At least, I think that's what he used to say. I fondly remember NWA being the first hip hop group to promote running as a recreational activity, hence the name, short for "No Walking Allowed". I still don't know what all the fuss was about...
Anyway... tonight's run began , in fact, along the edges of Compton, and then Moor Park, Surrey. Home of some of the most desirable homes you could hope to find in one place. And an interesting "place" it is too, as it's neither a village, town or hamlet, since it has no shops, no pubs, post office, schools or amenities of any kind. Not even footpaths or streetlights. It feels instead like a drive-thru housing estate, but where each house has a few acres of land and an automatic gate. I'm sure the residents' association would object to such a comparison, but since they probably can't see the next house from inside their own, "residents" probably outnumber "neighbours" ten to one. My, how the other 0.2% live.
But.. what a great run!
New trails again this evening, leaving the house via a regular exit route, to cross under the A31 (via a large, and peculiarly inhabited roundabout), and towards the valley of the North Wey, the start of the North Downs, and the Greensand Ridge.
The first new turn took me via an enclosed footpath over recently rebuilt land. The gravel and sand has been stripped out of the hillside to leave a hole, which has later been landfilled, turfed, and had a footpath randomly re-established over the top. I wonder whether they're someday going to have to come back, move the landfill to one side and get more gravel out.
The route then joined the North Downs Way for a few hundred metres, but at the first opportunity jinked south, to allow me to make a debut assault on Crooksbury Hill.
Crooksbury Hill is 163m high, which is a mere fourteen storeys nearer the sun than my house (and a little shorter than the top of the hill I live on). However, it's a prominent landmark to the south, clearly visible from my office window. Between my house, and it, is the North Wey valley, and that meant a few miles into tonight's run, I had a hundred metre ascent to deal with.
But deal with it I did, and what a view was waiting for me. In honour of Pyro, I took a photo of the trig point at SU878459 (I'm sure he'll allow a "guest bag" for his regular blog), and then dropped from the top to cross Crooksbury Common on heavily poached bridlepaths, before heading towards Tilford village via some very underused (and therefore hidden) footpaths.
The first new turn took me via an enclosed footpath over recently rebuilt land. The gravel and sand has been stripped out of the hillside to leave a hole, which has later been landfilled, turfed, and had a footpath randomly re-established over the top. I wonder whether they're someday going to have to come back, move the landfill to one side and get more gravel out.
The route then joined the North Downs Way for a few hundred metres, but at the first opportunity jinked south, to allow me to make a debut assault on Crooksbury Hill.
Crooksbury Hill is 163m high, which is a mere fourteen storeys nearer the sun than my house (and a little shorter than the top of the hill I live on). However, it's a prominent landmark to the south, clearly visible from my office window. Between my house, and it, is the North Wey valley, and that meant a few miles into tonight's run, I had a hundred metre ascent to deal with.
But deal with it I did, and what a view was waiting for me. In honour of Pyro, I took a photo of the trig point at SU878459 (I'm sure he'll allow a "guest bag" for his regular blog), and then dropped from the top to cross Crooksbury Common on heavily poached bridlepaths, before heading towards Tilford village via some very underused (and therefore hidden) footpaths.
 |
| Crooksbury Hill Trig Point - for Pyro |
Heading back towards home by reversing one of my more frequent routes, I tacked a mile or two onto the end by "butterflying" my final approach, and on completion, gave myself three pats on the back.
The first - for getting through another Janathon week of jogging, logging and blogging. Tough enough.
The first - for getting through another Janathon week of jogging, logging and blogging. Tough enough.
The second - for breaking two hundred miles in a month. Another PB (as far as I can remember).
The third - for following a 101 mile week, with a 104 mile week. Less of a personal goal, more of a personal "dare". Stubborn can be silly.
- A bit of a rambly blog this evening, but I make no apologies - a rambly mind is a Friday night treat.
Finally, for the week:
Congratulations to all Janathoners that are still going for it. I know many haven't been able to maintain the running, and some have lapsed on the odd blog. But, wherever I've looked, no one's given up.
There are those whose Janathons have been derailed by injury, family crisis, or simply more important demands on their time, but they've all come back, to run, swim, cycle and swing on trapezes, or to just turn on the laptop and post their thoughts.
There are those whose Janathons have been derailed by injury, family crisis, or simply more important demands on their time, but they've all come back, to run, swim, cycle and swing on trapezes, or to just turn on the laptop and post their thoughts.
Keep it up. This stuff is good.
Summary:
Today: 14.1 miles, 1:58 hrs, 1945 cals
January: 205.3 miles, 30.19 hrs, 27621 cals
Summary:
Today: 14.1 miles, 1:58 hrs, 1945 cals
January: 205.3 miles, 30.19 hrs, 27621 cals
Awesome achievement - great stuff!
ReplyDeleteJ
Great photo! Well done on your amazing mileage!
ReplyDelete