Question: There are 4 runners wanting a long run, Jerry wants to do 20 miles, Robert 16 miles, Liz 12 miles and Emma 10 miles. How could they do this?
Answer: Let Jerry just tell us what to do, we trust him to take care of business!
The preamble to the run began like this and was supported by a 20 message thread on Facebook which attempted to solve a quandary not dissimilar to that of a 1940s math book.
I met Jerry at my allotted time and place (in fact 3 minutes early) and we headed through Jerry's secret path through Petts Woods and onto a path with a steep edge where we encountered an overly excited and high dog who was determined to bound along with us and perhaps wanted to flee his owners and join us for the rest of the run, apparently still a pup but huge and wolf like all the same. This path would later become known to us and forever more as Wolf Ravine.
Meet up point 2 where both Emma and Rob would meet us having come separately one by foot, one by car all part of the mathematical and geographical equation Jerry had devised to ensure everyone hit their mileage targets and we headed off on pavement and trail towards High Elms. Not dissimilar to my recent run at Eridge Jerry is prone to naming routes and runs, sometimes I delight in coming up with such a route naming as each has its very own story that sits being it just begging to be told to future runners on the route.
Mouse Alley (AKA Flying Squirrel Alley) - named for the dead mouse that was found along the alleyway but can also been know as Flying Squirrel Alley as often the trees rattle with overhead flying rodents much to the alarm of runners passing through this narrow channel. We emerged with no mice and just one squirrel sighting today and headed out towards an open field, as we emerged though the gate and looked across the wide expanse there were figures dotted around in the mist and without the dogs this could well have been the start so the field was named the only thing we could rightly name it, Zombie Field.
The out of the out and back completed we passed through Zombie Field once again but the herd seemed to have moved on and the danger had passed for now. that was until leaping from the bushes a cat flew out ninja style, promptly fluffed up and departed again giving us all, particularly Jerry who was in front quite a surprise.
Almost back at the departure points for Rob and Emma we each got a bit soppy stating just how lovely it had been. But it was. I was a great run, lovely route, great company and catching up with some faces from the club I hadn't seen and certainly hadn't run with in far too long. Must not leave it that long again I miss my running buddies... Sunday long runs are making a comeback in my life!
loved your account of this run, I had read Jerrys too and its fascinating the two different story styles of the same run, but one thing for sure, it sounds as if you all had great fun
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