Went to the Palace and saw the Civil War

Achilles tendon problem prevented any running for most of last week. To replace our long Sunday run we went to Blenheim Palace at Woodstock and did a lot of walking. It was a hot sunny day and there was a re-enactment of a battle from the English Civil War in progress. It made an interesting spectacle for us and the friends that went with us, particularly their four year old daughter. A cricket match was being played just behind the palace; we sat on the grass and watched while we ate our picnic. The front of the house is quite imposing. It looks over the bridge that straddles the lake and beyond to a monument on the hill opposite. Crossing the bridge we could see lots of water fowl on the lake and large carp swimming just below the surface. The climb up to the monument was rewarding; the view looking back towards the house was the stuff of picture postcards. I can remember visiting the Palace forty years ago and it hasn’t changed a bit. I can also remember playing in a football match in the grounds in the early sixties against a local village side. I cannot remember who the other side was but I do remember scoring a couple of goals and we won.

Monday was another sunny day and although my tendon is still painful I took our friends for a run. We did one of my favourite routes. Just over six miles, off road, uphill and downhill we all enjoyed it. My Achilles didn’t think much of the downhill sections over rough ground or when I tried to speed up a bit but overall it was Ok.

Achilles could stop run.

Hmm. May have overdone the comeback bit. Achilles was a bit sore after the run yesterday but I decided to run today anyway. We had taken the decision to only do a short run so I thought I should be able to manage that. Hoping the stiffness in the ankle would ease after a mile or two we set off. Well it didn’t in fact it was becoming more uncomfortable the further we ran. We did some off road which was not the wisest thing but I do like it. We managed nearly five miles but since the run the ankle has stiffened up. Tomorrow is looking like a day off but you never know, we will see how it feels in the morning. I am keen to get at least fifteen miles this week but we will see. The good news is, I have no ill effects from the recent influenza.

First Short Run This Year

Influenza which lasted for two weeks and stopped us running has finally passed. Today we were able to hit the road again, not completely recovered but well enough to try four miles. It went ok, more of an ease ourselves back into things than a hard workout. A flat route was what was requested so that’s what we got. We managed to add into the route some off-road running which was good. The weather has improved in the weeks we have missed so I was able to venture out in shorts. White legs like sticks of celery I wonder what the neighbours thought. Never mind I felt better for it. Tomorrow will be interesting, if all is well we will be out again for a longer run and see how the body stands up to that.

Targets have gone out of the window for the moment but I would still like to achieve fifteen or perhaps twenty miles for the week. Mileage isn’t the be all and end all these days, we must be sensible.

Six of the best.

Thursday we were Poll Clerks for the County Council Elections. This involved leaving home at 5.45am to get to the Polling Station and set up ready for voting to begin at 7.00am. A steady flow of voters came in all day until we closed the doors at 10.00pm. After all the equipment had been packed away we were driven home. A long day but enjoyable, voters that came were in good humour. This helps the time pass more quickly.

Friday it was business as usual. Shopping followed by another session in the garden. Carrots, radishes and spring onions are now in the ground. Better late than never.

Saturday we were again up early. Invited to Essex for the day we needed to get away on time. The Sat Nav said it would be a two hour journey, what she did not know was that a tanker had shed its load on the M25 at 5.00am that morning which closed it all day. We took evasive action but so did lots of the other traffic. A huge detour failed to outflank the congestion and the journey took three and a half hours to complete. The return journey went much more according to plan.

Tired when I got up today it was decided that a ten mile run would be too far. Six miles would be a more realistic goal and then catch up later in the week. We headed out along the main road, one mile downhill then one and a half up the other side. I must have been a little under the weather as I couldn't get my heart rate down. It was between one sixty and one eighty beats per minute but went up to just over two hundred for a short while which was a little worrying. Heading across the fields we had to slow down a little and the pulse came back down. It was a nice morning for a run and there was quite a few people taking advantage of the sunshine. It was noticeable that crops were further advanced in Essex. Oil seed rape was taller and in full flower, way ahead of the same crop here. Lilac was about to flower which is about two weeks ahead of ours.

Done and dusted in four days.

The already tight schedule is becoming unmanageable. Monday had already been called into action, so was yesterday and now today. I was determined not to miss the twenty five mile target but the price was to run four days in a row. Yesterday's run had to be moved to the afternoon, I thought a nice gentle four would leave today's run more manageable. We started gently enough but as so often happens with short runs they tend to speed up. Admittedly it was reasonably flat but we ran some off road and it turned into a race. I came second but I blamed the digging that I have been doing this week for that.
Today we needed four and a half miles to hit target and I was not to be drawn into another race. We set off at a reasonable pass and maintained it. When we were running down our usual track I glanced into the ploughed field on my left and saw a man walking up and down. He was in the middle of the field and walked about thirty yards in one direction, turned around and walked back. I thought it was a little odd but it was difficult to get a clear view through the hedge. At the next gap in the hedge I stopped to get a better view and could see what he was doing. He was carrying out a geophysical survey. A geophysical survey is what people use to look for ancient buildings and settlements that have long disappeared from the surface but foundations still show on a graph that is produced by the machine that they carry. It's like metal detecting for old buildings etc. they often use it for television programs like the BBC series "Time team" which Tony Robinson presented.  But what are they doing in a field near me? If I had not just started out on a run I would have walked over and asked. Pondering what was happening occupied my mind for most of the run. The run was a circular route of four and a half miles. Mostly downhill in the first half and, you've guessed mostly uphill in the second. It was a mixture of on and off road, the sun was shinning and a pleasant experience. The man was still in the field doing his survey when we ran back past but he did not look as though he wanted to be disturbed so we carried on.
Having completed our twenty five miles for this week already there is a slight temptation to push on  for thirty or more but the schedule just will not allow it.