Tuesday 26 October 2010

heart in the clarts

Being a creature of habit, I tend to have a favourite quick everyday run, do it to death and then move on to another one and so on. The flavour of the month at the moment starts from the Yellowmede Farm track, past Foggin Tor Quarry, down towards Three Bridges, up Leeden Tor, round the track past Ingra Tor, back up the short-cut, along the railway track, turning off before the sight of Princetown spoils things and up to North Hessary Tor. From here it's a nice swift clarty descent past Hollow Tor and back to the car.

Being nice and flat I can usually nip round the 12km in about 1hr 15 mins although I sometimes run back down North Hessary as far as the newbuilds and back up to make the most of its modest incline.

Monday's run was in glorious sunshine with a gentle cooling breeze. Today's run was a water-cooled affair and an opportunity to give my Montane Atomic DT a good testing. All good - kept the rain out which was driven on a lively breeze and not too bad a job of dealing with sweat. May get the trousers for the Lakeland 50 too.

Just when I was smugly thinking that none of the swarm of gaiter-wearing, waterproof-encased walkers I dodged on Monday's blisteringly hot run would venture out in the rain today, I bumped into an old pal from my Dartmoor Rescue days out in the clag with a few mates.'I thought you only ran at night!' he said in ref to my latest West Devon Diary article. 'Ah, so this is the madman you were telling us about then, Terry?' said one. Fame at last. (or infamy more like)

The clarts, as usual, did not disappoint. The ones around Leeden Tor tend to be a bit gritty and grassy but on the way up North Hessary they have a smooth, more gloopy consistency which stick nicely to the leg hairs and Spook.

I can see this little run being a firm favourite for a bit.

10 comments:

  1. Infamy Infamy, they've all got it in for me!

    Sounds like a great run. Hoping tonight's headtorcher will be of similar quality...

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  2. Weather looks a bit manky, but that adds to it all I reckon.

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  3. you'll be national soon!
    i thought you be running the 50 in just vest and racing shorts ;-)

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  4. only if it's raining.................

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  5. 'Heart in the Clarts' - like it. My case, more like plods in the clods. Good gloop.

    Learned to abseil at Foggin Tor back in the early '80s. The quarry face seemed to have shrunk last time I went back ;)

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  6. It's still a popular venue for an ab. I've seen squaddies break the ice and go for a swim in the pool with their bergens.

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  7. Sounds like a good route.

    I had to look up the meaning of clart. I thought you were using the West Indian vernacular.

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