The Hills are Alive....

Its been a hard, dark day today. Oliver has been out with his carer this morning so I could get some jobs done, but Joanne has been in bed with excruciating pain again. It so difficult to watch her when shes having an "attack" (I don't know what else to call it!). The pain grips hold of her chest, takes all her breath away and cripples her for about a minute.  I just have to be there for her and hold her hand during these episodes. I feel utterly helpless and it brings me down so much. Im so worried about her physical and mental health at the moment, it seems to be getting worse and worse like her body is caught up in a feedback loop of pain. From the outside she looks fine and I think thats only what people see and it creates such a false façade of our lives.
Once I got her settled, made her some lunch and finished my jobs (cleaning, washing, making beds etc) I had about 1hr 30 min left before Oliver got home. I desperately needed a therapy session! My mood was really low and I know the minute he came home I wouldn't be able to get out. So I mustered up some energy and got ready to go out.

Running: 7.36 miles  10.41 /mi  Hill Reps Session

Todays session was a hill session, just the therapy I needed. I laced up my trainers and set out. I was headed for the Slag Banks - so named from the local prostitute trade that goes on at night there. Only joking, they are the remnants from Barrows illustrious Iron Ore trade from which the leftover slag from the process was dumped, and over the years created a massive hill seen from everywhere in the town.

The Slag Bank
 

I sped out, over Jubilee Bridge and onto Red Mans Way, which runs parallel along Walney Channel. The tide was in and it was blustery but I didn't care today, I just needed to run. I had my music on today, it helps me drift off into my own world. I pushed hard along the path and skipped up the set of steps that line the path. Its a great warm up, doing high knees, and fast feet on the steps, mobilizing my body ready for the hill work. I had taken my sports camera with me for a field test so I spent some of the run with it in front of me and panning across the landscape.
I got to the Slag Banks and my mood had lifted. Is such a good area for hill work with a sharp and steep banking on one side and a long track on the other for a longer run. I set my camera up at the bottom and powered up the slope. I suddenly felt amazing, the blood flowing through my body, coursing into my heart, pumping it harder and harder. A smile appeared on my face and I started to enjoy it. I recovered at the top for about 10 seconds and powered down again, bombing down the hill, brakes off, brain disengaged. I got to the bottom and laughed outloud, it was brilliant fun. I repeated the hill a few more times then moved onto the longer track. I moved the camera round and ran up the gravelly trail. At the top it gave me amazing views of the Duddon Estuary overlooked by the mighty Black Combe. I turned and flew back down, this time bouncing and leaping from rock to rock, vaulting the fence and indulging in some hill parkour.
I was buzzing, the kid in me pushed the adult into the channel and drove me up some more hills." Lets explore" he said, "follow me". With the camera in hand I went over the far side of the hill, dropping down the trail and running along the edge by the channel. It was exhilarating!
This is why I run.
Nothing felt like an effort, just really fluid and fun. I was having an absolute ball, my body felt strong and light as I powered up the hills and I had forgotten all about home. I finished off my hill repeats and started the 2 mile jog home. I made my way back along the path energized and happy, occasionally jumping on a bench and powering off or balancing on the small wall that runs along side the path - just like my 8 year old does.  I gently ambled across the bridge and back home. I felt as if the cloud had been lifted from me and I headed home with a clear head ready for round 2 when Oliver Got home!

An absolutely amazing and fun session!!! I will post the video if I get chance to edit it!

Strength Workout - All done unbroken again with 3 min plank. I will up the reps by 5 next week and see how I go and GB Bootcamps will be starting again soon!

Food Diary:

Breakfast:
Oatso Simple Porridge with Chia Seeds, Cashew nuts and Linseeds

Snacks:
Homemade Banana Oat Bar, 3 apples, Oatcakes and Humus, Olives

Sticky Pork, Weird Horse Elephant Ginger?, treat, strange mix of stir fry veg

Post Run Lunch
3 Egg Spinach and Tomato Omelette, with a little grated cheese and rocket salad

Dinner:
Sticky Honey and Ginger Pork with Stir fried Vegetables and Wholemeal Noodles

The root ginger looked like a hybrid elephant, horse and a shrew??? Bizarre but fun.
The Vegetables were all I had left (big shop tomorrow) and bizarrely my wife said they were the nicest stir fry shed had in ages. It consisted of Parsnip, pepper, courgette, celery, fennel and sugar snap peas, fried in Rice Vinegar. Delicious!

Yoo Moo Frozen Yoghurt Lolly