Whats it all about then?  This a very individual thing and if like me you can't exactly explain it then you tend give reasons that people understand.  I just get such a buzz, or good feeling when I'm out on the trails and you get some incredible scenery and sense of well being from being slightly remote and adventurous.  Its great to get away from all the hussle and bussle, and phones and computers etc etc.. Again I still find it hard to pin point exactly why I love it, I just know I do and it makes me feel good and makes me feel alive.  Sounds a bit mushy but its true!

Now that I am back training, obviously not at full pelt yet but definitely back in the game, I am loving being able to do gym work and now starting to plan some runs again.  My main concentration at the moment has been and will be for a bit yet, ankle strengthening.  I really want to get some speed work done so the sooner i feel like I have some confidence in my ankle the sooner I can start pushing myself again.  Its amazing what injury does to your mind, your confidence in your body to complete even the simplist of tasks is shot.  This maybe a self defence mechanism to help you protect the weakend or broken area until its mended or ready to be used again.  Its like your body forcing you to take it easy and not to re-injure the same area by going to hard on it.  At the same time its an incredible thing monitoring how the body copes with injury and fixing it.  Its been a good four weeks for me now and it feels as good as new and ready to go, but because my confidence is low in it I feel the importance to just take it steady and build up so as not to re-injure.  Its tough but patience is key if you want to regain the strength you had before.  Give it time to heal.

On Sunday I made my way to Gargrave in the Yorkshire Dales on the route of The Pennine Way which I am racing on in January.  My goal was to test my ankle by hitting the trails, whether it be a bit of running or mixed with walking I didn't care as it was the terrain that was important to me and whether or not it coped.  I also wanted to experience some more of the route as this will prove vital during the event.  As it was for the second time out of two I got lost within a mile or two.  I didnt realise it at the time as was just ploughing on trying to get some strong walking in before attempting any sort of running.

I managed to workout using the river where I was and then eventually return to the correct path.  My theory now was that as long as I return on the correct route I will still experience it properly.  The lesson here is not just about following the map, as I was doing that just not visulent enough.  No, the lesson was, do your recce's on unknown territory if you get the chance, as I am happy to have made the two errors whilst out on the recce as apposed to making those errors for the first time whilst in the race.  That would spell disaster! Some of the paths if unknown and especially if in adverse whether or during the night would be a nightmare as not always clear to where to go, no directional markers and no path or trodden walk way.   Not obvious anyway.  Its going to be interesting anyway because after 70 odd miles in pitch black, cold and wet, and miserable we are going to experience all of this!!!

Oh dear, what have I done......