In England for my flying visit, so out straightaway for the run, and decide to tackle the double header. Hard frost last night, so slippery roads in places and very hard ground -- good thing it's mainly a road run. Aim for the shorter route: up via Salway Ash and back via Marshwood. Brisk start, wearing lots on top but only shorts (just in case of mud), and warm up fairly quickly. Second mile slower as I have to duck around a bit after the factory in Pymore, but come out on to the right road and head across to Dottery. Then straight up to Salway Ash, on to Bowood, and then directly to the footpath up Lewesdon. Feel a bit knackered at that point, probably because of the flight, which was a bit rough sleep and food/drink wise.
I'd carried along two Yakults and I drank one of them at the beeches looking back over the Broadwindsor road. Then on up the hill, without much vigor, but got to the top and looked back again for the view, then jogged on. Mild ankle wrench as I tripped on some rock hard formerly boggy bits, then I was going down the back of the hill, past the Pearson tree and down the heathy slope -- at least one of the gorse bushes was in bloom, amazingly. At this point, things went a bit wrong.
I'd veered a bit west, choosing one trail over another as I thought they both ended up at the same place. No such luck: I couldn't find the trail down once I reached the trees, and as I tried various options, I found myself on thin ice over leafy bog: one foot sank in over the ankle, and with my next step I was in mud over my *knee* on my right leg. Stopped, carefully dragged and slid foot out without losing shoe or wasting time, and managed to get back to firm ground. Two wet feet and very muddy. And I still didn't know the way down.
The long and short is that I wandered about a bit--saw a deer close-up too, as I was trying to get bearings. Then back around north-eastwards and over deep stream-carved clefts in the hill side until I finally got back onto the real trail. Whereupon I said three hallelujahs and took off downwards again.
After that it was straightforward along to Pilsdon, tough but short climb up there -- enjoy the *spectacular* view all around as sun shone on misty hilltops and valleys all around, and off in one direction the golden brightness of sun reflected off sea -- then drink the second Yakult, a short loop of the top and I was going back down again, across the road and down into the Marshwood vale. By then I was getting properly tired in the legs, and the wet shoes were not helping; nearly ten miles gone already. It was a matter of keeping going in stages: first Shave Cross, then Broadoak then Dottery and then downhill into Bridport. Managed to keep nearly at 8:00s, but a little slower by the end. Here's the list of totals:
Time: 2:28: 15
Distance: 16.86
Pace/Speed: 8:48/ 6.82 mph
Comment: running in Dorset, sunshine, two personal bests (distance and time) and some mud to boot -- couldn't ask for more, really!
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