Running into Spring

This post is just a brief training update for the sake of completeness before I introduce the next phase. I use the term “training” quite loosely because i do not have any upcoming events to aim for. The target is really to keep those limbs moving.

17th January 2020
A visit to the Brampton Valley Way again, course of an old railway track between Market Harborough and Northampton. My aim was to run against the clock – rather than go for a set distance, I would run for 30 minutes and then do an about-turn to head back to the starting point. And next time, I would run a little further in that time, or so the theory goes, always hoping that I dont’ run out of steam (a clever little locomotive reference there). However, it did not go quite to plan because my timings were out. I about-turned too soon. Nevertheless, quite a pleasing 4 mile run in the end.

14th March 2020
Another long gap, mostly down to poor motivation and lingering bug symptoms. I set out with great intentions but then the rain came bucketing down. Given my already fragile state of health, the wise decision was to return home without doing the run. Disappointed, but the fact I felt disappointed was a good sign. Remember, our emotions provide us with useful information.

22nd march 2020
The first run of spring, naturally setting out with a spring in my step. Today I returned to Titchmarsh Nature Reserve. It was a lovely sunny morning with a slight chilly breeze. The running was slow and effortful (it must have been a rusty old spring), but it was lovely to be moving freely through the fresh air and countryside. I have lost cardiovascular fitness during my fallow period and my form has suffered a bit, but I was pleased there were no major musculo-skeletal issues.

I did encounter a bit of a muddy dilemma though – I got half-way through the patch pictured and hesitated a while trying to judge if it was better to continue forward or to retrace my steps. I took the latter option. Oh, echoes of that great poem by Robert Frost, which I have re-titled as “The Muddy Path Not Taken”.

And so we enter the next phase – Running in the Era of Covid-19. I will have more to say about this in forthcoming posts.

Meanwhile, more than ever, please run freely and safely.