Some musings

“The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft a-gley”  Robert Burns Nov. 1785

“Well that was a bit of a wash out in running terms” John Munro Nov. 2019

After much checking of weather forecasts during the week, the final decision was to head to Aviemore for the last long run for both of us. We managed to get away from work a little early which meant we got well up the A9 before darkness descended and settled for the evening.  The forecast was for a cold, clear day on Saturday and I’d 18miles on ‘easy trail’ on the programme so intended running across the Ryvoan pass from Glenmore to Nethybridge and back.  I went to bed Friday evening looking forward to the day ahead and had a good 10 hour vansleep. 

Saturday morning was grey and damp with mist hanging right down to below the tree tops!  However apart from feeling a bit pissed off that the forecast hadn’t been true, we had breakfast, got ready and headed off.  John had decided he wasn’t feeling the love so would head off and see how it went but most likely leave his long run til Sunday.  As I trotted down the road from Glenmore to the Hayfield I was already feeling the dampness catching in my lungs and decided I would change my plans and do loops of the G24 route. I know this well, it’s varied and it doesn’t take too much navigation. I texted John to tell him and set off up the grassy hill remembering how much I’d looked forward to this year’s race but been thwarted by the dreaded lurgy.  As I danced across the patches of icy snow I changed my mind again and headed along the side of Loch Morlich, this is a nice trail which leads out onto the road which is usually a bit tedious, but as there’s been a huge amount of forestry work here, the road was thick with mud which had been compacted by heavy plant and with a coating of snow was a reasonable surface for a change.  I was running and hiking and maintaining a constant pace which I was pleased with but still struggling with the damp making me wheezy and by this time John had texted to say he’d stopped and was back at the van. I decided to run to Aviemore and asked him to meet me there. I continued to trot along at a steady pace but wasn’t feeling 100% I couldn’t put my finger on it it just wasn’t right however I finished my run but it was only 9.25 miles - half the distance on plan 😢

After a relaxing afternoon in the van we went to the Pine Marten bar for dinner, a couple of beers and a singalong with the resident musician who we’ve seen before and is really good! Walking back to the van I started to feel uncomfortable with severe stomach cramps and a sudden but thankfully short lived bout of D&V knocked me for 6! I don’t think there was anything wrong with my food or the 2 shandies I had, I get these episodes once every year or so when I am tired and/or stressed and it goes as quickly as it comes on, always without any warning but it meant that today I am completely washed out so didn’t do any running. I’m almost feeling back to normal now after a nap when we got home and a lovely steak pie dinner, will have an early night tonight and hopefully be back on form tomorrow.

So yep it was a bit of a washout in running terms but we had time together with no interruptions to talk about future plans and reminisce a little too - we don’t get those chances too often and it was nice to sit watching the snow falling at breakfast time.

We leave for Oman early next Sunday morning so I need to be back up to full power before then!