I am a creature of habit, I have the same running route, literally I have run the same route 100’s of times, I know the mile markers, where I can jump the lights and where I need to stop and wait, where there a barking dogs who don’t move and where there are dogs that chase me; there are a few and thank goodness for fences!
More recently I have developed the same cycling route, a nice loop that gives me some solid climbing, some sweeping downhills and some speedy flats. So when I headed out this morning for some reason my nose sent me left instead of right…no real reason, it just did! Six miles in I had no real idea where I was heading but the general direction was up and it seemed into the wind…with the exception of a couple of woah holy f%^k side gusts that nearly blew me over and the joy of riding the brakes all the way down with a headwind trying to blow me me off backwards!
I seemed to be running along the edge of the hillside for some of it, it was very residential but very quiet and I strayed into a couple of deadends and cul de sacs, but it’s all mileage and it’s not like it was a time trial! I ended up with a solid 30 and change in just over two hours
Here’s something you don’t see around here!
Along the way I stopped at a crossing and saw a sign, this sign!
I followed it for about five miles but then had to turn away from the route…later in the day I saw another one for Route #3…alas I can’t find anything online about them but I figured next time I will just go left and go from there!
hey hey, congrats for being nominated as one of the "Best Running Blogs 2011" hope to read many more of your fantastic running stories. sending you greetings from Malaysia...
ReplyDeleteSince I tend to get bored very easy I find myself putting a lot of effort into mixing up my routes. My only problem is that Scott does not like this since he has no idea where to find me if he wants to check on me. ;)
ReplyDeletesomebody posted on facebook: "not all wanderers are lost" :-)
ReplyDeleteand jeez, was that tumbleweed?
I rarely change my route too--especially not on the bike since I get further out in the bfe and could get lost. (only got lost once so far)!
ReplyDeleteI love taking the same route during my runs. I love that you don't have to think about it. You know when to drink, to refuel, to turn around etc. You can get into your head and enjoy the run. Since moving to a new town I don't have that yet. Hopefully soon!
ReplyDeleteGotta run.
And you didn't know about those? You definitely should check them out! Hope you can find #2, too, and maybe there is even a #4,5,6! :-)
ReplyDeletehey stuart,
ReplyDeletei do the same thing. i find a reliable route and get the job done. sometimes i lose the joy of discovery. your post was a good reminder that i need to go off the beaten path now and again - just to enjoy what comes next without knowing.
cheers.