How Can You Get Lost Running Off The Pike???

I was supposed to run at lunch today with Rachel from work but, due to the horrific weather and the fact that our work is freezing so you can’t get warm again once you are soaking wet, I instead devised a pyramid session on the stairs of our building.  It actually turned out to be really hard work!  We are on the first floor of eleven floors and we used our floor as a starting point.  We went up two flights then back down again, then added another two flights each time, then took them away again.  When we finished, we then added one more rep to the very top and back down again so basically the session looked like this…

Two floors

Four floors

Six floors

Eight floors

Ten floors

Eight floors

Six floors

Four floors

Two floors

Ten floors

By the time we had finished, we both agreed that our legs were a little wobbly and we decided that it would be a good workout for bad weather days and next time we would add more on. 

Later on today, I met up with the Monday night cake run group at the lower barn.  Joining me were Josie, Erica, Tony, Darren, Andy and Ian.

As usual, we headed up through the terraced gardens all the way to the Pike.  When we came down off the Pike, Josie was ahead of me and, like a sheep, I followed her.  Thing is, she was going the wrong way.  I couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous it was that we could go the wrong way off the pike – a place I run to at least once a week! 

After that it was along to Two Lads and then cross country to the mast.  Half way along to the mast, you get to a point where it’s a really long trudge which is almost flat but not quite and it’s so energy sapping.  It’s my least favourite part of this run but, conversely, it’s Josie’s favourite.  I think she must have a screw loose!

To make it worse tonight, it was really foggy which made the bogs harder to see until you were right on top of them. 

I eventually got across and the others were waiting for me at the building on the mast road.  This is when I discovered Erica has a hidden evil side!  I was bending over, stretching my hamstrings and she was disappointed when Tony (I think, or was it Andy, I can’t even remember and it was only last night!) didn’t slap my arse as they passed, saying she would have done if it was her.  And I thought Erica was such a lovely girl. 

After a little rest, we continued up the mast road to the top of the diagonal, where Andy had a bit of a fall, hitting his hip on a rock.  Ouch! 

The fog on the diagonal was pretty thick and I was amazed at how fast Josie, Andy and Erica got down there, considering visibility was so poor.  I always think I’m pretty good at downhill running but they make me look crap!

It was then my favourite part, the practically all downhill run back to the barn. 

Then came an even better part though – cake!!!  Made by Pauline.  Yum yum yum!!! 

Total distance – 6 miles + stair climb