Week 11 - The Lions v All Blacks
Sunday 18 June 2017. Overnight was hot humid and I got no sleep all night. All day loud music was blasting out from a garden across the back. It was 9 pm by the time I started walking towards the glen. I jogged the 175 steps down then did 2 laps. These included 2 x 430 steps jog to start each lap, To finish the first lap 300 and 435 steps jogging to the waterfall on the last. I ran 175 back passed the entrance footbridge. Two young girls chatting on the bench next to the car park, The young bullock charged at me again, but I was protected by the barbwire fence. I passed a woman with a well-behaved dog. All in all it was a pleasant workout. On walking home I could hear the loud music still blasting out - it was to continue to 11.30 pm and eventually gave me a sore head. When walking to and back from the local shop I stopped to chat to a few individuals and two of them referred to the loud music. That evening I watched politics on TV - all about strong leadership and blame for Grenfell Tower. Later there was news of an attack by a person driving a car into people outside a mosque at Finsbury Park.
Monday 19 June 2017. It was a cooler night, After a hot shower and some stretching I set off at 9.05 pm. Jogged the 175 steps into the glen, then set off on my first lap. After finishing 4 laps I still felt good and set off on a fifth. The first 3 laps included 3 x 440 and 3 x 310 steps jogging. The fourth 450 and 310 and the last lap 450 then 440 to the waterfall to finish. To achieve the extra distance I ran a longer loop around car park for the first running interval. On finishing at the waterfall I let out a few roars of relief. Unknown to me I had an audience and they looked startled. Across the river, in a field, where about 10 young bullocks, all staring at me & looking shocked. From the photo below (although taken 2 days later) you can also see the barbwire crosses the river at this point and prevents them from getting into the glen. Protected by the river and the barbwire I stared at each bullock, waiting for one to charge, but I think my roars had frightened them all too much. After a few stretches, and a few extra words with the bullocks, I ran 200 steps back past the entrance bridge. Tonight I passed one man with walking stick, plus the young girl twice on last lap. The second time, as I approached her, she looked scared and turned around and started walking in the opposite direction. It was getting dark and I did say hello to her as I passed. On walking home I worked out in my head how many steps I had jogged and this made me feel good as I deduced it had been my most successful to date. By the time I had stretched and cooled down, I had been out for a total of an hour.
Tuesday 20 June 2017. I set off at 8.45 pm. It was cooler but muggy. Walked to glen then jogged 180 steps down. I completed 4 laps which included 4 x 450, 3 x 325 and 450 jogging to waterfall to finish. After a few stretches I ran 220 back past the entrance bridge. It was a good workout and the only people I passed was a young couple jogging with dog.
Wednesday 21 June 2017. The Summer Solstice was a hot and muggy day. At 4 pm I decided to go for a walk to and around glen. I brought my cameras with me. On the was I stopped to say hello to a horse in a meadow. I took a short video of him munching on the rich pasture and he popped his head up to and almost into the camera. I also took many photos of the walk to and around the glen. I didn't see a person today, which was surprising as it was early afternoon on mid-summer's day. Just me and the sound of birds in the trees and the river flowing through the glen. There had been thunder and lightning earlier in the day, but apart from a few spits of rain and being humid, the walk through the glen was really pleasant.
At 7 pm I set off out again, this time with my running kit on and no cameras. On my walk to the glen I was stopped by two people in car and asked directions. As I continued I could see my Lithuanian neighbour in front of me, she was walking very quickly and was pulling away from me. I jogged the 180 steps down and then completed 3 laps. On the first lap I could see my neighbour, through the trees, walking swiftly along the road. I shouted hello, but got no reply. She was wearing headphones and probably didn't hear me. the 3 laps included 3 x 460, 2 x 330 and 440 jogging to the waterfall. I finished off with 220 steps running back along the flat path. The glen was quite exiting today. A young woman with a baby in a push-chair was accompanied with about 10 small kids. They were walking through the river, climbing banks and running around, whilst creating lots of noise. There was also an older woman walking two small dogs. It had been a good day and I got back in time to change and take my mother to bingo. I even won £10.
Thursday 22 June 2017. I spent the afternoon in Armagh City - it maybe small, but it's a busy place. Like most Thursday evenings my mother would have two friends to visit. I had managed to stock up on the wine, cheese and biscuits for them, but I had forgot to get the crisps. It meant I had to go to the local shop early. By 7.30 pm I had everything laid out for them. So off I went walking. Again on reaching the glen I jogged the 180 steps down and over the entrance footbridge and over the river. I was tempted to do 5 laps, but by the time I had finished 4 I decided it was enough. The 3 included 3 x 470 and 3 x 340 steps jogging, the last 480 and an elongated 510 to the waterfall. I finished off with 220 back to well past entrance footbridge. It's good that I am jogging further and further on each lap with less time to recover. I'm still walking up the steepest hills and my loop around the car park keeps getting bigger. On the first two laps I saw nobody. On the second two I saw a man and a dog, a woman and a dog and a couple with a dog.
I arrived home at 8.30 pm and shortly afterwards my mother's friends arrived. I acted as butler and they all had a pleasant evening. I joined them for some of the time as my lower back was really hurting and it meant I could sit in a more comfortable chair. At around 10 pm I noticed the young girl walking past in the direction of the glen. It was raining gently and she was heavily clad and was carrying an umbrella. I pointed her out to my mother's friends and they were able to tell me who she was and what her story was.
Friday 23 & Saturday 24 June 2017 turned out to both be rest days as my back was hurting and I really didn't want to take any chances. The pain was around the very base of my back and unlike the muscle pull I had a few weeks earlier. I did get up early on the Saturday morning to listen to New Zealand playing The British & Irish Lions, but The Lions weren't a match. Final score was 30 - 15.
