Roads less traveled

 In December 2010 I was told about the first Janathon, and once I was sure I'd made the leap from luddite to blogger I duly signed up. At the time I thought I might average five miles per day, and spent a few hours over Twixtmas working out some nearby routes that could deliver the daily jaunt.

 What happened next suddenly made everything a bit redundant. Within ten days I'd already covered more than a hundred and sixty miles, and keen to maintain momentum, those five mile loops never got a look-in. Instead, intent to run every day in fresh locations, I pushed myself outward from my home turf and rarely looked back.

 Tonight I remembered a couple of trails that I'd picked out thirteen months ago, and worked out a way to have a look at them in an hour-long run. I donned my trusty "run anywhere" Sauconys and Ay-up headtorch, and headed over the hill on regular tracks. Dropped onto the overlooked network of unmade roads that make up "Old Park Lane"s, I finally reached Farnham town via some new and surprising footpaths and fields.

 Between the timbered shops of Lion & Lamb Walk, through the churchyard into Gostrey Park, crossing the River Wey on a bowed timber bridge. Over the busy A31 and onto another unmade road "Snails Lynch" to run alone, following the river along the very start of the North Downs Way, just a stones throw from the heaving commuter traffic.

 After a quick jink around the Shepherd and Flock roundabout, I crossed my regular southern escape route and wove onto "Green Lane" for the first time, and the final muddy section before the tarmac haul homeward.

Photo courtesy of www.nigelblake.co.uk

 Sometimes I bemoan my location. I'm neither in a great range of hills nor by lakes or the sea. In one sense I can feel like a displaced surfer, climber, kayaker, hiker or biker; and even when I think of great trail running, it's images of ridgelines and mountainsides that stir my soul. But it's easy to overlook the roads less traveled within spitting distance of our own front steps. Despite all the miles I ran in January last year, and the eighteen months that I've lived in Farnham, in this last three weeks I've still found new routes to run, and been treated on every new excursion.

 Tonight's highlight? Breezing downhill along a forgotten treelined avenue, with just a barn owl for company.

 Today: 7.8miles, 1:03hrs, 407ft ascent, 1093 cals, 20% new trails, 1 barn owl
 Janathon Total: 20 days run, 195ish miles.
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