Well I've managed my 3 runs this week despite the return to school. However Tuesday's run was almost enough to put me off the rest.
I was at a course on Tuesday which meant an earlier finish and easier get away than when I'm in school so I spent the day dreamily looking out of the window imagining a lovely autumnal evening run into the sun set. What I hadn't taken into account was the traffic on the way home but not to be deteted still felt there was time to run across the back fields in the remaining light, hitting the next village on which has street lighting and then running back a long the cycle path which is lit. Then best laid plans eh...
The light began to go during the field run and as I emerged through a hedge into the last field I scared and in turn was scared to death by a lone dog walker. Still even though the nerves were jangling the adrenalin surge made the uphill push into the village easier as I struggled to keep my footing in the deepening twilight.
I was mightily relieved to reach the village and its street lights especially as the road I then run down has no footpath. However was irritated by an audi driver who seemed to make a big song and dance about passing me slowly and giving me a wide birth as if I were a bus rather than a lone runner.
Nevertheless I pushed on to the cycle path which starts past all civilisation as the lane joins a major road. As I approached the junction the Audi which had passed me earlier was stopped at the junction with hazard lights on and no driver to be seen. Worst still the cycle path isn't lit so I spend the next 1km running expecting to be dragged into the bushes by a weird Audi driver at any moment. This underlying fear is only momentarily relieved by the more obvious danger of being mown down by cyclists who are obviously unable to see me until they're really close.
Then just to pile on the horror I reach a layby, which I've never paid any notice of in the daylight but now seems populated by demonic looking lorry drivers, their faces only visible behind the flares of cigarettes.
On I ran the start of the street lights offering the promise of sanctuary in the distance.
Strava tells me this was my fastest run on this route...I wonder why??? 😂
Have dusted of my head torch and reflective gear for next week.
week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?