I suppose it hadn't been a bad week. Between walking & jogging I had managed to cover about 18 miles. Let's just hope this back pain disappears.
The young bullocks resting on a hot day. One is standing the rest are lying down on top right hand side of the field. You can also see the barbwire fence.
Monday 19 June 2017. It was a cooler night, After a hot shower and some stretching I set off at 9.05 pm. Jogged the 175 steps into the glen, then set off on my first lap. After finishing 4 laps I still felt good and set off on a fifth. The first 3 laps included 3 x 440 and 3 x 310 steps jogging. The fourth 450 and 310 and the last lap 450 then 440 to the waterfall to finish. To achieve the extra distance I ran a longer loop around car park for the first running interval. On finishing at the waterfall I let out a few roars of relief. Unknown to me I had an audience and they looked startled. Across the river, in a field, where about 10 young bullocks, all staring at me & looking shocked. From the photo below (although taken 2 days later) you can also see the barbwire crosses the river at this point and prevents them from getting into the glen. Protected by the river and the barbwire I stared at each bullock, waiting for one to charge, but I think my roars had frightened them all too much. After a few stretches, and a few extra words with the bullocks, I ran 200 steps back past the entrance bridge. Tonight I passed one man with walking stick, plus the young girl twice on last lap. The second time, as I approached her, she looked scared and turned around and started walking in the opposite direction. It was getting dark and I did say hello to her as I passed. On walking home I worked out in my head how many steps I had jogged and this made me feel good as I deduced it had been my most successful to date. By the time I had stretched and cooled down, I had been out for a total of an hour.
Looking across to the field where the bullocks were. It's difficult to see the barbwire, but you can see the slanted pole which it's attached to. The young bullocks were behind the over-hanging branch.
Tuesday 20 June 2017. I set off at 8.45 pm. It was cooler but muggy. Walked to glen then jogged 180 steps down. I completed 4 laps which included 4 x 450, 3 x 325 and 450 jogging to waterfall to finish. After a few stretches I ran 220 back past the entrance bridge. It was a good workout and the only people I passed was a young couple jogging with dog.
Wednesday 21 June 2017. The Summer Solstice was a hot and muggy day. At 4 pm I decided to go for a walk to and around glen. I brought my cameras with me. On the was I stopped to say hello to a horse in a meadow. I took a short video of him munching on the rich pasture and he popped his head up to and almost into the camera. I also took many photos of the walk to and around the glen. I didn't see a person today, which was surprising as it was early afternoon on mid-summer's day. Just me and the sound of birds in the trees and the river flowing through the glen. There had been thunder and lightning earlier in the day, but apart from a few spits of rain and being humid, the walk through the glen was really pleasant.
I pass this big fellow every night on my walk to the glen.
At 7 pm I set off out again, this time with my running kit on and no cameras. On my walk to the glen I was stopped by two people in car and asked directions. As I continued I could see my Lithuanian neighbour in front of me, she was walking very quickly and was pulling away from me. I jogged the 180 steps down and then completed 3 laps. On the first lap I could see my neighbour, through the trees, walking swiftly along the road. I shouted hello, but got no reply. She was wearing headphones and probably didn't hear me. the 3 laps included 3 x 460, 2 x 330 and 440 jogging to the waterfall. I finished off with 220 steps running back along the flat path. The glen was quite exiting today. A young woman with a baby in a push-chair was accompanied with about 10 small kids. They were walking through the river, climbing banks and running around, whilst creating lots of noise. There was also an older woman walking two small dogs. It had been a good day and I got back in time to change and take my mother to bingo. I even won £10.
Thursday 22 June 2017. I spent the afternoon in Armagh City - it maybe small, but it's a busy place. Like most Thursday evenings my mother would have two friends to visit. I had managed to stock up on the wine, cheese and biscuits for them, but I had forgot to get the crisps. It meant I had to go to the local shop early. By 7.30 pm I had everything laid out for them. So off I went walking. Again on reaching the glen I jogged the 180 steps down and over the entrance footbridge and over the river. I was tempted to do 5 laps, but by the time I had finished 4 I decided it was enough. The 3 included 3 x 470 and 3 x 340 steps jogging, the last 480 and an elongated 510 to the waterfall. I finished off with 220 back to well past entrance footbridge. It's good that I am jogging further and further on each lap with less time to recover. I'm still walking up the steepest hills and my loop around the car park keeps getting bigger. On the first two laps I saw nobody. On the second two I saw a man and a dog, a woman and a dog and a couple with a dog.
The straight path towards the entrance footbridge.
I arrived home at 8.30 pm and shortly afterwards my mother's friends arrived. I acted as butler and they all had a pleasant evening. I joined them for some of the time as my lower back was really hurting and it meant I could sit in a more comfortable chair. At around 10 pm I noticed the young girl walking past in the direction of the glen. It was raining gently and she was heavily clad and was carrying an umbrella. I pointed her out to my mother's friends and they were able to tell me who she was and what her story was.
Friday 23 & Saturday 24 June 2017 turned out to both be rest days as my back was hurting and I really didn't want to take any chances. The pain was around the very base of my back and unlike the muscle pull I had a few weeks earlier. I did get up early on the Saturday morning to listen to New Zealand playing The British & Irish Lions, but The Lions weren't a match. Final score was 30 - 15.
I suppose it hadn't been a bad week. Between walking & jogging I had managed to cover about 18 miles. Let's just hope this back pain disappears.
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