A Sunday Foursome

Sadly today had a bit of a chill on it, unlike yesterday, but on the other hand it held the promise of so much to come - the hours yet to pass (unlike the dismal English rugby team). So today stalwarts Mike and Adam were joined by myself and Mark James; a great combination. With scant preamble we let Mark take the lead since he often coaches his students on the Heath and shows great personal promise; who knows but in time he may yet graduate to the Saturday slot! How quickly we were rewarded by an unusual path around the edge of the Heath before striking off across Waterlow Park and down to Crouch End. So far so good and it turns out that Mark even knows the gentlest climbs back up through Queens Wood up to Highgate Wood; although 'gentle' can be quite relative:

Mark James digging in for the finish

After this excitement we settled back in to an easy rhythm across the posh part of Highgate and down Hampstead Lane. On a Sunday run there's really no need to push the pace too much (why spoil a good day of relaxation?) so even past the Spaniards Inn we could afford to mainly stick together; which is more than you could say for the poor chap sleeping in his Fiat Multipla down on North End Way. It might be a people carrier but it didn't look all that comfortable to me! Anyway at this point I got coerced by Adam into adding on a few miles and as I do enjoy a quick run through Golders Hill Park I was happy to oblige. It's a lovely park with a little zoo for the kids and yet it's hardly that busy on a Spring morning:

Golders Hill Park at 9:30am

So I cruised through the park and up to the Heath Extension. There's much to enjoy about running through the woods all alone, just the echo of your footsteps harmonising to your breathing while birdsong picks up the higher melody. It's a shame that it all has to end but on the other hand I was happy to have got a decent 10 miles in without, in a sense, having to make a tremendous effort; such is the benefit of the running school!

Distance: 10.5 miles

Time: 1h 33m 9s