Animal Instinct

Buzzing on a large Latte and post-hangover drunken euphoria, driving along the featureless M62 back towards Hull and singing out loud to various songs from Queen Greatest Hits 2  - I started to think about yesterdays run and decide that I am in fact a two-legged camel....????

Yesterday I tried out another excellent, low-profile, LDWA challenge, the Myrtle Meander. I'm guessing the name is derived from its starting point and the fact you can't run/walk it very fast as your climbing up and down large lumps of hill most of the way. Not exactly a fell run, but it did work out at 25m and nearly 4000ft up and down.

To summarise, I started steady behind the walkers as the the opening times for CP were about 12 min/miling. Not many runners and I caught up with a fair number of them by halfway. Good snacks, homemade cookies and sandwiches at CPs. I needn't have worried about being too fast as it was a tricky route in places, especailly as manouvering into and out of the Haworth valley. i also got lost once or twice, probably adding about half a mile to official distance. Highlights were the lightly snow-covered moorland section along Bronte way approaching Oxenhope and the forest section approaching Harden. Food was also good at end, yorkie puds and turkey stew (lovely) then chocolatey cake with chocolatey custard to top it off.

Running-wise I seemed to stop and start. I'm coming off heavy - for me - mileage in the last two months and looking forward to a taper for Hardmoors. What this, and last years, training has given me seems to be a "metaphorical" camels hump. Even on unwilling legs I can raid my reserves to get bursts of energy even after 20m - whereas a year ago I would be coming to a halt. Another example of this, one guy burst past me after I'd overtaken him minutes earlier before CP3 (9 miles), haring off at a pace beyond mine, looked like a strong hill runner and I didn't think i'd see him again. He then slowed to a walk again soon after the next CP - obviously more of a Cheetah or Leopard. I didn't see him again.

Being a camel ain't glamourous, like a thoroughbred horse or a greyhound in gallop, but I wouldn't swap this newfound animal ability. So - anybody reading this - what animal are you? prize for the best answer.