Those were the parting words of Mr Mouse as Ferd and I left the house in the pouring rain to head off to pastures new - Shipley Country Park.
So last night there was a big flash of lightning, there wasn't even enough time for me to count and then BOOM. I screamed (a little) it woke me up, it was a bit of a shock. I'm not afraid of storms but I have just watched 3 seasons of Falling Skies so I am blaming alien invasion. Yes I watch lots of post apocalyptic stuff.
Well apprently we weren't being invaded by aliens and in the end it was a bit of a pathetic storm but the surge of adrenaline meant I had a really restless sleep and woke up at 9am very groggy and obviously too late to head to parkrun.
I was tired and hot as it was really muggy and it was raining outside and I kept thinking how lovely and cool it would be in the rain. And so around lunch time my mind was made up I was going for a run and I was going to go somewhere different.
I've been to the country park before but not explored all of it and I knew there was a reservoir which I thought Ferd would love.
Just as I decided to leave the rain turned into a heavy downpour but I was not going to let that put me off.
By the time I got to the park the rain had eased but still raining. And off we went in search of the reservoir. Found it.
And look at my initial pace I was flying, I recon that bit that it dropped to insane was me being pulled by Ferd as he chased a squirrel that jumped out on us.
At the reservoir I did walk and stand about while Ferd played, we then had a bit of a me getting lost session - I had no map and the foot path markers where non existant and there are a few trails.
So I found my way again and then walked up the hill, I will run it next time but what with the walking when I was a bit lost I had lost my momentum. Then we headed into the wood and headed up and I got lost (a bit) again, I've walked the upper section of the wood before but from a different direction, so I ended up walking a bit again and then discovering the remains of the hall so I read the information boards and erm looked at the handily placed map. Once we'd found our way again we ran for a bit more but then slowed to a lovely walk to just enjoy the park.
Now my running style towards the end was unconventional it involved me basically waving my arms around like a loon batting flies away, seriously I had loads swarming around me, why do the flies plauge me? And then on the walk I felt pain on my arm and a horse fly was biting me, I tried waving my arm to shake it off but it continued its assault, I had to bat it off and then another attacked me and another and another. I was horse fly lunch. Ouch. Luckily I think the large quantity of antihistamines I take has prevented any reaction, but those buggers hurt when they bite.
Really glad I got out, I was wet, I was happy, it was the best run I've had in a while, would it be wrong to say I am looking forwards to the cooler weather.
Will I be going back to the park? Yes definitely (though maybe I might have a map next time, you know just in case).
Oh and I even went into a shop in my running kit, my full on Lycra wonder outfit, wet and covered in mud and I didn't care.
P.s I might have to put trail shoes on the wish list, I started off in trail shoes and I think the park in winter will require something a bit more grippy later in the year, I think Nike had some.
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spoonierunning
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Very well done Spoonie! The flies are a bug@er aren't they. If they're not biting you, they're diving in your mouth/hair/nose. Trail shoes are a good idea; I've found out just how slippery my running shoes are on wet tarmac. However I think that Mr Treemouse might initiate divorce proceedings if I mention running gear within the next few months!
The elevation looks good. All my runs are flat as a pancake, so I might have to start venturing out in my car for a run with some hills and a few more trees. Great post
Well I decided on road shoes after discussion with the lovely lady in sweatshop because I was just running the towpaths and they are pretty compacted so road is fine for them and I figured come winter I would probably be pounding the streets more, but now I am hoping to find more trail routes I do prefer them
I am really surprised I haven't reacted, I'm allergic to mozzy bites and possibly bee stings. I even googled to double check what they were, maybe I managed to knock them off before they did enough damage, but ouch. Let's hope I haven't spoken too soon and I wake up all swollen :/
My trouble is I can react really weirdly to things for example when I had allergy testing, the skin prick sort I didn't react in the 'normal' time next day I had a whole body rash. But yes I would have expected a reaction by now so I think I am ok
Sounds like you had a great run spoonie and Ferd must have enjoyed it too. The bit about horseflies is kind of freaking me out. I hope all is well and you stay totally unreactive to their bites!
sounds like you had a real adventure, i love runs/walks like that and when its damp too! Had a fly down the throat today while walking home from work, yuk! managed to get it out, it was tiny but felt big! Horseflys are nasty
sounds like ferd had fun too! good work in getting out whatever the weather and circumstances
I hate horseflies, which we here north of the border call clegs. Last week i was plagued by the nasty things during an 8-hour hillwalk. I complained on Facebook:
"I hate clegs*. Hate them with a passion. I know hate is a very strong word, but clegs really are horrible, nasty, viscous, blood-sucking, biting beasts! I was bothered by 100s of them when out hillwalking today - they were biting my arms and legs for most of the day on the hill in Glen Strathfarrar. It must be the high number of deer which are responsible for so many in the area. *Also know as horseflies."
The following day a fellow hillwalking/blogging Scottish contact also wrote about them when he asked
"Rank these three Highland pests in order of hideousness, with most hideous first and least hideous last. Midge, tick, clegg. Give reasons if you like" The consensus was most people really disliked the cleg, but most were aware of the dangers of Lyme disease so, maybe grudgingly, gave that top place as most hideous - or tied for top with clegs.
Even when we go to the deer park still haven't encountered one on him, I keep thinking I should get a tick twister just in case but then wonder if that would just be tempting fate. I know when I was little my mum had to deal with the blood suckers a few times
Yuck yuck yuck
I am always amazed by the number of people that aren't aware of them, there are often pictures posted on the dog forum I'm on and people going what's this
Yeah I think it must be his good looks, that or it's his smell from all the poo rolling and canal swimming
I am just lucky, towpath is not really tick territory and we don't head to the deer park very often and the grazing areas at the park we went to yesterday are generally off limits.
I shall be giving him another check over just to make sure, it's hard to check when they are all soggy and covered in mud.
Sounds fantastic a great post . It's great when you find a new & exciting place to run . Yes def get some trail shoes they are great for rough terrain . Well done you & Ferd
You're clearly very tasty Spoonie, but horseflies are little blighters aren't they, with their bloodsucking pointy mouthparts? It's a bit rude just tucking in like that without so much as a 'by your leave'!
I find ticks on me most weeks. I got the first one as early as April this year and gave up counting after 20. As I've previously tested positive for Lyme's I'm very meticulous about checking for them every day. I've even picked them up from doing yoga in our garden, since we get deer in the garden occasionally.
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