30th April That love hate relationship


Have you ever had something in your life that you love and hate at the same time? Well maybe hate is too strong a word, dislike might be better. For me its the 10km route that I occasionally run through Blidworth woods, and I say occasionally because this particular route is one I wouldn't be able to run on my own such is it's twisting and turning nature. 

Thankfully four members of Stonehill Runners turned up last night and with Laura as our guide, Lorraine, Scott and Dave as my chat buddies, and Buddy and Angle our canine companiions, the only danger of getting lost was getting left behind.

So what the love hate thing I hear you ask? Well I love it because its probably my favourite local route to run with such a variety of terrain, scenery and challenge. What I dislike is that it all seems to be a gradual uphill, even though I know it isn't. Then after spending most of the route literally running through the woods, there is a km of hard track road about 7.5km in which turns my legs and lungs to jelly.

And finally just as we reach the main road to head back to the car park and salvation, instead of turning right we head left enter purgatory and run for 400 yards in the opposite direction on what last night was a track made of sand. 

Still the glorious weather, the sound of the birds singing in the canopy overhead (no deer this time round) and the post race can of 'Lively Saint' sat on the park bench made a fabulous last run pre sabbatical.

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