20 miles, 10 sunny, 10 rainy!

Had to do 20 miles today, so decided to set off from home and run to the other side of the lakes and back. It's slightly over 3 miles to the lakes, but with added hills to test out the legs at start and end of the run. Set off at 9:17 in sunshine, down the hill, through the park, through town, up long hill and down into neighbouring town, up and down, cross 2 main roads, along lane to lakes (38 mins). Then along the old disused railway line, following the river and passing the lakes, with noisy geese and quiet ducks and swans. Lovely run in the sunshine, quite a few other runners also out enjoying running around the lakes. Took the left to follow the river, past the tyre swings and zipwire and back to main track. Onward and over the lane, past another lake and the canal boats on the river, path getting muddier, but sun still shining. Over the (very high) river again, past a fishing competition? (there's not normally that many fishing). On through the tree-lined track, past the lock on the river, negotiating more mud & puddles towards the bridge over the A14. Down under the road and back up the other side, more muddy path, then 1hr 50mins done - time to turn back! Retracing the route back, fortified by a couple of jelly beans, past lock and it started to rain, kept going hoping it wasn't going to last - wrong! Robert appeared soon after on his bike, with his camera, taking a photo then biking on ahead to take more, lots of photos of a soggy runner getting soggier all the time! Back at the lakes, more jelly beans and turned left to go past the lakes on the opposite side to the outward journey, spotting ducks and swans. Back to main path past iron-age roundhouse (still work in progress). Quick comfort stop and managed to drop glove in (flushed luckily) loo! Robert found me another pair before he set off home with bike on top of the car. Getting wetter and wetter, but glad of lovely warm, dry gloves and more jelly beans. Negotiated crossing busy roads and set off uphill into town, legs were still going pretty well and hills didn't seem to bad, still getting soggier as rain got steadier, and gave up trying to see much through glasses! Very pleased that I could keep going at a reasonable pace, enjoying the downhill and flat sections. Legs did complain at one hill, but mind over heavy legs kept them going and onward through the park, past the snowdrops, brook and squirrels. After hill through park, path is on the flat and only minutes from home - hurray! Twenty miles finished, very wet in 3hr 53mins. Robert was cooking dinner so after stretches had lovely soak in the bath, a bit achy now but not too bad, and very pleased with myself - guess what schedule says same again next Sunday!
keep on running.....not long to go

More of my 'favourite fresh old runs'

Yes, threshold running again today, Saturday, so back to the lakes...can't face fast runs and hills! 15mins easy (with red kite soaring just over the treetops) then 3x10mins threshold with little rests, one 10minutes at marathon pace and 15mins easy to finish (I like that bit). Some drizzly rain and cool wind, but not too bad weatherwise. Quite a few people about, including Barbara (my aquarobics instructor) and couple asking how far am I running - they keep spotting me, and various ducks, geese, swans and other birds. Body still seems to be coping with the schedule - I'm amazed how you can train your body to do something like this - and it does (without complaining too much!) Yoga yesterday (rest day), threshold today and 20miles to do tomorrow..... 'Why?' quote from son, who thinks his mother has gone crazy!