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Dingus' "regular" Morning Trot
The start of the run is in a water meadow and crossing a little stream. On a day like today when the sun is out, just the light itself inspires you to run and enjoy life.
After crossing the stream I turn upstream and run on a track between the other side of the water meadow and a field of oats (well it was oats last week, its now a field of stubble). This part of the course is basically flat and acts as the warm up section.
The climbing begins, up what I call randy slug street since most mornings the tarmac is covered with pairs of slugs. Not exactly long or steep here but this is where the warm up has ended and we get serious about running.
The last bit of paved surface as I cross the only road that ever has any traffic on it - though I rarely have to wait for more than one car before crossing. The run turns left at the top of the paved road.
This is the more serious ascent. When I'm running with my slower friend I tend to run this hill twice to let him get ahead. This is als othe place where we often see deer but not today.
After the second pylon there is a track off to the right going through the woods. This ascends for a while and then flattens out as it contours around a valley. This is another place where deer are sometimes seen for about 2 seconds as they disappear into the deeper forest. Despite bright sunshine my camera decided it needed a flash on this picture.
Just after I cross the stream that causes the aforementioned valley there is a treacherous track that heads down the valley. I take that instead of the main trail to give myself a bit of a change from the constant climbing. I tend to really open out on this downhill and one of these days some tree root will jump out and cause me problems.
All good things come to an end and the trail ends up at a road full of appartment buildings. I turn left to go straight up the side of the valley I just charged down. This is the toughest climb on the course - climbing to the height of the top of the building you can see on the RHS in just a few hundred metres.
Having done that SOB ascent, I rejoin the main track I left to head down the valley and run on a flat/gentle ascent until the turn around point which is as high as the track climbs. Some days, especially if my friend is with me we continue on the flat for about 500m more but today I just tirned around and headed back.
The return is the same as the out except that I skip the trail and steep hill and just stay on the main track. Eventually I get back to civilization and the water meadow. My house is the white building on the far RHS but I have to run all the way to the trees to get to the bridge nd then turn back.
The only large animals I saw on the run today were these sheep in the water meadow and a dog and its owner a ew seconds later.
Course Statistics
Out course - 2.5-3Km (1.7Miles) with at least 100m total ascent. Time taken 15mins-20mins.
In course - 2-2.5Km (1.3Miles) flat or downhill. Tiem takne 10-15 mins.
Totals - 5 Km or 3 miles, 25 - 30 minutes.
