When it comes to planning to run with other people, I realise that I tend to put it off until the last minute to see how I feel on the day. Just as well that I’d not planned anything today as I didn’t roll out of bed until the normal kick-off time.
A couple of hours later, having stimulated my mind with a challenging work book, I finally set off, alone, with the aim of running to the Beacon. The route, which took in Ockley Lane, Oldlands Mill and Ditchling, is pretty much exactly 5 miles and I was disappointed to run it in 52 minutes… I’m sure in the distant annals of these pages I have run it in 45, maybe even 44, but not for some time!
I did stop for a few moments to see how my favourite new build was coming along… it’s not in Odette & Michael’s league, but tres avante garde for Burgess Hill, nevertheless. I would most certainly like to live there!
Feeling in need of another hill, I ran down Westmeston Bostal and on reaching the path back up to the left, the one that Pete, Mark & I ran up last week, I took it. At the top I ran back down the bostal and may well have run up again but for a well-timed call from Cliff.
At the road I turned right, then left across the fields past a dilapidated barn that is very much in need of my design imagination. Dreaming on, I ran down past Middleton Manor, then realising how thick the mud would be further along this path, turned right up to Streat church.
I first ran down Streat Lane only a matter of weeks ago and it was fun to revisit it in the opposite direction… some of the properties are gorgeous.
At the end I did a left-right into Hundred Acre Lane and then ran to the left across the fields, around behind the industrial estate and onto the Magical Path where I surprised a young canoodling couple sitting on a tree-stump… actually, they surprised me too, so unused am I to seeing anyone down there at all.
It was a short hop back across the Common to home which I reached in 2.16. 13 miles on the map gives a speed of 5.74mph which is fast becoming my default speed these days!
No company, not quite a half marathon distance and not half slow either! Just perfect for a paratelic!