Season 2016

[Bierzo Baggie]

Saturday
Although I still can’t explain my need for Speed one thing is for sure, it’s not a PB I’m looking for. A 26-year old me would thrash a 46-year old me any day of the week and over any distance except maybe in the swimming pool. What I’m looking for is a change of gear, a turbo, a bit of oomph, a mere fighting chance to flee the beast if need be.

 
Up and down Monte Pajariel. 
The climb up the zig-zag involves 300m of height gain in 20 minutes along gradients that bring tears to the eyes but it’s just about runnable. The descent through the woods is as steep as they come and impossible to run up. Today it was soft, fast and tree-clutchingly technical.
 
Down below just 5 minutes from home 2 dogs came for me, shooting out from the nearby allotments, barking and snarling like a couple of hellhounds. One was a fine specimen of German shepherd dog and its sidekick was a scrawny mutt of dubious parentage. The shepherd dog was showing its teeth and at one point I thought it was going for my arm so I screamed my f**king head off at it. Sprinted across an overgrown field thankful for a bit of extra speed to take me away from the animals’ terrain as quickly as possible. Certainly knocked a few seconds off my time!   
 
Out and back in 51 minutes. Noticeably faster and much stronger on the climb.