Last night in bed I had an idea (yeah I know sad isn’t it, saturday night and the only thing I’m getting in bed is ideas about running) about where I could test out my foot – Merthyr Mawr! A few miles drive away is a big nature reserve type area chock full of trails and most importantly on dunes!

Off I set, a little tentative and just waiting for the foot pain to start up. I was especially nervous as I knew that too much pain and I was definitely out of next weekends half marathon (which I’m well aware I still might be depending on how today and tomorrow go)
It was great to be out running again and the niggley pain ceased as I took the pace slow and kept to the sand as much as possible.


After a while the terrain changed a little and became a little more scrublike and the sand wasn’t so deep but the foot kept of feeling fine and I was really starting to get back into the swing of things – as in my breathing was hurting more than the foot! Ah it’s good to be back :p

I was also glad to be out in this area as I could treat it as a recce as Merthy Mawr is the key to crossing the river at Ogmore so when I’m fully fit again I can turn my 15’s into 20’s
And then it happened! No not a foot injury – Only one creature leaves prints like this….
Badger! And juding by the size of the paw it was a big bugger – I was scared, out here alone. As everyone knows a badger swarm can take a lone runner down in seconds and strip them to the bone in minutes and here I was in badger country and unarmed (badgers hate spatulas – always carry one in badger country) All I could do was push on and hope they weren’t tracking me …and then …
Badger shit! (foot for scale) definitely a big badger! Run! Run like the wind!
I was on the homeward stretch now and as I neared my car realised I’d been running for an hour! I reckon it was around 4 miles (I forgot my watch) which is slow going but I was happy keeping a low intensity and the sand was tough going on the legs. This is definitely progress =)
By chance I also bumped into an old friend out walking his dog so all fears of badger attack forgotten we spent a while chucking sticks into the river for her (the dog not the friend)

And I got to go on the worlds bounciest bridge – seriously if you run on this it bounces so much you simply can’t keep step

So all in all a great morning, I’m writing this while rolling and stretching my foot and I’ll admit theres a little discomfort but not as much as I feared.
I hope all your sundays rock too =)
(PS Disclaimer I may have made some parts of this post up, everyone knows badgers are attracted to spatulas, always carry an eggwhisk to deter them (and thats horse not badger shit))
Amazing post. Made me laugh out loud! I now have images of egg whisks and spatulas being part of trail kits going forward.
Glad your foot isn’t too painful. Hope hat the rolling of it helps. One recently purchased a roller stick. Not sure if it helps more than an actual roller but anything is worth the try.
So glad your back and that race is now a possibility instead of a dream x
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Never be caught without one! Serious butt lol Cheers for the support and now i’m off for a bank holiday pint (or more)
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Now that’s the best idea ever! I however worked bank holiday so making up for it by going for a run with the husband. This may end in a costly divorce lol
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Hurrah. Welcome back.
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Laughing so much! Brilliant. Glad you escaped the badgers and welcome back.
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Enjoy the well deserved pint(s). Well done resting and taking it slow! Soft sand is the best medicine.
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I will totally fight off the swooping owls with spatulas and whisks from now on.
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