Week 8 in Appledore

[Purple_faced_woman]

Started week 8 in Appledore, Devon this morning. Staying at my mother-in-law's house, and decided to get up at 5am to get the run out of the way before there were many people around. It was still dark so I stayed in bed till 5:30. By about quarter to 6 I set off down the hill from her house to run along the quayside. 5 minutes into the run I needed the toilet, and was grateful to discover I was next to a carpark with public toilets in ... which I found were locked. So I walked back along the quay and up the hill and went to the loo. About 6:15 I was back out and starting again, in what was now pouring rain. Walked down the hill ran along the quayside which ran out after 5 minutes. Ran through small pokey streets, with occasional slight hills (fortunately nothing like the hill up to my mother-in-law's house), and just as Laura said I was half-way through I had run out of roads with houses and pavements, so I turned back and ran a slightly different route back to where I started.

At this point what had been pouring rain became an absolute deluge, and then I rounded the headland and was running into the wind which was dashing the rain into my face - and everywhere else. It was initially exhilarating and made me think of all those mad men and women from the Romantic poets suddenly discovering the excitement of nature in all its fury and force, and shortly afterwards exposure, influenza and a short sad life on a chaise longue. Then it was just cold and wet. I may have been purple-faced today, but the dog walkers probably couldn't see it through the weather as we exchanged "good day to be a fish" comments.

I got back to the house and stripped off my sopping wet outer garments, leaving them in the utility room whilst I tiptoed through the house in my bra and knickers. When I finally wrestled my way clear of my close fitting sports bra and hung it up, I discovered that it was so full of water it was creating a puddle on the carpet, and I had to put a towel under it whilst it drip-dried.

So Run 1 of Week 8 was eventful. I had a false start in which I did an extra 5 minutes running and a good 15 minutes walking. Then mother-in-law who has grasped that I am trying to get fit took me to part of the Tarka Trail and dropped me there, driving to the other end of the section in order to walk out from the carpark to meet me and walk back to the cafe with me for lunch. After lunch we walked a bit more. I did over 20,000 steps today and had to have a little nap before tea (for which read slept like the dead for an hour).

Oh, and now, after all that rain this morning, I am sunburnt!

[dagshar Graduate]

That's certainly eventful! Well done for not giving up and going back to bed! the walk later sounds nice though

[Purple_faced_woman Graduate in reply to dagshar]

Thanks for your comments, Dagshar. It was an excellent walk. It is mostly where old railway lines used to run and is fully paved, mostly flat, and usable by people on bikes and roller blades and electric wheelchairs and scooters, and it travels through some beautiful countryside very close to the coastal walk at points. Delighted to have done it, but a bit knackered now and will be off to bed very soon!

[dagshar Graduate in reply to Purple_faced_woman]

Maybe another time you can run there? Have a well deserved good night!

[gary_bart]

You got to run in a story written for you by the Bronte sisters, it seems! It's nice when that's fun, but I suppose if it gets cold enough, it just gets desperately miserable. Afterwards, though, it's always nice to have had an adventure - even a painful, miserable one. Isn't it strange how sometimes the memories that ought to be the most painful (physically, anyway) turn out to be among the best?

[Purple_faced_woman Graduate in reply to gary_bart]

I find I edit my memories quite a bit, and what I remember are the stories they become and they are usually quite funny - to me, at least! It was very weird to get back from a run not feeling at all hot and sweaty, just cold and clammy. I've been to Haworth and don't really fancy running in Bronte land - it's grim up north

[gary_bart in reply to Purple_faced_woman]

Our memories sometimes become stories! Yes, I like that way of putting it.

[andrewleeone]

Wet Miles Count Double!

[mfamilias Graduate]

That was great writing - love the bit about the romantic era and the chaise longues. I'm from Cornwall, and I recognize the weather changes you describe so well. The horizontal rain is a corker - soaks everything

Well done for a well active day - you must have slept well last night! And kudos to your mum-in-law for pointing you in the direction of what could be a new place to run?

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Oh you lucky, lucky thing. We had a holiday in Irsha Street Appledore a couple of years ago and it was heaven, worth every one of a lot of pennies. One of the *very* few times I have been for a street run - early in the morning like you but although it was quite nippy, much better weather! Another nice run, more my usual off road on the headland.

[okeyblokey Graduate]

As Coleridge's Mariner said "Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink" and that's just your sports bra!

AppleCare sounds lovely and certainly easier than running up and down the grim northern landscape I live in 😉

Best run description yet - I'm at the same stage as you and just loving it in all weathers, too. Well done.

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

What a great post! Felt like I was there running with you (...now where did I put that towel?)

Happy running.

[Shorty888]

Really enjoyed reading your comments.lol