The furthest and last long run of my marathon training was
looming but I wasn’t sure how I was going to schedule it around weekends away
involving alcohol and weddings. I wasn’t inclined to try 22 miles with a
steaming hangover or even worse substituting my water bottle for one of
Smirnoff to save time.
I plotted and planned but despite all my scheming, my
holiday request on the day of the Quarterly Sales & Marketing was spotted
as what it was and it was declined. Bugger. It was to be Death by Powerpoint after
all. Rather than death by exhaustion, dehydration and lack of long run
practise.
I was just about to start sulking when my manager announced
I wouldn’t have to go to the 2nd part of the meeting as it wasn’t
relevant to my role. I decided that this was my chance and quickly booked a
half day holiday.
The meeting was actually really interesting and best of all
we got fed. A nice buffet lunch with lots of spicy Indian-style food. I wolfed
it all down, smug that I’d burn it all off during the afternoon run …
Got home and ready to run but a few stomach rumblings meant
a quick pit stop before starting out… Got a mile down the road and was burping
spices and another pit stop in the local Travelodge …
Got the legs to start moving and the bowels to stop moving
but I felt a bit sluggish and heavy and didn’t enjoy running as much as I
usually do. Usually, running is an escape from work, motherhood and herding
cats and a chance to plug in an audiobook, have a nose through people’s windows
as I run past and fart. Secure in the knowledge that the unlucky recipient is
unlikely to be able to catch me to tell me off.
However, I wasn’t feeling as bouncy and enthusiastic as
usual but I’d had a 20 mile run five days previously so blamed that. My knee
wasn’t twingeing, there weren’t any obvious niggles, just a general – burp! –
sluggishness. Ah … that was why. Another pit stop. This time in the local
Sainsbury’s. Sigh. If I ran at this speed during the marathon, the chap in the
diving outfit was going to overtake me.
Finally … I got going properly and could start enjoying the
run. I was following cycle route 41 some of which I had run on before but
without realising it was part of the same trail. The route started at Rugby
train station and went up a disused railway line through the centre of town
although you’d never know it was there as it was beautiful and peaceful.
There was about a mile or so on pavement next to a busy road
and then the route disappeared into a quiet road and continued at the end of
the road into a secluded footpath between fields. It was lovely and although
I’d run in this area and driven past the footpath many times, I’d never spotted
it before. It was lovely and very quiet – you could hear tractors and it passed
by farms and an old collie sleeping by the gate. He lifted his head as I passed
but didn’t make a sound.
The footpath continued into a quiet lane and past a field of
alpacas! Lots and lots of alpacas! Nuzzle and Scratch … and Nuzzle and Scratch
… and Nuzzle and Scratch …
Down a tree-lined hill and to the edge of Draycote Water and
thankfully the hilly and tree lined side of the reservoir, rather than the
concrete-fantastic side.
Usually Draycote Water is absolutely full of people.
Cyclists zipping round and runners puffing their way around and families having
a wander with lines of toddlers blocking the paths, but today there was
absolutely no-one else there. Not even a solitary cyclist.
I continued the route past the far end of Draycote Water and
the route went down a broken tarmac track and onto a grassy lane and then quiet
lanes. It was a nice change of terrain – a proper trail run. Under a railway
bridge and then over and on top of it and onto a lovely smooth sandy path which
was another disused railway line. The railway bridges were still all in place
and obvious. Everything was well maintained and peaceful.
I followed the path to Birdingbury and despite the
gorgeousness of the route and the fact I had no time limit, was finding it hard
going. The long run a few days before had taken it’s toll and I was conscious
that I’d knackered my knee only a week or so previously.
I kept the pace fairly slow and kept topping up with water
and mars bar slices which kept me going. I was only just halfway at this point
which made it feel even more difficult as I knew I had another run of the same
distance to do. Coming out of Birdingbury, I came to a T-Junction and stopped
the Garmin to consult the maps so I could see which way to go. I then forgot to
restart it … for another mile and a half. What a tit.
At this point I was running through country lanes over
gently rolling hills, but they just felt as though they went on … and on … and
on... Finally came to the canal path entrance but across the canal like a
shining beacon of beer I could see a pub. And more importantly a sign on the
pub door offering ice cream for 80p. Sold!
After the achy legs and multiple poos, I felt stopping for
an ice cream would be a small sacrifice to the God of long runs.
After the pub, Route 41 carried on along a canal path which
was smooth and well maintained and I always like seeing the colourful barges
with the bicycles strapped on and geraniums growing from the pots on the roofs
of the boats. Anything to distract me on a long run. I’ll take boats with
flowers on over roads and pavements any day.
I ended up going past some quiet farms and onto a very small
lane. I was passed by a few cyclists absolutely flying down the hill I was
labouring up as I found the highest and sharpest peak of the run. Thanks a
bunch. A nice touch at the 17.5 mile point. Ouch. Cheated and walked up it. I
didn’t mind the downhill on the other side though.
The lane finished at a main road and the next mile or two
were the worst of the route as they ran along a busy road which had a lot of blind
corners and no pavement. In a lot of places, there was not even a verge really
so I had to hop on and off the bank as cars passed. Bloody cars. And bloody
people driving while I had to run. In their nice comfy seats.
The Route 41 signs directed me onto a well maintained lane
that was obviously another disused railway line with the railway bridges still
towering over the path. There were some good views across the fields and the
soil was red like in parts of Devon. Either that or the red mist that had descended
as I swore at the car drivers going too fast on the main road earlier still
hadn’t cleared.
The next part was the highlight of my run. An adorable
Springer / Collie cross puppy that wobbled up to me and licked my hand like I
was his favourite person ever. He was 12 weeks old and too cute not to stop
for. Even in the pursuit of a 22 mile goal.
I passed a few houses on the outskirts of Leamington Spa and
was directed onto a winding path going around a park called Newbold Comyn.
There was an interesting looking hill in the middle of it and a Beacon on top.
I considered a Lord of the Rings moment and I would have liked to have had a
closer look, but I wasn’t THAT worried about adding extra mileage in at this
point. Meh … call me lazy.
There were lots of runners out and about and I thought it
must have been a club night in Leamington. I caught up with another runner to
ask and check that I was still on the Cycle Route as all signs had evaporated
at this point … just as I ran past a sign telling me I was on Cycle Route 41.
Ok. Now I look like scary, sweaty Stalker Runner.
Coming into Leamington, I had to stop several times at the
traffic lights for the traffic and a chap passing in his suit with his
briefcase cheekily told me off for stopping my run. I beat him to death with
his own briefcase. Oh no. I laughed and told him I’d just completed 21.5 miles
and was happy that the lights were red for 20 seconds. See. I CAN be nice.
The route ran alongside a park which looked interesting.
There were a few monuments I could see through the bars and it was faced by
some Regency style buildings. I wasn’t however, that interested that I was
going to stop ½ mile before my finish point. I crossed a busy road and pegged
it up a hill and arrived at Leamington station at 22.25 miles and 3:29:12.
Route 41: LIAS LINE:
From - To: Rugby, Leamington Spa (and Warwick)
Type: Mainly traffic-free
Access: Warwick and Leamington Spa Railway Stations
Surface: Tarmac or fine gravel paths
No comments:
Post a Comment