Day 5 Sunrise – Thanks to Annette for the photo
Lovely sunrise this morning, I just missed to best of it but thanks to Annette for capturing it and sharing it on Facebook. I don’t think it had rained overnight and it was dry and calm as I looked out of the window while having breakfast. I thought to myself, let’s go now before it starts to rain again. Little did I know that is exactly what was going to happen. By the time we were on the start line it was once again raining steadily.
Even with the disappointing weather I didn’t feel too bad this morning and physio with Zak hadn’t picked up anything significant. So, it was a surprise to me that when I started to run, neither leg wanted to run smoothly. There was tightness in the muscles in my left leg and my right knee was complaining, not bad but it was certainly letting it presence known. It is very awkward to get a running motion going and be able to propel myself forward when both legs are nowhere near in sync.
To get over this, my plan had to be take it easy and hope things will loosen up and start to work normally. I had hoped to be running at about 9 minute miling but the best I could settle into for the 4 miles to Hawkshead was 10 minute miling. Not the end of the world and the legs found a rhythm they were content to agree on so I left them doing that.
Running through Hawkshead – Thanks to Sandra for the photo
I ended up running most of the first half with Lee, I appreciated the company. It was a shame I hadn’t got the ability to stay with him after around 15 miles as he slowly moved on ahead. For most of the second half I was able to slightly improve the pace, obviously with the permission of both legs. I didn’t push it, as we still have a long way to go. Even thought the rain was relentless and our drinks box had gone missing at mile 16, my spirts stayed fairly high all the way to mile 23, where suddenly I think I ran out of fuel and the cold wet weather seemed to quickly seep into my jacket and my bones. It ended up being a matter of hanging on for the last couple of miles to get the job done and quickly get inside for some warm dry clothes.
At the finish we are supposed to place a protein shake which is to be drank as quickly as we can once we finish. I finally came over the finish line on the lawn at Brathay Hall and dibbed my chip to record my time. I went to scoop up my shake as normal and realised it wasn’t there. Where was it? Ooops, I forgot make one. This wasn’t the end of the world there were spare bottles and powder in the Hall get one quickly made up. Amazing how it had completely gone out of my head to prepare one and I think this goes to show how tiredness creeps into the event as the days pass and mistakes begin to happen.
Nothing much to report in the physio room, I have some sore spots but nothing to really worry about (I think). I do have something to tell you from yesterday’s session in the physio room which made me laugh. I’m sure Rachel won’t mind me sharing this story. Rachel was across the room on her plinth having some treatment that was obviously pretty painful. After a while she said to her physio “Please can you just stroke me and make it better”. This just made me and everyone in the room laugh, if only physio treatment could be that easy and enjoyable.
Fancy dress Physio’s
Day 5 is known as Ladies day and it has become tradition for the physio’s to dress up, we had the boys in ladies clothes and the girls in football kits, very funny and surreal in the treatment room this morning!
5 days down and 131 miles, halfway there now. Please can we have a dry day?
