W7R1: I should have planned this

[nowster]

Time: 7.25am Weather: 17°C, sunny

Fast on the flat, slow in the woods.

Again there was a pleasant cooling breeze at the start which disappeared as the run progressed.

So I fancied a change and chose to head off in a different direction today. "Let's do a flat route." said I to myself. So I walk up the steep hill to the flat bit at the top as part of the warm-up. So far so good.

The usual grumbles from the legs as I set off, and over the next few minutes they settled into the rhythm. "This isn't bad. Pace is good." thought I. Then I ran out of the flat straight section, having done barely 5 minutes. "Bother!" thought Pooh.

OK. Cross the road and go up the path between the farms you used to walk the dog along. Oh! That's a lot steeper than I remember. You know what to do: shorten the stride and keep going. Crested the hill then plodded down towards the high school.

I know what! There's the water board access road next to the school grounds. That's nice and flat. Oh no it's not! Its a slight incline. Done that. And there's the gap which gets you onto the council estate.

Hmm. It's a while since I was last round here. Wrong turn. Cul-de-sac. Wait! There's a gate into a field. Oh! Steps and brambles. In for a penny... Plod across dew-soaked grass and through a gap in a hedge.

Hold on! I know where I am. I'm in the woods. Right here then right again after the stile. Flat bit, then steep down to the river, cross the bridge and... Phew! Jo Wiley says I can stop. I wasn't fancying running up the other side of the gorge.

The cool-down walk was about twice as long as usual, but that was probably for the best.

The moral of the story? Plan better next time.

Stats:

Distance: probably about 5.2km in total, 3.7km running.

Pace (running): 6'55"/km. Splits by km: 6'10", 6'55", 7'00", 7'33"

~~~

Today's eclectic jukebox selection:

07:24 OMD - Locomotion

07:28 Perry Como - For The Good Times

07:31 Medicine Head - One And One Is One

07:35 Fleetwood Mac - Blue Letter

07:37 Queen - I Want To Break Free

07:41 The Beatles - Sexy Sadie

07:44 Little Richard - Keep A Knockin'

07:47 Bob Dylan - I Threw It All Away

07:49 The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows

07:52 The George Martin Orchestra - All Quiet on the Mersey Front

07:54 Dusty Springfield - My Colouring Book

07:57 George Formby - Sitting On The Sands All Night

[Jools2020 Graduate]

Nicely done! (Apart from the planning 😀). I suppose not planning it makes it really interesting - except for the slopes!

[nowster Graduate]

One thing I forgot to mention was that about half way round I had an urge to go to the loo, even though I'd been just before setting off. It passed after about a minute.

Has anyone else experienced that?

[spadgy Graduate]

It sounds like we have a similar 'improvisational' style. I like it! Explore a bit, find new spots close to home, ruin yourself with uphills, get a few bramble scratches! I'm glad I'm not the only one!

[nowster Graduate in reply to spadgy]

Back to my regular route tomorrow. Or, if too hot, Thursday. The Met Office are forecasting a very warm night for here, with 20°C at 5am! Discretion may be the watchword.

[nowster Graduate]

The weather forecast here for overnight tonight is not to dip below 20°C with negligible wind and over 85%RH. It's going to be 24°C by 10am. I declare an extra rest day for me tomorrow, my first since I completed week 1.

"He who fights and runs away may live to fight another day."

— Oliver Goldsmith (1761 in The Art of Poetry on a New Plan), after Menander (342BC–291BC)