A shower of rain swept across the landscape and the wind rustled the leaves on the trees. The sun rose in the east I stood on top of the ancient hill fort casting its shadow over me. I looked around from this vantage point. I could see the sweep of the fields and forest below all the way to the north and the sea.
The cold January air caught my breath. I smiled. I felt alive, the blood still pulsing through my veins from the run that had brought me to the top of this peak. I felt the warmth of the sun on my face. I felt that connection with nature through the soles of my feet, that feeling that I was a part of everything I could see and feel. I felt strong, strong enough to run another 12 miles to the sea.
I began my descent. The ground beneath me was a mixture of loose gravel and mud but I managed to keep my footing and build up a rhythm. I had to concentrate to keep my balance and avoid any large rocks. I had caught my feet on a rock some years back and ended up in hospital. For a while that had made me wary about running again but I managed to build up my confidence. I put this to the back of my mind as I entered the forest. The ground beneath me changed and softened as I felt the moss, grass and leaves under my feet. A few minutes later I was running along a man-made trail through the trees. I marvelled at the sun shining through the trees, the light casting shadows this way and that. I gulped in air, breathing the forest in as deeply as I could. The smell of the forest made my senses tingle and feel refreshed. The endorphins flooded my brain and I felt alive and energised. I sprang forward and felt the air on my face slightly warmer now than the air at the top of the hill.
I noticed the birdsong and cooing of wood pigeons. I would love to see a deer, I thought, as I rounded a bend in the path. I adjusted my feet slightly as I moved onto an overgrown track. I just need to make sure that there’s nothing to trip me. I pick up the pace and glance at my watch. There is still time to beat my time from the last time I ran here. I start to feel the first signs of fatigue; a gentle tiredness in my body. Then I smell the salt air and I begin to push myself; not far to go now.
The forest floor gives way to sand and I hear seagulls calling out in the clear blue sky. I clamber over a sand dune and there before me lies the sea shining and glistening like a deep blue jewel. My feet feel light as I run across the sand. My breathing begins to come in large gulps, everything is straining now, as I near the water I glance at my watch – four seconds less than last time.
I smile, collapse onto the ground and feel the cold water around my head and against my back. I’ve done it, and although I’m wet and my whole body aches, it feels so good to be alive.