Wednesday seems to be becoming trail run with the dogs day and I am there for it. It’s lovely to get out with them and have them running with me. This morning was Bear’s longest run to date and he loved it.
I didn’t really set out to run 9 miles or for 90 minutes if I am honest. I’ve not been running to plan just lately so this is probably closer to what I should have been doing really.
We enjoyed plenty of woodland trail running where the dogs were able to get off-lead and enjoy stretching their legs. I was proud of Bear when they came across another dog and owner ahead of me and came back before I even called them.
I ran through an area I know well and have run and walked many times. However, there is now forestry work in full flow and large swathes of the woodland have gone and left the area looking very foreign to me. It was quite disorientating not knowing quite where the path should be.
The route was up and down and slow going in places but I wasn’t really bothered about my pace. I was, however, pleased I was running up the hilly bits without feeling like stopping all the time – a sure sign that the training (and Welsh mountains) are paying off.
We crested the top of a climb to see straw bales in a field. Duke loves a straw bale and was on top of one before I knew it! Bear doesn’t quite have the same agile ability as Duke and needed some help to join his uncle on top.
We were now back on the roads and I headed for a path that is normally void of any other human. Not today.
A man with an off-lead Husky had just gone in before us. His dog made for mine, who were still on their leads, and this triggered them. He said his dog only wanted to play and didn’t seem impressed when I said that mine didn’t. I double backed to try and get around and in from of him another way.
I didn’t get ahead of him in time and we met the husky on another path so I double back once again. It was frustrating but I’d rather not get my dogs over-excited when they are meant to be running with me.
It was mostly downhill all the way home but off0lead time for the boys was limited due to the trails being quite busy with other dogs walkers. That’s my fault for going out so late in the morning.
Getting home and sat down for breakfast and checking Strava I realised that I ran 154 miles through August. This is my biggest mileage month in quite some time and I feel really happy with that. I do feel that the training is now working and I’m feeling much fitter.
