Mid-distance trail run

Route: Ashridge Estate double loop
Distance: 13.14 miles
Ascent / descent: +1219' / -1215'
Time: 01:57:07
Splits: 8:16 (fastest), 9:23 (slowest), 8:31 (average)

Saturday was a pretty grey day, the wind blowing with a bit of a bite. I had a bit of a foggy head from quickly drinking two pints of local ale late on Friday night (John Hampden Ale and 300s Old Ale from the local http://www.chilternbrewery.co.uk/) but convinced myself to go out. After toying with the idea of a longer run to make up for missing one the week before due to injury, a combination of me being lazy and knowing I need to be in good shape for the Fling (i.e. not to knacker my legs) led me to doing a 13 miler rather than a 20 miler.

I drove the 20 minutes south to the largest hill in these parts of our fair land - Ivinghoe Beacon - standing a proud 750' or so above sea level. It is on the north side of a National Trust property called Ashridge with magnificent woodlands that have featured in Harry Potter's Goblet of Fire (ooo I hear you gasp). Seriously, it is lovely and well worth a visit if you are near the Chilterns - http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-ashridgeestate/ . If you've ever flown Easyjet to Luton you will have passed over the Beacon and the Estate as you make your final approach. Have a peek out the window next time you descend from the west.


The path approaching Ivinghoe Beacon from the south
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/28837

That's my tourist plug over. I did the run, only meeting a few hardy souls out braving the windy grey bleakness of the afternoon. The route I ran was a sort of double loop, but with each loop slightly different. I almost stopped next to my car at the cross over point at 7 miles but kicked myself into action and felt much better for it. There are a lot of pretty sharp climbs and drops along the route so my legs felt well worked out by the end of it, leading me to thoroughly enjoy the next instalment of weekend ale on Saturday night - Timothy Taylors Landlord and Fuller's ESB. Yum. This was followed on Sunday by the third instalment - Wychwood Blonde and Theakston's Old Peculiar. All taken for the purposes of carbing up for the Fling. Honest.

I'm never too sure how much flat distance running I should do compared to hilly up and down running. I much prefer the latter but wonder whether it might be over stressing my legs sometimes. Not really got much desire to change so I'd prefer any comments to confirm that what I currently do is the best. Thanks. :-)


Profile of the run around the Ashridge Estate