I'm back home in London town after a spiffing few days in Cornwall with my in laws and Mrs Dan. I managed to exhaust my father in law earlier this week by taking him out with me for a run, then went out again on Wednesday - this time SOLO (as he was terrified of my speed! hahaha!).
I decided to do a complete loop of a country road / lane right by where they live and it turned out to be 4K in length. However, I encountered hills of such steepness and muscle shreddingly hardness, that I ended up walking for a short time.
I'd started off well, going slow and enjoying the smells of the countryside in my nostrils, but then I got to a 25% downhill section which was SOOOOOOOO steep! I was hoping my knees would hold out as I was clearly putting immense strain on them. Got to the bottom and turned left onto a single track lane. More downhill, though this time not as steep as 25% gradient. It was when I reached the bottom and looked ahead my heart sank! Ahead of me was a long long long stretch of steep single track lane. If I met a car or tractor along the way I wouldn't know what to do as the ditches each side were high with no room to squeeze past! Anyway, that wasn't worth worrying about at this stage because I had to get up that hill.
I started "running" - slowly on the balls of my feet and springing upwards as fast as I dared. I managed to reach the summit where there was a bend in the road and as I sauntered around the bend, I looked up and once again, my heart sank into my Brooks. ANOTHER long slow leg mashing hill awaited my attack! I knew Cornwall was hilly but for GODS SAKE! This was incredible. I set off and eventually ran out of steam halfway up. I was puffing and huffing and had to stop to a walking pace, which I did until I reached the summit of Hill #2. Near the top, a man was out on a walk coming down towards me and he bid me a cheery "Morning!", obviously wondering what the hell this lycra clad, red faced idiot was doing out running on a lane of this pedigree.
Once my breath was back and my lungs stopped hurting, I set off jogging again and managed to get home in one piece. It was the hardest 4K I'd ever run in my life and I gave thanks to the area I live in, where the land is flat and the PBs are in abundance!
So, I went out this morning after a long lie in and did my fave 7K route along the Thames. My speed was not fast today and I had to walk twice due to tiredness in my legs, but I enjoyed the outing and was glad I did it. Frighteningly, I weighed myself after my jacuzzi and was shocked to discover I'd put on 5lbs over the past fortnight! Too much booze is to blame, so I'm stopping that and then it's back to My FATNESS Pal for a week or two to get back to my 12 stone 2lb happy weight. This coupled with my running will soon burn off the calories I am sure.
The picture is of me on a beach in Whitsand Bay where I ate a pastie the size of my head. Happy memories......
hopefully those Cornish hills will have been great for speed training though 
The hill of Achievement W6 R2
Wow! Hills... and best run in days ;) 
The Hills Are Alive with Wabbits
Climbing that mental hill again
Hill run challenge 2nd session !
