This week we managed to get two long runs in. However, both runs turned out to be extremely eventful. On both runs it was just Wayne and myself and as usual we ran different parts of the Witton Weavers trail.
The first run we did was on Thursday and it was a repeat of last week's 16 miler. The run started off well enough, the weather was sunny and we had the usual chat as we set off at a decent pace. When we hit Tockholes park though disaster struck and my calf started tightening up. This was not good seeing as we had another ten miles to go. Wayne happened to have adhesive bandages in his bag and suggested I wrap my calf up to see if it would be ok. I did this and lo and behold it worked. The bandages supported the calf and I felt no real trouble with it. Have I finally found the remedy to my calf problem? Fingers crossed!
However, that wasn't the thing that made this run eventful. As you will be able to tell from the following pictures the weather changed dramatically! We started off in sunshine but as we got halfway through the run a storm came in! Big time! The photos paint the picture perfectly! To say we got wet through was an understatement! It was as if the storm was chasing us. Still it was a good run and I was so glad to get through it with my calf still intact! We finished the Witton Hobbiton/Darwen Tower with a run time of 2hrs 40mins. Oh and this time I managed to get a drink from the Honour bar. Check out the photo :)
Wayne running off in the distance
Here it comes
I love this pic!!
I wonder if anyone found the gold?!
The view from Darwen Tower
Random photo at 13miles
Sunset over west lancashire
The second run was today and was a route we haven't done before. Wayne had calculated it would be approximately 18/19 miles. Easily our longest run of our training programme. I had my calfs wrapped up in my miracle bandages and felt in great shape. We set off and everything was going perfectly. The weather was great and we had our usual round of chatter as we ran at a decent pace.
After about 7 miles we ran by one of the reservoirs a fairly large dog came bounding by the side of us. It seemed to be in a playful mood and kept jumping up at me. I took my eye off the path ahead and missed a rut in the path and went over on my ankle. The pain was unbearable! I knew it wasn't broken but it wasn't in a good way! After about 5 mins I made the decision to carry on and see if pain subsided. It didn't and it got worse with every stride.
It's typical that as soon as I start to feel great about my running that disaster strikes. I told Wayne that we couldn't go through with the original planned route and would need to get back to the car. My ankle just couldn't take it anymore. The only problem was the car was 8 miles away.
Wayne was great with me and we slowed the pace down and had to walk at intervals. Running on the grass was not too bad but as soon as we hit rocky parts the pain was intense. Eventually we got back to the car and I was the most relieved man in the world! When I took off my trainers when I got home my ankle ballooned. I'm still in considerable pain but I'm hoping with RICE it will get better soon. We completed the Belmont/Turton loop of 15 miles with a run time of 2hrs 33mins.
I managed to get some great pics of this run. I have to say that the trail we run on is amazing and the countryside is such a vast and varied place. It makes me feel lucky to live 5mins away from it all. I hope I can run later this week. I really need the running gods to smile on me for once :)
Start of the run
A tough hill to run up
A Stonehenge type rock formation
Local wildlife
A war relic
I'd love to live here
Resting my sore ankle
Random half marathon photo
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