Under orders from Kathryn, I met up with the Lostock AC lot at Horwich Leisure Centre at 7pm tonight for a run up on the tops. There were loads of people at the meet up but the majority were off road running and they did a lovely little warm up routine whilst the fell runners amongst us just set off in a disorderly fashion.
I was joined by seven others: Kathryn Orrell (my canal running buddy), Adrian Hope, Mark Shuttleworth, Mark Checkley, Tony Marlow, Brian (? sorry!) and I wasn't sure of the seventh persons name but, by the powers of Strava, I now know to be Mike Ernill.
We ran down past the Bridge pub and up Factory Hill, then through Wilderswood up onto George's Lane. From there we ran up to Two Lads, then up the mast.
All the way up I was, as usual, at the back.
After the trig point we ran down the steep path (which leads to Hordern Stoops) which took me by surprise as I thought we'd be going down the diagonal and not the steep bit. I just ran down trying to stop laughing at Kathryn who I could just hear making all sorts of funny remarks as she came down.
All of a sudden, I realised that the guys in front of me were now doubling back on themselves, rather than going to Hordern Stoops, and going back uphill again. What kind of sadistic people had I come out running with tonight?
They were running back up to find a stile which leads to the sheep trod on the Belmont Winter Hill fell race route which takes you over to the wooden bridge and then out onto the Belmont Road track.
We then headed up Noon Hill and across to the Pike. I love the cross country run from Noon Hill over to the Pike, even if it is always extremely wet and my feet got very cold.
From the Pike we ran down a way I have never run before! I can't believe there is a path off the Pike I haven't done before in all these years. I always either go down the Pike race route, the side of the steps or, if I want to get a tiny bit of extra distance in, I'll go down the curly path but I've never been down the side in between the race route and the steps which goes down to the gate before.
From there, we ran down towards the school. I was running with Tony at this point and telling him that when we were on the way up all I kept thinking about was that I was at the back and making everybody wait for me, which is why I don't like going out with faster runners, but I know that I need to carry on doing this if I ever want to get faster myself.
Once at the school we went up past the llamas and I then carried on along dog poo alley to my house whilst the others went down Green Lane. I'm quite surprised really because I would have thought dog poo alley was the most direct route back to the leisure centre but perhaps not.
I had a really good run tonight, even though it was much later than I'm used to being out and it's now way past my bedtime (pathetic I know but I do get up at 5.30am!).
Great company! Thanks everyone!
Oh and I even got a Strava course record!
Total distance - 7.3 miles
https://www.strava.com/activities/286138432
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