly been blowy here on the south coast YLG, so I can understand how your night on your boat would be ‘interesting’! Hope it’s better tonight! But it’s great to run along a seafront in the wind and I’m glad you enjoyed your run - your timing to finish exactly where you need to is impeccable!

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Fingers crossed it seems a bit quieter tonight 🤞

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

How wonderful, did you hear the thunder last night? I was awake on and off and heard a few good loud bangs, I remember once walking along the beach to Shoreham with a brisk westerly wind pushing us along, we got there in no time and then turned back and battled against the wind to get home which took ages, ever since when on the seafront I go into the wind on the way out so getting home is easier, sounds like you cracked it too and going back was fun

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Yes, we saw the lightning (and heard the thunder) as we were getting ready for bed. It seemed very close, always worrying when you have a tall mast. We were a bit too near a lightning strike on our local river a couple of years ago and had to replace our radio. It was so noisy with everything rattling that a bit of thunder would just blend in. Thankfully last night was much quieter, hours of soothing rain sounds 😁It's good to have a choice of directors when it's that windy, makes it much more enjoyable.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

Sounds bliss

[Hidden]

Always good to face down challenging weather. Lovely to be at the coast too. A boat sounds like fun!

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Can't complain! Much prefer wind to mud 😁

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

Well done you... I looked at that photo and the word that sprang to mind was ... bracing! Followed by.... wonderful!

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

You got that right 😁