Janathon Day 30: What a view!

But I didn’t have my camera with me to capture it. Oh well. I was inspired by own photo the other day, and decided to take my long run to Greenwich. It wasn’t a great start, with my run getting pushed back to about 11am because Edward had to complete the dreaded tax return. A bit too much of a gap between breakfast and a long run for my liking. I was also really feeling yesterday’s run and walk in my lower legs, and began to wonder if I could even do three miles let alone 14! Anyway, I headed towards Greenwich and gently eased my mind and body into it. Ah, Greenwich. I was ever so tempted to stop and peruse the antique stalls, drink coffee and eat cake, but I stuck at it and entered the park along with all the tourists and other Sunday runners. Anyone who has ever walked up to the Observatory will know how steep it is, and up I went, tip-toeing past walkers and gasping for air at the top, but my goodness, it’s worth the effort for the view! It was such a bright and clear day as well, just perfect.

So, I did a circuit of the park, pausing to see if I could see the deer. I did (HighwayKind will be impressed ). As I had gone up, I got to go down but, with a load more miles to do, I had to go up again. Damn it. This time I decided to head out of the park at the top and onto Blackheath. It’s just a load of really busy roads with green bits in between, but so many impressive houses to nose at as you go. I did as wide a loop as I could, checking out the grand abodes and avoiding being squashed by speeding vehicles, then ran back into the park for another downhill bit. When I got into Greenwich again, I ducked in and out of meandering tourists and ran towards the Cutty Sark – hidden behind an ugly enclosure – and down towards the Thames. I had the idea of running along the Thames path, but was sent towards the road due to yet more apartments being built. Here I plodded towards Deptford, down the High Street and to St John’s. By now my stomach was beginning to rumble and I felt slightly sick with hunger, I’m not sure the gel I sucked at the crossing in Lewisham helped, but I thought it might get me through the next few miles.

It did, and so did my determination to do the fourteen miles I had said I would do. It did get a bit boring in places, just looping around to make up the miles, I think I prefer an out-and-back sort of run, where you don’t have to think too much about where you will end up. I might try that next weekend. On my return, the boys had been getting busy in the front garden again, using a pickaxe to get up some concrete and, after some much-needed lunch, we planted our native hedge.

I am impressed with the people we ordered the plants from. I placed the order last Sunday evening and they arrived on Tuesday! It felt great to be planting a hedge, like looking to the future and looking forward to seeing who comes to explore the berries and flowers as they grow.

Janathon day 30:

Time: 2 hours 32 minutes 50 seconds

Distance: 14.07 miles

Average Pace: 10.52

Best Pace: 7.09

Calories: 1688