Sluggish

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.... I went out for a long run today having failed to go out on Sunday. Like Sunday it was tipping down but this time I was ready for it. Lucy Colquhoun had given me this advice - "Man up, Mary!". She was right of course. It was just a bit of rain. Surely I could dress for it and then get on with it.
I might have made the mistake of dressing too warmly as I remembered getting soaked and then too cold on previous rainy long runs. I was wearing a helly hansen and my Skins (which I was pleased I could still wriggle into frankly). Peter was around and came along too. We drove to Musselburgh and parked at the Quayside and set off up the Esk to the Pencaitland cycle path.

It was much warmer than I had estimated and not nearly as rainy either. I hope it was partially because I was overdressed that I was running miserably slowly. I thought it would pass and I did feel better after a mile or two. The lushness of the undergrowth up the side of the Esk was quite entertaining. There was some really giant Giant Hogweed and those lovely smelling pink and white flowers you often get up the side of rivers - no idea what they are...

It was clear very early on that Buchanan was feeling good and he was galloping on ahead so we figured out how to cater for our two very separate abilities...the plan was...he gets the car-key and a loose arrangement to be back there round about 4pm. As the miles went by it became increasingly clear that I was making very heavy weather of this indeed and instead of the roughly 21 miles I had set out to do I changed my plan to run to 10 miles and turn around. Fortuitously, Peter had just done one lap of the woods and was just setting off to do another as I arrived at the 10 mile mark so I was able to pass on this change of plan and give him some jelly-babies as he had no drink or fuel with him. I then turned around and sploshed back at snail's pace and found myself thinking that I was going to give up this running long business as it is absolutely pointless and its not working for me. Every time I go out for a long one I am worse! 2 days ago on a nice short 6 miler I was delighted by being out running and really enjoyed it. This was a joyless plod. The ligaments in my ankles hurt, my legs were as stiff as boards and I couldn't raise the pace at all. (I tried a few times thinking a faster pace might feel a bit better.) So that's it. I've given up long running. At the time the thought was incredibly cheering.

In the car I changed it to just giving up the Speyside Way race and then maybe doing the Kielder Forest marathon and then backing off a bit. But then the thought of not doing the Speyside Way and everyone setting off and me not competing gave me pause for thought. I don't know if I want to do that. I'll have to think about it.

Oh and there were lots of slugs out gliding around because it was so wet.