Friday is my 31st birthday. Not too many really but on the cusp of being quite a few. I am, as you may well have gathered, newly employed and this week is my first in the field. A trial run on Friday proved that I can tell the difference between a bird and a stone or a second calendar year Merlin from a Kestrel.
A slight sense of trepidation lay ahead for this week as I slowly worked out what the physical rigours required would be. Mountain climbing? Check. Long days? Check. Adverse weather? Check. In fact it has been extremely physical which as a person of rotund appearance I find somewhat challenging. Despite this I have got stuck in and am now in metaphorical bits. A 500m hill is looked at with pre-requisite disdain. I'll have 2 for breakfast please. And the birds?
Please forgive my lack of precision. It's work after all but my first Wheatear of the year has been joined by several Swallows. Aside from this it has been pretty quiet but plague numbers of Ravens in the wider area have been of note. From the hotel a family of Whooper Swans were present this morning and a pair of Goosander swung past briefly. I am still looking for a funny teal but no luck yet.
So the ache? Well that is in my quads which are used to traversing laterally rather than horizontally. I had to take several hot baths last night after a particularly gruesome 9 mile hike and the inevitable build up of lactic acid. Who knows maybe I can 'get fit'? Nah.
2 comments:
You will get there James. It may come as a surprise but I wasn't always a fat blob. Wish I could do 6 hours in the Lakes and volunteer to jog up Black Coombe for a reccy. Ask me about Beinn A'Ghlo one day. 3 Munros in a day for a week. Hard to believe now but I was so stupidly fit that I used to climb mountains after a full day on the hill for a 'nice walk' of an evening.
Slowly, slowly. Catchy monkey. But the quad burn is good (other opinions are available)
I have really enjoyed it this far Ken but I am wiped out on an evening. I had a pint with my tea last night and it was like anaesthetic. That said the idea of getting back to the shape I was in aged 22-23 is quite appealing.
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