Run Britain Day 52: From Watchet to Burnham-on-Sea

I’m still not quite feeling myself and the desire to stay indoors and comfortable on rainy, stormy days is pretty strong.

Not helped this morning by the owners of the guesthouse I was staying in commenting on how bad the weather is meant to be over the next few days at least five times in the three minutes I was downstairs. Mrs Guesthouse-owner also came into my room while I was mid-meltdown and on the phone having a pep-talk to tell me that she had run three half marathons so therefore knew how hard running is.

Most people I have encountered on this trip so far have said all the right things to help keep me going. But this was not one of those times. I left feeling more anxious and irritated than I would have liked.

My mood was further undermined by the flooding at high tide along huge parts of the route today, which forced me out onto the A39 for a big chunk of running. The A39 is a winding, fast road and I was almost certain I was going to be hit by a lorry (or just a car if I was lucky).

A breather on a bench by East Quantoxhead got me on my way again. But, another problem and another coast path closure, this time around the Hinkley Point power station. And so, back out onto the road I went. All the diversions had already added about 10km onto my route for the day and I arrived at the car for my half-time breather, 26km in and in a state of mild-hysteria.

But being back at another river estuary (this time the Parrett) gave me an afternoon of flat running. And although my legs weren’t feeling brilliant (probably from all the road running stress), I did manage to make it to my target destination at Burnham-on-Sea.