Having drafted the plans for the seventy eight odd miles John Bunyan trail I'm going to run in May with RJ and James Handley from the club, I decided to check out the northern most point this morning with Fi and bow out from the SMC for a week. I'm running a marathon tomorrow and aimed for around nine miles. Fi and I went through the same pre run routine. Got up, had a bit of breakie, went back to bed, got up again, made a deposit at the porcelain bank, put on the least smelly running kit ( ok that was me - you trying running 62 days straight and see what that effect has on your gear), vaselined up and strode confidently out the door.
Me and Meggie before the run
Fi Fi looking keen
Me looking constipated
We decided to run to one of the meeting points I have planned on the JB route, which was around four miles away. We meandered through our village and thought we would check out what looked like on the map a new route over to it. We ran along a quiet road towards a local nature reserve, hoping a bit further on there were bridges to take us over the railway, dual carriageway and river that has stopped us using this route before. We found bridges for the first two, which we knew were there, but stumbled on the third as we came to a ford in the river. It was marked as a bridleway and if we were on horses it would be fine, but Fi didn't fancy wading across as its still a tad cold.
I tried to persuade her to just run along the river until we came to something going across it like the train line, but Mrs.Sensible said something about it being illegal to run on train tracks, so I caved in and wound back from whence we came. We reached our village and did a right turn, heading out the far end along the main road dodging traffic for half a mile until we were able to hit the trail again.
The ford
We eventually reached a section of the JB trail which we were heading for, albeit a few miles further on from the meeting point. I know part of the route through a great off road marathon called the Bedford Clanger, which incidentally I'm doing in a few weeks. We ran across a few fields with a village on our left and open country on our right, following a well worn path. Back into the village centre where we joined the route for the Oakley twenty race, before a hair raising mile along quite a fast country road. Most of the cars pulled over, but all the way I was ready to dive to the right into the hedgegrow. We made it to the next trail point unscathed, when Fi came into her own and took charge. She has been over here before and I haven't, so I was very happy for her to take the map and plow on.
She loves trails now!
Fi taking the trail in her stride
Crossing the bridge into Oakley
This was the best section of the route, as we ran along the river Ouse for two miles or so. We did take a slightly wrong path off the JB, but found it again in Pavenham before heading back again to the river front. I was by this stage having a ball. We were on a new route that was very scenic, Fi was running amazingly well without any niggles from her knee that has caused her gip in the past, the JB trail plan was becoming a reality and the sun was out. Fi has never run further than ten miles before and I knew early doors that this was going to be long, due to the river detour. At around the ten mile mark, I gingerly enquired how she felt and was relieved to hear great, lets keep running.
We eventually ran into Stevington, past the windmill and met up with Megan and our border terrier, Daisy. They had run out to meet us across the fields to join us for the last few miles. Fi had brought out a doggie poop bag, but I said I thought I could make it back home this time. We trotted back to our local playing field and it was here that I broke the news to Fi. She had just smashed her mileage PB by over two miles, running on a country trail route that was undulating and twisty. She finished with a smile and was very happy to have got so far. She now knows that she is well on course for a great first half marathon at the Great North Run in Geordie land which is still over six months away. That was my first ever half and she is already talking of obliterating my time. Oh dear, I have created another running monster. Yippeeeeee.
Finding the JB route sign
Stevington Church
Stevington windmill
Trail back home
The main casualty was the dog who needed a long lie down as soon as we got home. Mind you, I suspect Fi may be heading for the land of nod later. Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea.
Daisy the Dog
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