Quad shredding

It happens every year as we start to come out of winter.  I head into the hills to shred my quads.  I haven't been able to do it in the gym as I'm under instructions from my physio not to squat, hope this changes on Tuesday, so I knew that running up (part of the way) Tinto and running down twice was going to hurt.  Well it has.  I'm walking like the pensioner I almost am.  Living 3 flights of stairs up doesn't help either.
Beth and I need to get into the hills as she has the Highland Fling and I have the West Highland Way race to look forward to.  But we only had 4 hours and travelling to the WHW and back would take up at least half of that so we headed down to Tinto (height 711m)  which is 45 mins away.  The forecast was for rain but fortunately it stayed dry.
Conditions underfoot were wet, icy, snow and mud so on the way up I was concerned for the descent as we weren't using poles as our race doesn't allow them. It was cloudy at the top of the first assent and we'd taken Poppy up with us so we got some pictures and headed back down.  Poppy was so well behaved on the lead and it wasn't as bad under foot as we'd imagined.  We left her behind for the second ascent.
Beth powered ahead and I lagged behind as I tried to keep my heart rate under 160 so I arrived a few minutes after her at the top.  Her strength work on her legs and core was showing.  I felt we could have gone for a third repeat but we'd have been tight on time as I was heading off to the rugby and I am so glad I stopped after 2.
When I woke up this morning my legs were like bricks.  I'd planned a 12 km run but needed my yoga to get me moving.  I was running to pick up my car but had never ran this route before.  I'd driven it but it's a different route than when running due to a busy dual carriageway with no pavement.  The one thing I hadn't realised was the fact it's straight up hill.  Again I was working on HR so took it easy.  When I go in my car I was sweaty and cooling down rapidly.  However I had to go to the shops - rooky error.  Getting out the car was an effort and I hobbled in my running gear into the shops.  Not only did I look a state, I caught a few worried glances from shoppers, but I smelt terrible! 
When I got home I headed straight into an Epsom salt bath then had some lunch and took Poppy out for a walk thinking this would help the pain in my quads.  Then I spent the rest of the afternoon dozing on the couch while watching the football. 
I'd forgotten what it's like to return to downhill running and the initial pain you suffer.  Come Wednesday it will be gone and I will try and get a sports massage to ease the legs off although that won't be a pleasant experience.
Next week will involve some gym sessions and I am hoping to be allowed to work on my legs as they do need to be stronger.  I'll also include some consistent running all on low heart rate.  Hopefully next weekend we'll be on the West Highland Way.  Until next week, enjoy whatever training you are doing.  Remember if you are doing trail or mountain running, quad shredding is essential and it only hurts the first 2 or 3 times then your quads become accustomed to it.  No pain, no gain!