Our First Threesome

Yesterday was the first training run we did with all three of us running together.

Pushing ourselves further and longer than last week we decided to combine the Map 2 we ran last week with Map 1 which meant we got to run from Hambledon Church all the way to the end of the Greensand Way on Haslemere High St and then back again. A total of 21 miles.

We set off at a very punctual 8.30am and quickly found we settled into a much faster pace than the week before. The ascent up towards Gibbet Hill Viewpoint was easier this time and we even took the time out to get a picture of ourselves standing on what used to be the busy A3 (now defunct due to the tunnel) It was very eerie to stand somewhere that we have all driven along so many times, with no cars or tarmac!

Standing on the old A3 as it swept up to the hindhead trafiic lights just below the Greensand Way

We got to the viewpoint at Gibbet Hill in under 2 hours and fond that running as three means whilst one of you may be a bit tired at any given stage there is always two others to spur you on.

An excellent Plank on Gibbet Hill on the Greensand Way

Dave took the opportunity to enjoy the obligtory Plank at the navigation marker and we also left an offering to the running gods in the form of a jelly baby to mark our respect.

Our offering left facing towards Godalming at Gibbet Hill on the Greensand Way

The 'downhill' and 'short' 30 minute run down to Haslemere I promised was not 'downhill' and not 'short'. It proved to be up and down and took us over 45 minutes to run. I was berated all the way for promising optimistically that we were ' only about 8 minutes away' when we were not.....at all.

Our halfway mark...and Bruch

The Greensand Way spits you out in Haslemere into a car park. Its a very big anticlimax. You go from peaceful scenic hills and epic views to so many people and cars and noise its like being in Cairo by comparison. We all felt very out of place running up the HIgh St and were pleased to go hide in The Swan Pub for 'brunch'.

Whilst Dave and Claire ignored my recommendation for a suitable light runners lunch by having a bacon, sausage and egg bloomer I opted for the much more sensible large full cooked breakfast.

We ate, drank coffee and water and rested for just under an hour before setting off again at about 12.30pm.

running down the quiet lane off gibbet hill on the Greensand Way

The return journey was run at a furious pace with Dave up front for most of it as he had promised his girlfriend he would finish the run by around 1pm. This was slightly optimistic.

I did not suffer any ill effects from my light sensible brunch on the return run, I did not burp black pudding every few minutes for three hours, didnt feel the beans slopping around for most of the run, didnt find the waistband unusually tight round my waist.  I didnt feel hash browns dancing a merry jig.

A few ailments with cramp and chaffing made us realise that we need to add a few items to our medical pack when running.  I also brought 2 packs of jelly babies and a litre of water and a bottle of red bull this time but i still need a bit more water on these long runs. I carried drink in my camelback stuffed inside my new larger more comfy rucksack and this worked really well. I obviously got the balance of calories and water nearly right because this week I returned weighing the same as I did when I left (last week I was 5 lbs lighter after my run)

my favourite photo of the day taken in a road mirror on the Greensand Way in Hambledon

We got back to Hambledon for about 3.20pm which was really good. Dave had to shoot off fairly quickly as he was 'a few minutes behind schedule' and Claire and I stayed at the Merry Harriers pub in Hambledon and had an 'Ice Cold in Alex' moment with the best pint Ive drunk in ages.

sports drink in the Merry Harriers Hambledon on the Greensand Way

We were all really pleased with our pace and are already getting ready for the next large run together which will be exploring the Greensand Way westwards from The White Horse at Hascombe towards the Windmill at Ewhurst.

First Test Run Along the Greensand Way - Hambledon to Gibbet Hill Viewpoint

Banjo Day

Claire and I cant find a word to rhyme with Saturday. We have hashtags for our twitter posts like #sundayrunday and #hashhouseharriers but weve never come up with anything better than #saturdayshithead day (mainly because any run following a friday night out tends to be 'impaired').

When we went online to look for words that rhyme with Saturday we got Banjo as a potential word........

So this Saturdayshithead day we ran our first test run along a new stretch of the greensand way. Dave had a run the next day in Portsmouth for 16 miles and so wisely stayed out of this one. The excellent Surrey County Council website shows this run as map 2 of the greensand way and measures a distance of just over 7 miles from Hambledon to Gibbet Hill Viewpoint in Hindhead overlooking the Devils Punchbowl.

Hambledon to Gibbet Hill

We started from the car park by Hambledon Church and began running out towards Sandhills.Both Claire and I carried rucksacks with 5kgs in to simulate the kit we expect to be carrying on the actual run. We were armed with a bottle of water and a pack of jelly babies too,

Its always all smiles at the start of a long run

We ran well following the route using a map saved on my phone as well as watching a moving map image of our route on the android My Tracks app. Most of the time the footpaths are marked well with greensand way markers. We got slightly slowed down/lost around the Sandhills area, caused mainly by us coming off the tracks and having to follow road for a while but mainly the route is fairly easy to follow with plenty of signs on the way. We flew through Witley and Brook in no time heading towards the A3.

crossing under the A3 near Thursley

The new Hindhead Tunnel has caused the A3 to change drastically before the tunnel. The actual greensand way route now has a slight detour at the Thursley area to get under the A3 but it does present a chance for an unusual photo for an off road run.

the well signed route

After the A3 the route the Greensand Way turns southwards towards Hindhead and we ran through varying terrain and through a few farms on towards the Devils Punchbowl.

The run up towards Gibbet Hill is a bit of a slog. The combination of wind and overcast weather, large falling branches and low glycogen left us feeling a bit low as we climbed towards the summit. It took much longer than we expected to run up this stage.As we ran up we could see the old A3 leading up to the old hindhead traffic lights being 'decommissioned' with all its tarmac removed. It was odd to see a road I have driven many times being returned to nature.

our halfway mark

Getting to the summit after 7 miles of running rewarded us with a well earned 25 minute break and fantastic views towards London. We donned some extra clothes to stop the wind, finished the jelly babies had a sit down and got a bit of 'planking' done.

Planking

The Return Journey - Gibbet Hill to Hambledon

The journey back required less effort with navigating as we had run the route already. It gave us a chance to reflect on what we had learnt from todays run, thinking about what we had learnt also helped take our minds off how tired we were running back.

My rucksack is small and does not have a waistband. It rubbed too much against my back and the combination of the X Bionic top (which keeps you damp on purpose) meant I ended up with a chaffed back. I have now swapped the rucksack for a different one with a waistband and more comfortable straps.

I also ran out of water and jelly babies. With no food or water on the return journey the run was much harder on the way back. Carrying a few kilos of lead in my rucksack instead of water and food is total madness and a mistake I wont make again.

We agreed that a good selection of tops, hats and gloves helps, as over runs that last many hours you can be caught in varying types of weather and temperatures.

Finally its important with the style of running we will be doing on the actual full run that we take the opportunity at any chance we get going through villages and hamlets to pick up drink and food. We were VERY lucky to have the lovely people at Bongo give us a can of tango and a free Club chocolate bar at Witley Station on the way back.

Claire has an Orangegasm

Next weekend ( SaturdayShitheadDay) we are running a longer run as a three. We will do the same route as this run and continue on to Haslemere where we will have lunch and then run back. Itll be the longest run we have done yet and the first time all three of us have actually run together.