…or for Oldfloss…
I intended a beach run on Sunday morning. I had said I would take my friends from the forum with me, as usual, and especially those who are, currently, on the IC and not enjoying being there, at all. They know who they are and will be pleased to know that it was a glorious morning
Because this run is part of my 10K revisited plan, it had to be fairly specific…. Thirty minutes run, at ‘comfy’ speed, classed as an easy conversation pace… with 5 x 2 min runs at 10K pace with 1 minute recovery jogs!! So Sunday dawned and off we went.
An absolutely stunning morning… the heavy rain from the previous night had left the world newly washed and squeaky clean. I set out with a brisk walk and onto the hill above the town; warmed up and ready, I turned to begin my new route. It is hard to keep moving when I turn the corner and come to the brow of the hill. The small seaside town lies below me, unchanged in all the years I have been visiting. The castle battered but unbroken, a stone skeleton of its previous self and yet, still, the proud guardian of the sleepers beneath its walls. The small houses, pastel coloured and tightly tucked together, the lifeboat station the Green and the jetty…and the sea stretching out to the horizon from the confines of the bay, restless and ever-changing under the first rays of sunshine. Moving gently down the hill I fight to keep concentration as my route will take me through the town to the far end, and then using a circuitous route, as yet untried through and down to the West beach… Marine Parade . My plan was to head along the beach walk run up the hill and down onto East beach.
The wind was fairly strong on my face, and I had no trouble in holding back as I ran down into the town… past the three storey B and Bs, the small family run hotels, settled back in almost tropically planted gardens palm trees and huge grasses…the scaffolding removed from the big white hotel and recently painted white walls, gleaming in the sun. No cars passed me by, no early-morning walkers and no tantalising scent of breakfast on the cool air as I ran along the High Street. Picking up my pace a little now as I headed out past the once grand George IV hotel… Grade 11 listed, but now owned by a Multiplex, it retains its fine stature, and holds itself with dignity, with gabled roofs and mullioned windows; the ghosts of long-gone waist coated waiters, tea trays held aloft as they cross the road to what was a green-garlanded, rose scented tea garden, but is now….a car park for the hotel. On past the shuttered shops, the closed curtained houses and the Post Office; I ran past the road to the station and along past the small care-home to the turn for the beach. The scent of breakfast on the air here as I did the first of my faster paced 2 minutes… it was flat… I like flat
Down towards the beach and the unmistakable tang of salt, past the tennis courts, overgrown and rust enclosed now… and through the small estate of sea-side houses seeking a way through. In and out amongst the Closes and eventually I found a way through to the Marine Terrace, down the steps that took me to the promenade below the road, and the second of my faster intervals and more flat. The sea sparkling, a strong wind, and white horses cantering across a cobalt blue water course. Twice along that promenade and then up the steps towards the hill that goes past the castle. I had noticed at this point, that the tide seemed high!!! Up the hill at a gentle pace, but breathing really well, ju-ju- 's ' running up hills' tips in my head… and the thought of how this really was not a hill at all,misswobble . I was making sure, that I was using my arms to push me forward and upward and focusing on the movement of my legs. Making the top, past castle Bakery, shuttered and shut this morning and then, oh so gratefully, down Castle Street towards the East beach. A flaw in my plan became very clear… very quickly, heading down the hill…the tide… was in… just a narrow band of shingle showing beneath the sea wall. Plan B; back up towards the town and back again and then along the Esplanade…repeat as needed!
We were all getting a little puffed at this point… me especially, I had calculated this run and forgotten, a) to check the tide times, and b) hills.. !! Having done all but one of my faster intervals at this point, (two of which now having been done heading upwards!!!!), I needed to head for home … so, taking an easy option, the last run along the Esplanade, the sun warming my back now, a dog walker, four legged friend, with lead in hand and ball at the ready, heading for the far stony beach. With cries of the gulls overhead, the lost souls of sailors, I could see the in the far distance, the Harlech Dome showing a cloud-clad head, the town and Harlech castle just discernible… the sound of the sea and my slightly tired legs, urging me onwards… cutting through by the railway, along the narrow pathway, ragged robin, cow parsley and nettle bedecked, through the small gates, stop, look, listen, and then stop, look and listen again. and over through the small field gate the other side.
Over the boggy bottom of the field, following the footpath, up a little bank by the small copse of trees, keeping weather eye out for the beasts in the field… young stirks, and very frisky! I had already ear marked a tree with low enough branches for me to climb, if the need arose… then the last bit of the run… and it is UP!!! I cannot tell a lie; I ran up the first bit… then I sort of walk/jog /walked the last bit. In fairness, I had one faster bit to do!!! A quick photo stop, sat on the steps that lead to the footpath gate and then back out onto the top of the hill. There were a few more early risers, cars heading out to the Llyn peninsula for the day, or simply down to the newsagents in the town. Slightly uphill here, which meant a final push for the last two speedier two minute interval, so, as I ran. Laura’s, “…finish in style…’ reverberated in my head, and, glancing to the right, I noticed all the young stirks in the field beyond the wall. They looked at me bemusedly, as I ran past, staring in insolent wonder at this strange thing... as much as to say... “…we were in this field all the time, why were you worried? “
Run finished, so now a slow turn around and cool down walk back home. 40 minutes in total, 5.45 K. A new route, a quick photo stop, plus the hills I forgot about; a run that was different, disciplined and … oh yes, delightful!
Very very emotional run today in Sunny paxos 
FOLKESTONE 
