Just Three - Bolt's fault

Should have been four, but didn't want to miss Bolt running in the 200m World Finals - right choice! Another amazing performance by Usain, another gold, another world record, another field decimated. Wow!

My run was very, very sedate by comparison. Full kit run again, but really sweated as the weather is so warm and close.

Not much more running now before 18.30 on Friday 28th......

Easy Eight

Full kit work out today, even down to the mini gaiters and little sachet of crystallised ginger.

Ran a made up route that took me up Leeds Road to Bar House End, then walked with poles up Old Pool Bank to the very top of the hill and the old school. Packed the poles away and ran down into Bramhope, cut down by the Fox and Hounds (cricketers hang out), back along Oltey Road to the Dyneley Arms, then cut up through a little snicket to Old Pool Village and back through Chevin Forest to arrive at Danefield Gate.

This is usually the 'best view in the world', which I fully intended to capture on camera (found a spot for it at last), but sadly arrived after the sun had sunk below the Cow Calf rocks and was faced with a dull grey sky. Still, took photo, will post it below later.

Fast Four

Short run yesterday, the usual four mile circuit around Otley, but ran it fast and wore the UTMB back pack again. Balance was good even at speed.

Pool Seven

Back from a weekend of more rest and over indulgence! Guests at our house from Thursday through Sunday, so lots of cooking, entertaining and wine!

Run today was good though. Ran with Olmo 5 back pack, bottles and poles.

Pack still holding up, stable and comfortable. Used the poles up Pool Bank and feels good once you have a rhythm. Also a great feeling when you pack them away and start running again 'hands free'.

Hopefully more runs out most of this week adding bits of kit and looking for the elusive 'ideal' spot for the camera...

Roughly seven

Well, that was more like it, about seven miles in all, up East Chevin Road and then kept on going all the way to the trig point deep in Danefield forest but also the 'summit' of our little hill.

Used the poles to the top then packed them away onto the Olmo 5 back pack. Really like this bit of kit, but typical Raidlight seem to have skimped on strength to go lightweight and one of the bungees to secure the poles snapped. This pack is only about 30 miles out of the wrapper......still, managed to fix it up and carried on through forest, out to Old Pool village and back in on the Leeds Road.

Fantastic evening, bright, breezy, quiet and perfect for running.

Easy Three

I is officially taperin'!

Decided to take some rest last week after feeling tired of so much running. Its actually harder than you might think not to run - your body is happy with the concept but your mind insists that you are undoing all those weeks and months of training. Which is, of course, rubbish.

So, just a selection of shortish runs now I think until the big day, but lots of messing around with kit!

Today's dilemma, where to carry my camera.....

Which is of course essential, so I can take lots of pictures, like these from Berwick-upon-Tweed at the weekend:

Muggy, Muggy Four

Once swam off a beach called Muggy, Muggy. We were trying to snorkel but couldn't see a thing.

Visibility around Otley this evening was very clear, but the atmosphere very close. Not a pleasant run at all.

Oh, and Muggy, Muggy beach is off Dunk Island on the Great Barrier Reef....

Pembrokeshire Coast Path

Trip down to Wales this weekend to collect Emma after her weeks holiday with cousins Sophie and Amy.

Drove down Friday evening and stopped over at the The Bell in Skenfrith. This is an old pub that is now a restaurant with rooms and is featured in the book 'Hip Hotels'.

The Bell at Skenfrith

Unfortunately, it rained the whole time we were there, so no chance to explore the riverside, ruined castle or what looked like a lovely flower and vegetable garden. Still, the room was very luxurious and the meal absolutely delicious - check out their website if you are interested: http://www.skenfrith.co.uk/

Saturday (after a very nice breakfast - all local produce) we set off for the the very far south west corner of Wales. After a picturesque if slow drive we reached 'Dale' at the mouth of Milford Sound just before 2 pm. Here Pamela dropped me off to run the 28 miles along the coast path to the caravan at Newgale.

Dale

Marloes Sands

St Bride's Castle
View north across St Bride's Bay

By now the rain had cleared and it was a glorious sunny day - I'll download some photos later in the week. All in all in was great run, until the last few miles before Broad Haven when the path became overgrown and treacherously muddy. It was thick, slippy clay and impossible to run in and only just walkable - my feet slid with ever step.

Broad Haven

After about an hour of this, and still some 8 miles from Newgale I phoned Pamela to give an update. It took another 30 odd minutes to cover the next mile to Broad Haven so I called in to get picked up - I could have run on up the road for the last 7 miles in, but I was going to be well over schedule and late for tea! Anyway, I'd run a good 4 and 1/2 hours which was good training and I'd had the chance to test out all my new kit.

Saturday night's accomodation....