The wife and kids were out today, so I figured a long run was due. I was never going to reach my 250km target only running 5s each day.
So having waited for the cloud burst to clear, I took Jess for a 4.5km walk round the heath, then headed home to decide where to run.
I'd been toying with the idea of following the River Darenth until I found the Lullingstone visitors centre, where some coffee and flapjack would be enjoyed before turning back. Now this turned out to be approx 28km so prob a tad long, though not out of the question as I had all day, and it was two halves, but then I remembered I had the car, so could go further a field and try somewhere new. Straight away the Darnley Trail sprung to mind out at Shorne Country Park. Its a 10km loop that start and finishes at the Country Park Visitors centre, I'd seen it when we did a sponsored dog walk earlier in the year. So off I went.
The start of the run was well marked and so easy to follow, and was very muddy and down hill so quite fun, then I hit the road, saw a black arrow pointing left and that was the last one I saw. So I continued to follow random footpath signs, running through woods, farms, horse fields, cow fields and along rivers, until I ran out of footpaths, and decided to find out where I was and workout how to get back to the car (oh the joys of phone apps! though if I had a map, I wouldn't of been lost in the first place).
Eventually I found myself in Shorne village , which seemed a nice little place, though possibly a bit dated in areas.
I found my way back to the woods, and in to the country park, though not knowing exactly where I was in relation to the centre I still didn't know which way to run, so just opted to follow my internal compass (which to be fair is pretty good), until I found so people walking to woods how confirmed I was going to the right way. Once back at the Visitor centre, I got my flapjack and opted for forest fruit tea over coffee, but had to get straight back in to the car, so I could get the car home to pick up the boys.
7km in 49:37 starting at 1346 on 06/06/12
Total 34.5km
So having waited for the cloud burst to clear, I took Jess for a 4.5km walk round the heath, then headed home to decide where to run.
I'd been toying with the idea of following the River Darenth until I found the Lullingstone visitors centre, where some coffee and flapjack would be enjoyed before turning back. Now this turned out to be approx 28km so prob a tad long, though not out of the question as I had all day, and it was two halves, but then I remembered I had the car, so could go further a field and try somewhere new. Straight away the Darnley Trail sprung to mind out at Shorne Country Park. Its a 10km loop that start and finishes at the Country Park Visitors centre, I'd seen it when we did a sponsored dog walk earlier in the year. So off I went.
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| Why couldn't I follow the route?!? |
Eventually I found myself in Shorne village , which seemed a nice little place, though possibly a bit dated in areas.
I found my way back to the woods, and in to the country park, though not knowing exactly where I was in relation to the centre I still didn't know which way to run, so just opted to follow my internal compass (which to be fair is pretty good), until I found so people walking to woods how confirmed I was going to the right way. Once back at the Visitor centre, I got my flapjack and opted for forest fruit tea over coffee, but had to get straight back in to the car, so I could get the car home to pick up the boys.
On the way home, I pulled in to the left lane, to come off at Dartford, but did so too early, got boxed in by 3 large lorries and so was forced on to the Dartford Tunnel approach, which no one wants to be on at 3pm even if you needed to be there, once I managed to get off (20mins for 1/2 mile) I then managed to get myself in the wrong lane again, and forced round a filter lane into the industrial estate, so had to turn around and go back again.
So my run didn't go where I wanted it to nor as long as intended, but was muddy and interesting, and the consistent hills more than added the effort of the extra kilometres that I had wanted, and then managed to make 2 wrong turns on the way home hence today's title but I ran, and it was good
6th of Juneathon7km in 49:37 starting at 1346 on 06/06/12
Total 34.5km
Sounds like you had a good old adventure! Nice one!
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