Rain, rain, rain ...

It wasn't as cold as I'd expected when I got outside and started running with Nico. I'd put a windproof jacket on to keep the windchill off me as I ran and this could be described as water resistant rather than waterproof. No that this was a problem now, as the rain had abated and the major problem was avoiding the puddles that were 10cm deep.

Nico had a whine about clearing leaves in his garden having spent all Saturday afternoon doing the job, he awoke this morning to find that the garder preety much looked like Friday night before he'd started with the wind and rain having brought down a fresh, new packet of leaves overnight. I think he felt a little like Sisyphus. I was glad that I'd persuaded Laurence to postpone this job ;)

We spent the next half an hour dodging puddles and branches in the forest as we ran past the club and through to the stables by Chambourcy before turning right and heading towards Katia's for the girl's run. Nico left me after 10k and 45' to head back home in his last long preparation before the rerun of Florence marathon. He was looking easy whereas I was finding the going a little tougher after the cross-country training yesterday.

I arrived at Katia's house after 12.7k and 57'30 to meet up with Laurence, Katia, François, Sandra and Pascal. François was modelling the latest trail sack from Salomon and looking very dapper with his training for ironman t-shirt on too! A quick chat and we headed out westwards through Orgeval and along Katia's trail rout with the intention of a 2 hour run and 20  - 22 kilometres. It was very easy going but the drizzle began to fall and the puddles seemed to get bigger with every stride. Avoiding the puddles was one preoccupation with the second being to avoid the shotgun pellets with hunters in every field that we passed. I presumed that we'd be fairly safe until they started on the aperitifs and then we'd need to be more careful.

We carried on running and the drizzle bewame more persistent and then finally decided to turn into rain. My water resistant jacket became less resistant and more of a heavy, wet mess wighing down on my shoulders. The belt with the water bottle now runnbed against the jacket which in turn was rubbing a lovely little red patch into my waist causing severe discomfort. It felt colder and my leg muscles began to stiffen with the cold. The water dripped down my neck and back, making me regret not having worn my buff which I'd brought especially for the run but had left on Katia's kitchen table. I was feeling great.

It was a relief to get back to some wrm and dry at the end of the run and to be able to change into a dry set of clothes that Laurence had thoughtfully brought along in the car. A couple of cups of tea, some toast and jam later and I was feeling almost human again and ready to attack Sunday lunch.

33km all up in 2'45 and 103km for the week. Running well and will probably fit in a couple of races in the weeks to come.