Rainy running in Cornwall

I'm running Reading half marathon in two weeks time. I've been training for a few months, building up from 5k, which is the furthest I'd run for 3 years. My friend Alison suggested we do it together and I've found it really motivating to have a running buddy to spur me on and to push me in terms of pace and boost my enjoyment of running - I hadn’t really been enjoying running the past few years (I much prefer swimming and cycling)

This weekend I've been in Cornwall - a lovely place to do a long training run. Or so I thought! As I shut the door behind me at 6.45am I was hit straight away by driving rain, howling winds and a sea mist that completely obscured any views. And then I saw the hills! Oh my god the hills! This was going to be a gruelling but life-affirming run I could tell.

Within a couple of minutes I passed a small stream in Zennor, where a heron sat completely unfazed by my approach - he was still there when I returned. Within five minutes I was soaked to the bone, my clothes and shoes heavy, sticky and cold, my eyes squeezed against the rain, water dripping down my face, my neck, every part of me. I was wondering if this was still a good idea.

I carried on, running along the road towards St Ives (I didn't meet a man with seven wives), but when the mist started to descend I realised it really wasn’t a great/safe idea, and decided to cut my long run short (8.5km instead of 18km). Plans can change!

I didn’t get any photos of my running route so here’s me running around on the beach with Hazel instead 🌊