Anyone else in the Fens?

[ShufflingShepherdess]

This time of year, running in the Fens isn't great! The rural roads between the fields have no footpaths, and as it's "beet season", they're harvesting sugar beet and maize and the roads are caked in mud. If you're unlucky enough to have a tractor or massive beet harvester roaring alongside you, you've nowhere to go but the narrow, soggy, grassy verge between the road and the dyke! But, on the upside, ... the roads are flat!

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

Well done on finding the positive SS! I imagine lots of hi-viz is also useful!

[Lifluf Graduate10]

I found a fen near me a couple of weeks ago in Breckland - couldn't understand why the field was even wetter than the others round here! Have also met up with the beet harvesters too who take the whole road and churn up the footpaths so wet feet are the norm.

This Autumn has been so wet that all the footpaths are a muddy challenge in places. But, then again, we have the big skies and the lovely open spaces. I've got some hills but I suppose they'd be molehills by some peoples' standards - feel like proper hills to me though.

Happy running!

[Whydothis 60minGraduate]

I know what you mean! I lived on a fen farm for 20 years, and the narrow roads plus mud in the sugar beet season made walking and driving interesting! (I didn't run then - only started this year). I now live just out of the fen (in W Norfolk) so I have the benefit of better footpaths and less mud, but still keep the benefit of not having hills!

[ShufflingShepherdess]

Ha! We did the opposite and lived in W. Norfolk, albeit still fenland nr Downham for 15 yrs then moved to the Cambs Fens. I only started running 9 weeks ago and am hooked!

[Whydothis 60minGraduate in reply to ShufflingShepherdess]

We have geography and new running in common - in Downham now, and previously near Chatteris. I started running in June and still can't quite believe it!

[ShufflingShepherdess]

It was actually mine and mum's hairdresser in Downham who told me about C25K and how you only need run for 90 seconds at a time to start! Now I'm hooked!

[MuddledGardener Graduate10]

I live in south Norfolk, and we have to contend with beet lorries and tractors, muddy roads, soggy and uneven narrow verges! Most large vehicle drivers are very considerate and polite. It’s usually car drivers who force me into the mud!

We have a few hills (molehills!), but a lot of it is mostly flat.