Tuesday 6 October 2015

A Race Against the Rain

Today has been frankly, schizoid. This morning was one of high humidity where I was able to sit out at Rumbles in  T-Shirt, and every time the sun shone the heat was as blazing as anything we've had all summer. The afternoon the clouds closed in, menacing, pregnant with rain.

The question was whether I could get out for a run after lunch before the celestial contractions started.

I had my rucksack, and within it my horrific yellow kag-in-a-bag. The rain started virtually as soon as I went out the door, and after a mile or so got hard enough for me to put the kag on. Then stopped immediately. 

Off went the kag, back into its bag.

I managed to avoid the rain for the next 6 miles, still running very slowly and painfully with my legs like planks. It is so frustrating, there is no problem with my fitness and when I stop I'm hardly out of breath, but my legs are sore, and dead. My inner thighs - OK let's not be delicate and say groin! - has been sore since May. 

The compensation was that there were some fantastic colours on view.

Eventually I got to Rumbles for the second time in the day, and watched as the skies went from dark grey to a gravid black as I drank my tea. "Time to get packed up" I said to the waitress, and headed for home. It was two minutes later the heavens finally opened, giving birth to rain like Niagara Falls with claps of thunder thrown in. The kag went on again, leaving me jogging home with squelchy shoes and looking like a neon Jawa from Star Wars. 

I never time it quite right!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.10.15

Shaggy inkcap at Balderton Lake

Unidentified fungus

Some interesting hybrid ducks on the lake at the moment

The canada geese love their particular spot of pasture

Glorious rosebay willow herb leaves

And the ghostly seed remains

Young moorhen

Tiniest horse I've ever seen

And here's its tail

Leaf mined chestnut

Red leaves

Last sight of the sun

The storm arrives

6 comments:

  1. A brilliant series of photos Simon.

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  2. Hi Si, great to see all that autumn colour in your photos. Lots of rain down south today and not so much of the golden orb in the sky, unfortunately. Sorry the groin is still nagging - I know how frustrating injuries are when you have a goal. Best of luck.

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  3. Love the Canadas, and that tiny horse Si. It is pouring with rain like that here today but yesterday was warm and sunny.

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  4. Lovely autumnal photos - super photo of the Shaggy Inkcap and gorgeous colours in the Rosebay Willowherb.

    Bucketed it down here yesterday but dry today!

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  5. Thank you for your comments everyone, the rosebay leaves are something else at the moment, so vivid. Today the rain mainly stayed off, but it was colder and windier.

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  6. Love those rosebay colours of autumn! Thank you for your comment on my tree. I have been amazed at your fungi pics, too.

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