A week into the training schedule and its already gone Dolly Parton/Pete Tong.
Wednesday should have been "4-6 miles slow". However, I got tied up with stuff at work and didn't get out at all. Yesterday I did the scheduled out and back tempo. However, today is down as a rest day. Which given I had the unscheduled rest only two days ago isn't on.
So taking into account I had the day off work and the clocks go forward on Sunday I decided to move Sunday's "8-9 miles easy" to today. As to what to do on Sunday... well we'll see.
Today's route was for the most part made up on the fly. The general plan was to start out heading south in the direction of St Albans (and into the wind) before turning for home with the wind on my back. So I left the house and immediately started running north before looping back through the town centre and heading over to West Common via Rothamsted Park.
From West Common I decided to try picking up the footpath across the fields to Beeson End Lane - which I managed at the second attempt. But once on the track forked right towards Redbourn. At some point during the subsequent couple of miles I lost the official path and eventually found myself up by the rugby club overflow car park. Note quite what I'd been aiming for but no harm done (and no shots fired by angry farmers).
And then much to my surprise I found the missing a link - a footpath running parallel to Redbourn Lane. This road has no pavement or runnable verge and is far too busy to risk running in the road. Quite a result I'd say.
Turning right at the bottom of the hill took me on to the Nickey Line. At the top of the incline I threw in a quick skirt round the perimeter of Rothamsted Park before making for home.
Ten miles covered at average pace 7:46. Not quite as quick as last Sunday with Simon but still more than good enough for an easy long.
