I ran this event last year, and kickstarted 31 days of running in the name of Janathon, and I was keen to return. It's a 20(ish) or 12(ish) mile treasure hunt, where the answers to the majority of the clues can be found on the signs of pubs, inns and hostelries. No waymarking, no drink stations, just good old-fashioned self-supported trail running with map and compass. Participants' start times are recorded by Molly, at the door of the Village Hall, and they then run, walk, or do a bit of both to return with a full list of answers, and muddy feet.
 |
| A sunny North Downs Way - smiles for miles |
I committed to this event again for this year (albeit a different route) before I'd subscribed to Janathon. However, knowing that I'd not be running as fast this year, I decided on an alternative approach, and emailed some running buddies offering my services for an informal navigation training session.
Fiona said yes, and the timing should work out nicely as she trains towards her first 100 miler this spring. Also great for me, since a slower pace would allow me to finish despite this confounded cold.
We set off gently to let Fi get used to the mapping symbols, our pace across the page, and some navigation techniques. Soon she was bogarting the map, and navigated intuitively for almost all the journey. We finished with smiles on our faces, despite the extra effort Fi put in to stay on top of the nav. I'm confident she'll go from strength to strength.
Today: 21.4miles, 4:40hrs, 1775ft ascent, 2485cals, one cup of tea, four choc chip cookies.
Janathon so far: 24.6miles run. Click
here to view today's run in Running Free Online.
Gordon Bennett! Must find something similar to inspire me to a longer outing...but might wait until the spring and the lure of warmth in a t-shirt!
ReplyDeleteHave a look at the following link. http://www.ldwa.org.uk/challenge_events/show_event.php?event_id=9372
DeleteA Long Distance Walkers Association challenge event of either 15, 20 or 30 miles from Sevenoaks, in late March. Definitely worth a punt.
map? compass? How quaint! You'll be taking pictures on film and listening to vinyl next ;-) Sounds like a lot of fun though, nice miles to do. And cookies too!
ReplyDeleteI know, I fear the GPS like bibliophiles fear the Kindle. Heaven forbid I should ever let something else tell me left or right!
DeleteBrillant fun and you helped a mate. Nice total too. Hope the lurgy leaves soon x
ReplyDeleteI love helping mates. There's nothing better than helping people become independent and watching them flourish.
DeleteGreat going Goose. I though you'd spot me in amongst the Janathon crowd. A a decoy, there are two other Beans particpating this year (no relation) to throw you off the scent. Let me know if you fancy any weekend outings. Tom is up for a spot of plodding. Keep up the great work and hope the lurgy shifts soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm naturally impressed by the tenacious running so far, but the blogging has been surprisingly good. I hope you're enjoying (bits of) Janathon, and managing to juggle everything
Delete