Impulse Power

This time last year, when I was in training for the Brighton marathon, the weather was almost identical as today… gloriously bright sunshine and cold as ice.  This year I waited inside, comfortably reading and let the temperature rise a little before setting out.

On bright days I like to be on the top of the Downs (or as last year, on the sea front) so the question was only how to get there.  This I decided as I reached the bottom of the road, opting to run to Wivelsfield Station, along to the London Road and then all the way south out of Burgess Hill, past Hassocks to Clayton.

It was actually hot in the sun and I removed my jacket for a while, but put it straight back on as soon as I started to run up the hill to Jack & Jill.  It was fweezin, which was borne out by the layer of ice on the pond at the top of Home Hill.

I ran on to Ditchling Beacon where I found someone standing on the trig point… where I otherwise would have stood!  Jan and Kate were up from Hove and he’s one of those mad folk who do triathlons… sea swimming and all.  Respect!

Now the problem was how to get home and while I was thinking (and still buoyed up by the conversation with Jan) I decided to run down Westmeston Bostal and back up the steep path that I tackled last weekend… and the one before that too I think.

Back at the top I opted to descend on the path that runs down below the road, following it all the way down to Sporting Cars where I turned right along the road and then left into Spatham Lane.

Although I’d not quite reached the 2-hour mark, I was already starting to feel tired and had no jelly-babies to revive me.  By the time I ran past the Common car park it was only mental muscle that kept me moving, like impulse power for the USS Enterprise, reiterated by a runner who glided past me even though he was not going fast himself.

I ran down through the housing estate and back to the house, the most direct route I could easily conceive, ending the run in 2.31, 14.38 miles, 5.7mph.  This contrasts poorly with the similarly glorious run on 31st January last year which was 13.5 miles at a speed of 6.48mph… what can I say, other than I don’t give a hoot as I’m not in training for the marathon!