A Nice Twilight Run

Managed a sort of ok 5km run this evening, after a day when I was so exhausted I could barely rise from the sofa for most of it.

My pace was just over 32 minutes for the 5km, which is hardly earth shattering but seeing as I haven't run even as meagre a distance in this for a while represented some kind of decent progress.

I felt a bit tight chested and a bit sore in my right foot, and while the first is due to a lack of running fitness, the second means I'm always going to have to be careful with plantar fascitis and so I don't think long distance running over 10km is ever going to be an option, at least not in the short to medium term.

My route was basically down to the bottom of the accessible river stretch, then back up and round the park.

You can see from the photos how attractive it was.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 09.09.19

Venus before Dawn

I've noticed Venus high in the sky in the pre-dawn twilight while riding my bike to work in the last couple of  weeks, but I haven't seen it in a truly dark sky setting until this morning at 5am, where it was blazing low down along the road as I pottered about, unable to sleep.

It really is a stunning object at its maximum magnitude.

Earlier on, I'd had a good evening's observing with my binoculars, again spotting Comet Wirtanen which I think is now on the fringes of naked eye visibility, despite what I said a couple of days ago. Too bad moonlight will obliterate it from here on in.

I also observed all manner of star clusters, some like the Mirfak cluster in Perseus which are larger than my binocular field of view, and others that are far less prominent like the three Messier clusters in Auriga - 36,37 and 38.

Comet Wirtanen itself was just about in the same binocular field of view as the most famous star clusters, the Seven Sisters, or Pleiades, in Taurus.

I enjoyed taking in the sights, on what was a much milder evening than a couple of nights ago.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.12.18

Polish Commemorations

A day of two outside sessions; a very much 4 seasons in one day kind  of visit to Sconce Park where warming sun and chilling  rain alternated at 20 minutes intervals, and then a 6km twilight  run around the lakes.

I noticed in the cemetery that it was the annual Polish Commemoration of their war dead buried in a section of the graveyard. General Sikorski is no longer buried here, but his  countrymen still rest here and every year the local Polish community - quite a large one - light a lantern on every grave.

The candles will still be burning now.

It was a nice run actually, took it pretty smoothly and it was cool enough to make my running jacket wearable without it getting too boil in the bag. The gulls had already flown to their roosts, the ducks gathered under the trees overhanging the lakes.

It's been a pleasant, if cold, day.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 28.10.18

More Skies

This week sunset has put on an incredible display, high altitude crystals, Rayleigh Scattering, smoke from the sugar factory and power station.

The sky goes gold as the lower edge of the sun skims the horizon, then the dark violet band of the girdle of venus appears and the lower clouds go purple, and the higher ones go gilded orange; vapour trails from escaping jets leave temporary scars across the vault.

It's beautiful.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 26.10.18

Red Sun Run

Well, I think that my fitness level at cricket has been lacking a little bit. Not the basic endurance, but the speed endurance for sprinting between the wickets, and chasing after the ball in the field.

I therefore thought it would be good to get a midweek run in, one with a fair few short sprints in it to increase endurance. But even today after my cricket weekend, my legs are so stiff that running at all was really really hard, and  made me feel really really old.

Still, I did 7km, and got to see many baby rabbits on the nature reserve, and a red sun sinking and scraping the rooftops, as my knees and hips scraped as I ran.

Time for a cup of tea,

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 23.05.18

Just a Twilight Run

Haven't done any deep twilight runs this winter - I haven't run enough, and usually when I have a 4 hour sleep in the afternoon as I did again today, I'm normally too exhausted to move.

Today however, I managed a 5km gentle jaunt through a dark yet not scary cemetery, along a violetly reflective lake dotted with the featureless silhouettes of waterfowl.

It was very quiet, very cold, and very peaceful.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.02.18

The Runner's Friend

Found myself out running late last night; it was deep twilight as I ran along the cycle track with a following wind, making a decent pace for a change; I ended up doing about 25.30 for the 5km.

What may have helped was having a pacemaker. As I approached the railway station, I noticed that I was being raced by a small, low slung entity about 10 metres ahead of me.

I've never seen a hedgehog run so fast - it took me a few seconds to catch up with it! Specimen in good nick too.

Always pleased to see them about, safe away from roads.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 12.08.17

Twilight Time

Got a good 10km run in this evening, out to Hawton Vilage as the sun set mainly unseen behind thick grey cloud, my neon yellow arms must have stood out like beacons as I ran through the field at the back of Grange Road.

LAte season flowers are out, lots of astors in folks' gardens, and i that Grange Road field, a lot of some species or other that came in both yellow and white flavours. I kept going on, scaring up little birds that just became dark brown shapes in the fading light, before emerging from the fields in Hawton, and a lovely encounter with a barn owl as it flew low over the field next to the River Devon where it flows through the village.

Came back into town through Sconce Park, which was full of people out dog walking into the darkness. Being a runner I am always wary of off the lead dogs, as there are many local twerps who insist their darling staffy should be allowed to be off the lead everywhere, but luckily these were all good dogs.

I ran along the river, enjoying the lights reflecting on the water as always, but also seeing bats flitting about underneath the bridge! Late in the year for them, but if the nights aren't too cold, well, they will be about apparently.

I'd forgotten the joy of a twilight run.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 24.10.16