As I woke to the strains of Homer Simpson singing Spiderpig, a more ominous sound was threatening to drown him out. The wind was howling down Moel Y Ci and the rain was lashing against the patio doors (I had slept in the lounge so as not to disturb Emma and the kids when getting up). I was filled with an overwhelming desire to snuggle further down inside my sleeping bag and wait it out, probably 'til about June! I couldn't think of conditions so far removed from those I am expecting come April. I am training for a desert multi stage event in hot dry conditions and here I was planning to go out in cold, wet and windy! Go figure. Fortunately the mental fortitude so sadly lacking last Saturday had returned and I hauled myself to an upright position.
A peculiar breakfast of a Complan chocolate shake and a carefully weighed portion of instant noodles was readily scoffed and I set off to my start point at Llanfairpwll. The trepidation of setting out was still simmering as I switched off the engine but after a dose of MTFU I jumped out of the car, threw on my pack and set off in the rain towards Newborough. I had come up with this route plan a couple of days ago as I really want and need to train in Newborough but no way am I doing it in the dark again. So I thought of using the dark hours to get there, spend a good session on the trails, dunes and beach and then run back to the car. A cursory look on Google maps told me the distance to Newborough was just over 9 miles plus I’d estimated that a circuit of the beach and forest was probably about 6 miles giving a total of 24 miles or in other words a good long run. As it turned out, Google was pretty accurate but Crookesie was way off as, by the time I’d got back to the car, I’d covered 27 miles.
The extra miles in and around the forest were certainly welcome training albeit tough on the pins. As the tide was in I was forced to spend more time in the dunes than on the beach but, again this was all good conditioning and not something to be shied away from. The only downer was that I didn’t really know a path through the dunes and spent a lot of time meandering in a vague direction.
The wind was harsh in exposed areas and I found myself wiping sand as well as sweat from my brow but even with all this hardship, I found myself running with a smile on my face. The backdrop provided by the waves surging towards the beach and crashing on the shore was worth the admission alone.
As I headed away from Newborough back to the car, the sun decided to appear and I had the previously cursed wind to my rear so, although my legs were feeling the effects of sand related exertions, I was feeling pretty good about myself and got back to the car mainly in one piece. As I sit typing these words there are no significant aches and pains and have decided that this run will be a regular event. I may park nearer on the next one and get more sand time under my belt but I’m certainly going back again and again.
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