Cool Running

My training plan today had me doing a 70 minute hilly run, the longest I’ve ran for in a number of years. Now, it isn’t very hilly here on the coast at Ynyslas so I drive into Tre-Ddol and started my run there.

Temperatures were sub-zero so I wrapped up with running tights, thermal top, jacket, gloves, hat and buff – kit that Anna says makes me look old. That may be so, but where I was going no-one would see me. It was a glorious day, wall to wall sunshine, blue skies, temperatures around zero degrees and plenty of snow on tops of the hills. I headed off into the hills along footpaths and bridleways.

Although it was supposed to be a hilly run, there weren’t that many really steep hills, so it ended up being an undulating run really. I never quite made it to the snow-line, but the scenery was spectacular and the trails just perfect to run along. They had me fording frozen streams, hurdling fallen trees, crunching through frozen leaf mould and cracking ice on frozen puddles. All the while watching my footing on the uneven ground. Of course, this being the wilds of West Wales meant that I didn’t see another soul out there either, just a few startled pheasants here and there.

The scenery and concentration needed to avoid trips and slips meant that the time flew by and I didn’t once feel any fatigue in my legs or even that the run was particularly long. It wasn’t that fast either mind you at 8.2 miles in 1 hour 13, but the terrain was partly to blame for that. A nice steady run through beautiful scenery on a sunny winters day sure beats a flat out slog through the wind and rain.

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.

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