Higger Tor

We'd not managed to go to Higger Tor on our Christmas Day walk as my hiking companion is awaiting a shoulder operation and didn't want to tackle the very short scramble needed to crest Higger Tor. So having set off today a plan formed to include it although I'd not thought of the way home.

The route included a bit more ascent and descent than I'm used to and also the rocky section on the lip of Burbage Edge. I could have done without that but it was preferable to running along the road on a busy holiday Saturday. The thought crossed my mind to go along Stanedge but that seemed that it would be too far although looking at the map I don't think it would've been more than a km or so extra. It would have involved a rocky path though, so not significantly easier.

That's the second time I've done this particular route, not really an achievement...

So, for me it was a hard 25km, my right ankle is fine so far but my left knee and thigh feel distinctly fatigued.

Devil's Elbow 20km

The Bank Holiday weekend had poor weather forecast so when I awoke to sunshine this morning it seemed that I had to do a run. I've done 3 swim days this week anyway. I planned to do around 18km as a step above the 14km done over the last few weeks but the route ended up a few hundred metres over 20km. This is the first time I've done that since my minor ankle sprain 4 months ago which was followed rapidly by gut upsets.

The run was hard work from the beginning. I felt tired and lethargic. I'm on the edge of getting a cold so perhaps that  affected my performance? Perhaps my central governor knew it had to make me take things easy to complete the task? As the first long run in ages I decided to accept the early fatigue and walk uphill sections and keep my hear rate low. The main thing was to be on my feet for a few hours.

My various leg annoyances (left knee, right ankle)  made themselves felt at a very low level but not to a degree that they can even be called niggles. What is clear now is that size 9 Roclite 295 are too small and that the size 9.5 pair don't really aggravate my ankle more than the smaller size. I still think the old 315s suited my feet better, a pity that they are obsolete.

Jacket on & off

This morning was one of those days with a hot sun and a cold wind. This dependent on my exposure to the wind and my effort I varied between too hot and too cold and put my jacket on and off a fair few times. The run took me via Devil's Elbow to Oxstones and was just under 20km. This is my third week of long runs so next week will have to be a bit gentler. As usual (now!) I tried to keep my heart rate below 140bpm and so walked the key ascents and didn't rush the descents either. After all I still have the dodgy knees and a slightly troublesome ankle.

Fresh spring leaves at Whirlow

It is hard to say that there is a major problem with my ankle as I've only felt the odd niggle but it is annoying me. Every so often I feel the show digging in around the ligaments of the peroneus muscles, my foot feels stiff and I find it hard to know how to place my foot. The toes feel slightly odd and I'm not sure where the neutral position is. I've had this feeling previously after catching a rock in my instep but on that occasion the effect on my gait caused contralateral knee pain. That's not a sequence of events I wish to repeat.

Now, some hours later the ankle feels 'tired' but is fully mobile and nowhere does it feel tender.