Saturday, July 20, 2013

Cut To Ribbons...

I decided it was still too hot for me on the mountains and opted for another local run over some new footpaths. I ran through Flaxley Woods and tagged on a loop of Mugglewort Wood - and yes, that is where she got the name 'muggle' from in that famous series of books....

Then I headed through Blaisdon Wood following the lower, western path - what a monumental pile of chicken poop that route choice was. It was like a god damn jungle - and I didn't have a machete. Like a dick I bashed my way along for a bit, having found a stout, fallen branch and thinking it would ease up once back under the thicker, denser tree cover - it bloody didn't.

So anyway, I was committed and decided it would be quicker to go orienteering style and headed off the path and into the woods themselves. That helped but the wood was pretty dense so I didn't speed up that much. Still, it was good not to be getting slashed by the brambles, my legs already bleeding from multiple stab wounds..

I shortly ventured back to the path hoping it would be less overgrown - it was but not by as much as I'd hoped. After another twenty minutes of bashing and hacking at the vegetation, I finally broke free of Blaisdon Wood and continued on my way over Nottwood hill. The paths were less overgrown and it was good to be running again. I finally hit the Blaisdon road and after a few more minutes running along it, it was soon time to head back off road.

The route over to Ley Park was a new one to me and the run through the woods was pleasant although still a little overgrown in small patches - cue more bashing. After a loop of the woods I was all too soon heading homeward. Across a few more fields before finally reaching the road and the 2 miles home. Ahhhgggg, where the hell was the stile to get onto the road??? Overgrown and I mean totally overgrown with bramble and nettles six foot high! I'm not joking when I say it took me a good ten minutes to bash my way through. I even damaged my baton - ooh, matron - losing a good two feet off its length! If it had got any smaller I would have been in real trouble. Thankfully I got through with only a few more stings and cuts to add to the collection.

Never has a cold shower been more welcome. Apart from the cuts on my legs it wasn't a bad run and I got a good upper body work out into the deal. The only thing I need to be careful of is that I don't get any grass growing out of places that grass shouldn't grow out of. I was plastered in grass seed come the end. It was everywhere - and I mean everywhere....

In all I covered 13 miles and about 1,500 feet of ascent but in a very very slow time on account the jungle.

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