Saving my Skin - Thursday the 17th of March, 2011

Fourth day in a row and still feeling strong, I decided to head out on a route that I haven't taken for some time: Down along the trails to Po Lam, and back up via the roads. Despite the quite cool weather meaning that I didn't really need to bring water, I decided to bring the new Nathan bottle along for a proper test.

After about 1km however, I was regretting this decision, and remembering why it'd taken me so long to buy a handheld: I normally hate carrying things in my hands while running. And just as I started out on the trail and was cursing it's companionship... I caught my toe on a rock...

Unable to recover, I was going down. The very first thing to hit the ground was.... the new Nathan bottle, very fortunately taking what could have been a nasty hit for my left palm. I rolled onto my right shoulder, ending crouched. I stood up, dusted myself off and took stock of the situation. A bit of a graze down my right thigh and left knee, right forearm was a little sore, but otherwise fine! (later I'd find a bruise/graze on my back and a quite sore right shoulder, but no major problems).


The section where I tripped is undeniably very flat and "easy" terrain. For all my talk in Monday's post about always having to think on the trail, it was probably the "easiness" of this section that let me lose focus and lose control

The Nathan bottle even looked in pretty good shape despite taking the hit! A bit scraped and dirty but after a quick wash, looked almost good as new!


I went down open handed, the bottle directly protecting my palm, the soft plastics taking the hit like a champ

I suppose I can't really talk badly about the Nathan Quickdraw now, can I? After it literally saved my skin!! Not bleeding badly or particularly stiff, I set out along my planned route.


Overcast conditions silhouette an eagle


Awesome views from the trails but I was paying closer attention to the trail!


Entangled


Almost back to HKUST and climb up Razor Hill clearly visable.

Aside from a few slips on paved, wet, slippery surfaces, I think this is my first true dive on a trail, if it can even classify as one. I have almost no "battle wounds" to speak of, and am normally more sore after a full day on the rock, or (in the past) after a day on the footy field. Very positive and reassuring really, but I'll certainly not be aiming to go down again!

Work Hard, Eat Right, Be a Tiger!
~ Joe