Naturally Reserved

For completeness, I bring you my latest training run….

4th July
The goal for today was to have a gentle recovery run in preparation for my race on 6th July. I chose Titchmarsh Nature Reserve because by nature I’m reserved! Haha, only joking – I chose it because it offers a fairly flat run around the lovely lake, with conditions underfoot offering a range of challenges. In wet conditions, I end up sliding all over the place and I have been known to fall. In really dry conditions the baked previously muddy bits can be challenging on the ankles and I have been known to suffer a couple of twists there. In summer, when the paths are quite overgrown with grass, hidden holes can also pose an ankle challenge. Additionally, running on a grassy surface is a good way to get some lower-impact exercise and an extra boost to effort because the ground takes away the rebound energy you get from running on firmer surfaces.

It was a lovely day and I saw a lot of red admiral butterflies. I was not worried about pace, and the following lines by the post Tagore came to mind:

The butterfly counts not months but moments,
and has time enough.

[Well, that’s not quite how it was – I saw this quote in something else I wrote a while ago that was brought to my attention before writing this post. I don’t often run with poetry in my mind, although it has been known at times.]

I stopped about half-way round the reserve to admire my new friends and followers.

For the metrically minded. I completed 3 miles in just over 34 minutes, ascending a dazzling total of 10 metres to give a view of the other side of the lake.

Next time, a detailed account of my 10km race. I hope you can all contain your excitement. Meanwhile, continue to run happy and free.