My hitherto shiny runners finally got an autumn dousing yesterday morning. If anything, it was long overdue, since I bought them in August… the Bok would be amazed!
It had chucked it down with rain on the way to Falmer, but it was quite calm as I waited for the others to arrive. I had chosen to wear several top layers, but was still sporting my summer shorts… until Andy & Paula arrived and I persuaded myself that maybe the longs were a better idea.
Cliff then arrived wearing pedal pushers (I shall say nothing) and then Nikki, who having recently spent a month in the Himalayas, was on top form.
The first hill out of Falmer is a little like the one up from Jack and Jill: for some reason I just have to race myself up it… so much for a warm-up. The others caught up and from then on it was a much more congenial run.
We ran out to Newmarket copse, then up the hill and east along the path along the top. We dropped down to Standean Bottom and then took the l o n g hill back up to the top of Woodingdean. I remember running it before on the Brighton 20… it’s a hill that seems as if it will never reach the top.
The view from the top is pretty good though!
From there we ran up to the radio mast, took the next path on the left and, in the absence of surplus energy, cut the corner off across the Access Land, dropping straight down to the path back to Falmer. There was no racing down the final hill, just a gentle jog to the end.
8.45 miles in 1.33 is not especially fast, but bearing in mind I’d not run for two weeks and it was a particularly hilly route, it’s not bad.
‘Jog Shop’ joggers will know it as the Snake! (the hill that is, no reference to my running trousers!)