This morning it was such a beautiful morning! It was warm and sunny! Perfect for walking your dogs through the woods, but maybe a run through the woods would be a little challenging! There were six of us in group 1 this morning, me, J.J. and it's J.J.'s last Thursday morning run with us too as she has to be a commuter into London from Monday! We had Kay, Tracy and PinkLadyJo and Ruth! A nice little number of ladies to be runnig around the woods!
There were quite a few Thursday runners this morning in all three groups, I do so enjoy the morning runs, at any time of the year! The woods look so different from season to season. I had notice on one of our Tuesday runs that the Rhododendrons were out which means that they will be out along the path by the house in the woods. That is where we will be heading for today.
The two other groups left the rec and we we soon after them, going through Dog Poo ally and taking the left hand path. It does have hills, of course it has hills! The only way to get to the top of the woods to run to the top of the woods! I was also on a mission to see how far this way through the woods will be. Last week the light started fading just to much for us to stay in the woods in the evening, I am hoping that by next Tuesday the will be sufficient light for a complete woody run and not just half a run in the woods and half on the roads!
It had been raining last night and yesterday, I was expecting some big muddy puddles, but I was pleasantly surprised. The floor of the woods was so very passable, even for the runners who really do not do mud at all! I was running ahead, sometimes with J.J. sometimes with Ruth, until we got to the bridge. We had a little break there, by the bridge, while we waited for the others to catch up. Then it was the lovely down hill run. It is so much easier to just keep on running and running down hill! If I could run down hill for 26 miles I am sure I could totally beat my London Marathon times (still living the dream!) We had to run up once at the river, it's a lovely(?!) steep part, it can really work you legs and your cardio getting up to the lovely house! A quick break there before we carried on up to to the bridle path. But along here it was just so lovely, I just had to take a selfie, here, this is what a took.
We continued our run all along the top of the woods, at the back of Coopers school. I was thinking about the Rhododendron Walk, I hope it's all going to be in bloom, I am sure it will be! J.J. seems to be in the right running gear as she is wearing virtually the same colour as what the flowers are! We were running down the side of the woods now, and I just trod on a root, and my ankle just twisted slightly! Typical runner of course I decided to just carry on running! Surprisingly it was fine! Do you know, back in the day when I never ran, couch potato today, I am sure I would have been holed up for a least a week, bandage wrapped around the ankle, demanding to get a second opinion from doctors. But not now, not anymore. Maybe my ankles have become stronger over the years! Who knows, or maybe I just don't want to ever stop, I just love this life so much! As we were nearing the wood cutters house I can see the tell-tale pink blobs up ahead. Yes! That is where we will be running now! I took some photos, here look, can you see what we mean about J.J. matching the flowers!
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| J.J. could almost become invisible down here! |
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| Gorgeous, init!? |
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| Just running the walk! |
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| Coming out the other end. |
This path takes us through to the middle path of the woods, it is slightly shorter than going the big loop but it's beauty makes up for missing out on that. We were soon through the woods, just a little bit wet feet, but feeling totally refreshed! Love running through the woods, it really does make you feel good!
So the double! Well, I was all set to do it, I even managed to persuade Tracy to come along to the rec, to do it! 'It' being the summer core training and speed sessions! But our glorious British weather has delayed the start until next week! Sliding about in the rain on wet grass is not very inspiring! So, actually, it's not a double......but I would have done.....I was looking forward to it even, was just about to go and get ready, if it hadn't been cancelled!
Geeky stats.
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