A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

A change is great way to mix up your training and keep it fun and interesting. This week I am upping my weekly mileage from 45 miles to about 60 miles. Ive also started running with a 6 kg rucksack on to simulate the likely gear I will need to carry for the actual Greensand Way.

The Deco Pub in Portsmouth where our planned sunday run started to fall apart for Dave

I stayed over at a friends house in Portsmouth last night and took the opportunity to run this morning in Portsmouth for a change of scenery. Whilst epic hills and woodland for miles is lovely , a run in urban areas can reveal some great surprises (as hashing in guildford has taught me).

South Parade Pier in the distance and some good advice

Dave never met me at 9.30am for our run so  I started my run from my friends house in the freezing bitter wind but clear blue sky and met up with the shoreline east of South Parade Pier and took the above picture a few minutes into my run. The mural on the wall gave me the idea to blog about todays run and how apt this was for our training in general.

Portsmouth Pyramids

Running Westward along the seafront I had the strong wind behind me and found running nice and steady on the promenade. With no uneven ground and no hills you can really settle down into a run and enjoy it. I wasnt bothered by runners overtaking me at all, im training for an endurance event not a sprint.

a ships gun from the 1860s

Unlike the coutryside the city can be absolutely covered in little interesting things to go look at like statues, plaques etc and i took the opportunity to look at a few artifacts. The naval stuff interests me as I am also a keen wreck diver.




The dated but endearing Clarence Pier Tower

 As I got halfway round my 7 mile run I ran right through the funfair at Clarence pier and its eternal smell of chips. The hovercraft 'lands' here to take people to the Isle of Wight.

From the Pier you go back from the 1960s to the 1860s and join the millenium promenade which runs along the much older forts and walkways of old portsmouth. In the distance you can see the spinnaker tower at Gunwharf keys too.

running towards King James Gate and Tower on the millenium promenade

As you apporach the King James Gate and Tower I was pleased to see you get the chance to run straight through the inside of the tower and out the other side.

running through the tower

After that I was forced to leave the seafront to start heading back towards my friends house. I turned northwards and ran towards Portsmouth Cathedral where I used to sing as a choirboy, for a City the size of Portsmouth its always struck me how small it is.

plaque on a house 3 doors down from my old school

Once past Portsmouth Grammar School I turned right and ran towards Elm Grove which looped me back through the bustling small shops and pubs of Portsmouth and eventually back to my friends house.

The total distance today was about 7 miles run in just over an hour (includes photo stops with my camera on my phone) . The rucksack felt good and I returned to an amazing cooked breakfast and a nice cup of coffee. No mud to clean off my trainers.

Today was one of those runs that are 1 in a 100. I'm sad Dave missed it but there will be plenty more chances for runs this good in the weeks to come.