The sun is shining in Wales, still in lockdown and nature's revelling in it's new freedom and quiet cleanliness π€.
I laced up the trainers threw on the new snazzy shorts ( report later π) and headed out.
The lane from my house provides a nice distance for a warm up walk jog, one normally busy road to cross, today again it's silent π, and there's my towpath....ahhhh it's a mirror like stretch of water just the faintest of ripples. A few dogs with owners, and dogs walking owners and noticeably everybody's looking sunny Sunday smiley oh what a little sun does π....
The towpath darts around to the right and the tree canopy reflects off the dark stretching water, no boat chugging just the odd solitary duck, I pass a total of 5 runners different ability, running suits anybody and anybody suits running, we've just got different abilities and that's cool, not everyone's a Sir Moππ.
I'd normally avoid the tunnel as when there's boat traffic it's a little smokey but not today, the only thing is headroom and running with a stoop lol......the air's chillier and the sound of running is quite special as it bounces of the curved bricks. Then the light bursts In, it really is something magical like stepping into another landscape. The towpath leads on shaded by trees, the marina to the right, the railway line and station to the left and two factories. One making chocolate π (not Jaffa cakes sadly) and the other a wood processing factory, weirdly when the wind blows in certain directions you get the aroma of chocolate flavoured chip board, not unpleasant, just a little odd π€ͺ.
I avoid the next tunnel I've no headtorch and the railing I know is failing in sections it won't end well!!! so it's easier to leave the towpath and head uphill towards the white cast iron gates of chirk castle, the picture shows the red hand on the gate (feel free to Google the story). The lane loops by the castle park entrance and has hills and descents by hey I'm not avoiding hills nowadays, hills are fun...... Honestly they are π€«. Passing the marina entrance, I have to cross the same road further down. And back onto to towpath. And the. It's a simple matter of the last 3 k or so back to where I started over an hour ago. Run done feeling better π
Are you running today? If so enjoy it
Perhaps start your c25k adventure right now! It's the best thing you could do ....
Stay safe n healthy everyone...