Just one of the reasons I love to run :)

[hilbean]

My posts on here have got fewer and far between but I'm still going. Still reading the occasional post when I have time and would still like to say to all you newbies out there... keep running, keep smiling, you never know where this running journey will take you.

I'm in the last throes of my HM training now with just over a week to go and a lovely 8 mile run today.

I don't know if it was just having salad for tea last night combined with no breakfast this morning but I struggled to find the energy for this run today. Lots of walking breaks, especially on the hilly sections so was very pleased with the overall pace in the end. And the reason I had no breakfast was because when I pulled back the curtains it looked like it was going to be a most glorious sunrise so I got myself sorted and straight out the door without even thinking about it. And I wasn't disappointed.

I opened the door to a cacophany of birdsong. As I headed out the mountains were behind me and the white frosted fields stretched out on either side. As I turned into the lanes the glimmer of icy puddles stretched out ahead of me and the mountains came into view. There were some dark clouds overhead but a gap between them and the white topped mountains allowed the sun to play with a range of colours from pink to gold rimming the clouds and spreading across the whole of the sky. The white on the mountain tops stood out in stark comparison against this backdrop and made me catch my breath in awe. Set against this background having to take walking breaks as my energy levels dropped seemed less of a disappointment. My legs didn't hurt, my heart and lungs felt fine. I just didn't have that oomph required for carrying on up the hills today. So much for a tempo run eh! Even as the sky lightened and the clouds turned from dark to lighter grey the sky was still tinged with pink and gold and in the distance rain falling from the clouds took on the same pink/gold hue. As the sun peeked over the mountains the trees were lit with a beautiful glow that lit up their trunks and bare limbs with a beautiful golden green light that is so hard to describe.

Then, as I turned to face the road home, I had to scrunch up my eyes against the glare of the sun and the glare off the road. Unable to see approaching cars very well at this point I took the safer option of walking on the verge when I heard anything coming.

Home and very hungry! Totally demolished some scambled egg on toast and then had to raid the fridge for a yoghurt. So glad I caught the splendour of this morning's sunrise as today has turned into yet another dull, grey day.

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

Sounds fantastic! Where do you live?

[hilbean Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Anglesey, with views across the Straits to the Snowdonia range. Absolutely beautiful here

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to hilbean]

It really sounds it. Thought you were in Scotland at first, but Snowdonia is pretty cool too! Bet all those hills make you fit🏋🏻

[hilbean Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Tends to be more what they describe as 'undulating' on the island but once the HM is out of the way I may well venture over the bridge to them there mountains

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Beautiful, evocative post...Wales at its most splendid!

What a reason to run. indeed hilbean; I wondered where you were and if you were okay.

I have so missed your wonderful posts

We will be in North Wales with our little tin tent in the Spring..heading up to Anglesey and then down the Lleyn, to a favourite small coastal site.. after this post I simply cannot wait!

Glad that your run was so successful and enjoyable; keep up that training.

Thank you for sharing your morning glory

[hilbean Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks OF. All's well in my little world.

[AvatheGardener Graduate]

Hi Hilbean, how beautiful- what a great post and a great start to the day, good for you! Don't worry about your walking sections (well, I don't think you are worrying anyway!). Sounds like a beautiful experience and wow, aren't you going great guns

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

What a lovely descriptive post hillbean.

Good luck with your Hm please post to let us know how it went.

[hilbean Graduate in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thanks Jan. Will do. I'm alternately excited and nervous about it

[AncientMum Graduate]

Lovely, Hil, just lovely. I do love your posts -it almost as if I'm running along side you, which is funny because if I really was with you I'd by way way behind you struggling to keep up. So glad you found time to post this run xx

[hilbean Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Thanks Carrie. Been very lax of late with writing and posting. I've always loved this forum and have somewhat neglected it of late Life and all that And if you were running with me there's no way I'd leave you behind! Life's about more than that... always nice to share eh xx

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

The others have said it all - you painted such a beautiful picture with your words, how could any run in such a place be bad?! We all have those days, don't we, where we feel we are running on empty. You still covered a lot of ground though - so all good training for your HM. Well done☺.

[hilbean Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandra. A lesson timely learnt I think. A more substantial dinner and some breakfast before the HM itself

[aliboo70]

Lovely post hilbean and so descriptive! Nice to see you back and brilliant that you have a HM approaching!look forward to that race report x 😊

[hilbean Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

Thanks aliboo. Half dreading it now. It's a lovely route but not very safe to run unless you do it very early on a Sunday morning, so having the road closed is a wonderful opportunity for it.

[aliboo70 in reply to hilbean]

I reckon you'll be just fine !good luck for next weekend x 😊

[hilbean Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

Thanks. I think I'm more nervous about running with such a large body of people more than the route!

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Great to hear from you Hilbean, and that your training is going well.

Sounds as if you had a fabulous run this morning!

[hilbean Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Thank you! Oh these cold, frosty morning seem so wonderful after all the wind and rain we've had. It's been such a novelty not having a windy day I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to run in calm weather lol And no rain too! One of the best sunrises I've seen in a long time and so worth going out for.