Yay! Mud!

I love it!

Just come back from a 6 mile bike ride to Tentsmuir, where I then ran a mile (1.2miles, to be exact) - and although the times were by no means great, I loved it! Why? I hear you ask. Since when have you enjoyed such torture, and not done it solely in a bid to Not Die Of A Coronary Before 40?

Well, I shall tell thee.

It's cos it's really, really muddy out there - and there are no mud guards on my bike! I'm covered from head to foot in mud spatters, my face freckled like an egg, and my hands staining the keyboard even now (I'm getting in the shower in a second, promise). There's just something about getting truly filthy that makes me feel like a 9 year old again. I recommend it to everyone, no matter what age. Go on - get out there and get grubby. It's marvellous.

Anyway, I did the 6 miles in an average of 5 1/2 mins a mile - which is utterly rubbish in comparison to the gym bike. What is it - about 11 mph? In the gym I try and do about 15 or 16mph. This suggests to me that the gym bike knows not its arse from its elbow - or else, riding a mountain bike makes a huge amount a difference to road speed.

The running mile was more satisfactory, at 11.03 mins - which I'll take. 5k at that speed would be very respectable, for me.

Now I'm off to have a hot shower. Say bye-bye, mud!