April 10th - Hownam Hills

The hundredth day of the year, and therefore my hundrenth consecutive day's running. After the dismal time I've had over the last couple of months, I was determined to do something significant. Drove out to Morebattle and ran up Wideopen Hill at a good lick. This was the hill that revealed the full extent of my decrepitude a couple of days ago, and my hackles were up. I reached the top in a shade over 11 minutes, which I think is possibly the quickest I've ever done it. Carried on running hard to the top of Wideopen Hill, reached in another p.b. of 16 minutes and a few seconds. Eased up a little on the way down to Crookedshaws stile, then turned into the teeth of a blustery wind and charged back up Wideopen Hill and across to the ridge climbing gradually to Hownam Law. Reached the trig in about 55 minutes, after a battle with the wind the whole way along the ridge. Has this been the windiest winter ever? It's definitely the blowiest in my memory, but that aint saying much, as my memory only extends as far back as last Thursday lunchtime! By now I was running late for a drop in Kelso, so had to peg it down off the hill to Hownam Grange and along the road to the car.

Running time was 67 minutes, and it's certainly the best run I've put together in several weeks. Lungs clear of sludge, rib almost normal, foot just a little crampy on the climbs and ankles only made me cry out in anguish a couple of times! Felt like the end of a period of stagnation and the start of something new... or something!