Feeling Strong

I met up with the gang at the UT and the UP this morning.  Out today were myself, Ed and Pauline.  John was at the meeting point but was off for a road run instead of joining us up on the tops. 

We headed up to the Pike where Pauline and I decided to take a different route and went through all the old ruins of the terraced gardens, eventually coming out at the Pigeon Tower.  We then ran up to the Pike and when we got to the bottom of the Pike at the other side, we were reunited with Ed and the three of us then headed off for Two Lads. 

Feeling good this morning, I decided I wanted to run all the way up to Two Lads with no walking so off I went.  Once I got to the top I had a sit down on a stone and took some piccies of Pauline and Ed’s approach.

From there, we headed off along the ‘wet route’ up to the mast and then carried on to the trig point.  Thankfully, Ed didn’t sink today and we all made it unscathed to the top of the diagonal and then down to the wooden bridge.  The diagonal is horrendously slippery today and I’d be interested to know whether the likes of Josie and Albert can still come down there at breakneck speed as I found it a bit of a struggle until quite near the bottom when it stops being muddy and is nice firm grass. 

We then ran along to the road and towards Hordern Stoopes before taking the diagonal path out to Higher Hempshaws.  Ed was struggling a bit at this point as he was full of a cold and so told me and Pauline to go on ahead without him.  Pauline and I ran a muddy cross country route to the waterfalls at the very far end of Lead Mines Clough and then along to the Bomber Memorial and, because we had taken a longer harder going route, we were again reunited with Ed who had stayed on the main path all the way. 

We all ran through Lead Mines Clough and out onto the road which we then ran up and through the fields to Dean Brook.  

Once we came out onto Rivington Green, I left the others to return to their cars and I continued to run home as I hadn’t parked at the barn this morning and instead Duncan had dropped me off.

As I got towards the top barn I was still feeling quite chipper and so decided to head back up to George’s Lane again rather than just running back home past the school.  I went through the terraced gardens and then turned right and up the path that takes you out below the Pike but between both gates up to it.  I ran along to the dog kennels and then decided to go through my favourite field back home. 

Feeling great, I thought I’d see if I could beat my own Strava course record and I did!  I’m so proud of that record and am dreading the day I get an ‘uh oh’ email telling me that Josie has nicked it. 

The speedy descent has messed up my right knee a bit and it’s sore above the knee cap which is a little worrying as I haven’t had a knee injury before.  I’ve had every other kind of leg injury, but have always managed to avoid knee problems.  Hopefully it’s just a niggle and will sort itself out and not become anything more sinister.

Total distance – 12.7 miles

https://www.strava.com/activities/267899267