flat

change mind. east, woods. can’t face the bigger country after all, still recovering. find myself going west. emptier pavement. alley, why you always so cold. foot hurts. slight stomach cramp. still recovering. vineyard. stomach cramp bad. are poached eggs the worst thing to eat before a run. struggle up soggy grassy climb. pause at stile. misty vineyard seems to stretch for miles. things look bigger when you’re struggling. onwards, upwards. take flinty, muddy paths up through woods and onto downs. foot pain intensifies uphill. swear freely. bridleway across heath, mist becoming fog. last little climb, seizing up in proper fog. pause. cut losses? back down through vineyard? or on. find myself going on, foot only hurts uphill, no more uphill. front of downs. clear view of mist and woods and mist and fields, and hills, tumbling for miles under pink and pale blue sky. nice. straight down to pilgrims' way. short or long? long, down into misty stuff. cold. freezing. frozen lake. towering pine at alarming angle across track. seems to be relying on top branches and neighbouring pine. heavy night monday night. getting dark as arrive at bury hill. catch sight of pale fluffy ball floating in mid air. deer facing other way. ball bobs along path then off into trees. sorry. try to bob home but stay pretty flat.