Run - off road 2:21:00 [2] 26.0 km (5:25 / km) +240m 5:11 / km
shoes: La Sportiva C-Lite
Wanted to do something 2h15 - 2h20 ish before next weekend. Joined together a few of the usual loops & bits I'd been on with the club.
Out to and along the Trent to Walton - Barton - NW to Forest Rd - Dunstall - Tatenhill Common - Battlestead Hill - Sandyford - Oaks Wood - Shobnall Fields - home.
Loop done clockwise deliberately so the hills were all later in the run. First 5 miles or so into the wind along the Trent, then a few showers appeared. Steady pace didn't feel much of an effort, and no problems with the shallow climb up to Forest Rd (~ 70 mins in). Felt the one up to Highlands Park a bit more (~85 mins), and slow but steady up Battlestead (~100 mins).
Legs were still turning over well along the top of Sinai (slight tailwind may have helped) - generally OK to the 2 hour mark, when noticed the calves were getting tight. Last couple of miles felt slightly harder work, but perhaps pushing a bit more to get it over and done with.
Happy with that - Winterfold will be a different prospect though - hillier, softer underfoot and bilberry to contend with. Temperatures currently forecast in the mid to high teens too, which isn't ideal...