A year ago today... the ‘long day’ of the MdS • 47 miles through sun baked salt pans, dried up river beds, shifting dunes and thigh burning hills • Blue skies, a sandstorm, a mauve sunset, stars like jewels and a family of gerbils • What a day! 😍
#marathondessables #mds #run #ultrarunning #trailrunning #desert #greatoutdoors #endurance
I was going to write something about how going on very long runs helps cultivate the right mindset when you’re facing adversity (it’s true, it does) • Then I found this pic, taken 75 miles in on my attempt to run all 186 miles of the #Pembrokeshire Coast Path in June 2018 with @solvaholidaycottages @pembscoastrunner and @muukadventures, and I changed my mind • I pulled out about 30 miles later after seven miles of my knee screaming at me • But I don’t remember the pain or disappointment of not finishing - all I remember is the foxgloves swaying in the breeze, the seals sunbathing in the bays, the sunlight sparkling on the waves, my beautiful Bluebell’s face as she jumped into my arms at the occasional checkpoint and how lucky I felt to be running in such a beautiful place • I suppose what I’m saying is this: as we go through this shitstorm, there’s still so much to be grateful for • Try and enjoy the ride peeps - play with your kids, laugh with your loved ones, enjoy nature, cherish what you have (all safely of course) • Can’t wait time get back to beautiful Pembrokeshire when this is all over 🏃♂️💕 🌊
#trailrunning #run #running #ultrarunning #nature #pembrokeshirecoastpath #isolation
WEIRD: A few days ago I went for a run in the South Downs, where I’ve been running for years. So far, so normal • It was my first run after coming down with a horrible cough a couple of weeks back. The run was amazing. It felt great to get back on the trails and escape all the news about Coronavirus, infection, isolation, etc • For some reason I took a new route, veered off my usual trail and passed some old bits of concrete and rocks half buried by grass that I’d not noticed before • It was only when I finished and looked at Strava that I saw I’d done a complete loop around a place I’ve never seen marked on my maps before: ‘Remains of Fulking Isolation Hospital’ • Apparently it was established in 1901 to house people suffering with small pox, one of the the last epidemics the UK suffered. They chose the site because it posed less of a risk of infecting Brighton • I can’t think of a more beautiful place to be have isolation imposed on me than the beautiful #southdownsnationalpark
#trailrunning #run #runner #southdowns #southdownsway #nationaltrust #coronavirus #isolation #supernatural #isolationnation
