Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

I was at work tonight so after I dropped Oliver off at school I went to get some shopping and look for a new work suit. All this running is seriously no good for your wardrobe or your wallet. Every piece of clothing I own is hanging off me! Joanne had an appointment this morning but it was cancelled last minute so she came to the shop with me. I only needed a few items from Asda and half way round she had to stop, out of breath, in pain and dizzy. I got her to sit in the window and wait for me to I finish, she really didnt look well at all. This is how bad she is, how hard day to day , mundane tasks have become to her. I took her home, got her comfortable and went for a run. On my return I had a gently stretch and concentrated on my lower legs. Oliver was out with his carer after school so Joanne could rest all afternoon. I then made a chilli, tidied up and went off to work.

Running: Approx 6.5 miles

My garmin hadn't charged properly so  went out without it this morning. It didn't feel that warm so I shoved a T-shirt on...mistake! By the time I go to the prom I was red hot sweating profusely in the October Sun (not two words you usually put together). I carried on, slowing my pace until I came to 13 corner lane at North Scale. The road was closed and completely blocked by diggers and trucks. Bollocks!

A flicker of a thought sparked in my head and I recalled seeing a path by the airfield which I thought led to the West Shore of Walney. I headed on down the road and ran down between the allotments and straight back out again as it was a circuitous path through the corrugated iron gardens. I came back to the road and continued all the way down to the airfield gates. A small "permitted path" led along the fence towards West Shore. The tiny single track was easy to run on and twisted its way along the length of the airfield to the end of the runway. Some white paths in the sea grass took my eye. Id never seen them before and wondered where they went to. They seemed to head north through the dunes and past the airfield boundaries. I didnt have time today but I will go and explore them next time Im out. It could be a totally new route for me and add some mileage to my normal circuit of Walney.

The coastline opened up at the end of the path and the sea, which was far out, looked cool and inviting. I bounded over the rocks onto the soft sand opening up my stride and working hard against the moving, shifting surface. I reached the incoming tide and turned south towards Biggar Bank, running along the edge of the ocean. The salt water splashed up my legs and felt cold but refreshing as I pounded along in the waves. I came to a water inlet where the current was flowing in very quickly that was about 8 ft wide. Im no long jumper but I took a step back and flew across the gap, splashing down in a foot or water on the other side. There is something about the great outdoors that turns me into a child, back to an age of innocence and getting mud up, wet and dirty. I squealed with delight as I came down heavy in the water, laughing out loud. I was getting hot and as there was no-one to be seen, I stripped off my shirt and ran along knee deep, sloshing through the cold sea, pushing my legs through briny sea. It was exhilarating!

I came to a rocky section and ran straight through the middle, keeping each foot strike as light and as short as possible. My ankles twisted and turned in every direction, negotiating the stony surface with practised movements. This was an amazing way to train for trail running, it reminded me so much of some of the technical descents in the fells. “Why the hell have I never done this before” I said to myself, my smile beaming across my face. All the times Ive ran past here in the past and Ive never once though of doing it.

I got to the edge of the rocky sections onto a sand bank and sunk about 4 inches into the soft, wet surface. What a good workout this was becoming, the delicate sand not returning any of the force I was applying with my feet, forcing me to push off harder and harder with every step. It was really tiring but good for my lower legs. My muscles were aching as I pushed on over some more pebbles, slipping occasionally but compensating with my following leg, catching me as I ran. The small stabilising muscles were working overtime supporting my legs, ankles and hips as I shimmied and danced amongst the stones and the shingle.

I came to Thorney Nook and the end of my beach run, it had been a very enjoyable session on such a lovely day. I returned to the beach path, put on my Tshirt and jogged back to home. A wonderful and uplifting run that left me tired but with a massive smile on my face.

Food Diary:

Breakfast:

Granola with Fat Free Yoghurt

Lunch:

3 Egg Omelette with peppers, ham and spinach

Dinner:
Homemade Turkey Chilli with wild rice

Snacks:

Nut and seeds, apple, banana