Back to the Pack

I knew that putting my pack back on after a break of a couple of weeks would be hard... but not this hard!
A couple of weeks back I had a bit of a strain in my groin, and a niggle in my right calf (see this post on my running blog, and you'll see why that worried me!) So I gave up training with a pack and have been very happily running unencumbered as I tried to build up the miles. The 5x50 challenge has had me running every day, but I have been trying to do at least 5 miles a day rather than the 5km that 5x50 demands, with longer runs at the weekends and when I have time.

But as the strains got better I knew that it I was avoiding getting back to training with some weight on my back, so yesterday I stuffed some weight (mainly a climbing rope and some bits of climbing gear) into my favourite Osprey Talon 33 and set off out into the beautiful sunny afternoon.

The pack only weighed 6kg or so, but even before I got to the end of the drive (and it is only a very short drive!) I could feel the extra weight. By three miles it was all feeling very hard, but I persevered, found some downhills to recover, and life started to feel better. I rested for a drink and half a Snickers at six miles and looking at the view (picture above) it was hard to feel anything but good to be alive! The next six miles were a bit of a slog, but I was into it now, and when I finally made it home at 14.5 miles I was glad I had persevered. I averaged 10 minute miles, which is not as fast as I have been running, but perfectly good for The Big Wales Thing.

This morning was completely different!  The pack felt so light that I went and weighed it, but it was the same as yesterday. From the moment I stepped out everything felt lighter and easier. The woods were looking lovely in the spring sunshine, especially this favourite spot, with old coppiced trees growing through a sea of bluebells.

Approaching the village two hours later, I had done 12.5 rolling miles without a hitch, along new paths and seeing new things. On a whim I turned left and added another mile so I could rack up my second half marathon in two days. Again 10 minute miles, which is just fine.

I'm not sure why the days felt so different. Maybe I had just forgotten what a pack felt like. Whatever, I'be been pleased with my two days of half marathons. We'll see what the coming weeks bring.