Janathon Day 21 - Supermarket Running

A run to the supermarket, whatever next you have probably been thinking? As many of you had mentioned on Twitter, no I didn't run home with the shopping - now that would have been just plain silly and required a gargantuous rucksack!! The decision for this particular run lay mainly with a) I didn't fancy getting up for an early jaunt and b) I wanted to run a different route. I then came up with the idea of running to our local Tescos in Altrincham and start the shopping. Whereupon my wife would drive up and meet me and then drive home together with the said groceries - sorted!!

I knew this was going to be a windy one as it was pretty gusty when out and about in the morning. The direct route was 9 miles but having run three 13+ milers this week, I fancied going for another, so had devised a circuitous route that would net me the required distance. I set off after lunch and headed towards the far entrance of Tatton Park. Once in to the park I was heading straight in to a headwind, this was pleasant I thought, at least it wasn't raining! I ran around the outer perimeter and got the full force of the wind, this was even stronger than yesterday. I felt like I had to run much faster to keep going at a reasonable pace which was still sub 8 pace so was pleased with that.

I was finally out of the park at just short of 5 miles and then turned away from the wind. The downhill on the country lane with excellent views of Rostherne Mere and the wind behind, I was fairly flying now and ended up with the fastest mile of the day at 7:01. The next mile in contrast would take two minutes longer as I picked out the farmers track and subsequent boggy trail before traversing the M56 via a small footbridge. Another boggy section was then followed by a gravel track and greeted by a very friendly dog, this was more like it. Out on to the country lane at 8 miles, if I carried straight on this would take me the 1 mile to my destination.

What followed next was a 5 mile loop out around Hale Barns. Local readers of this blog will know this is an area of large, very large and huge houses, resident to some wealthy people and probably the odd footballer or two. I knew this area fairly well as it was close to where I used to work and had run through here many times. I wound my way round the back roads and got to the furthest point of the run at 10.5 miles and then on to the main road. The wind was now back in my face but fortunately the next two miles were a gradual downhill before the final half a mile up to Tescos.

I stopped outside, the distance measuring 13.1 miles, my fourth of the week! Wiping the sweat from my face and checking there wasn't too much mud on me I headed in and grabbed a trolley. I could see people thinking "why is this man doing his shopping in his shorts in January?". After half an hour I was met by my wife and daughter where we finished off the shopping and then headed home in the car, NO I wasn't going to run home...

Stats

Distance: 13.13 miles

Time: 1:39:40

Janathon Total Distance: 213.14 miles

Streak Total Distance: 1836 miles