... this run in pictures....

It's been awhile since my last post and I have actually been preparing for this one but time hasn't allowed me complete this until now. This is a running post with some photographs thrown in to attempt to show why I love running so much and how it inspires photography or maybe it should be simply how the course inspires the runner.

I joined several of my runs together to create a 10 mile course all within a short distance of Aylesbury. At any time, this course is within 2 miles of the town whereas my previous 10 milers would be 5 miles from town at the furthest point. It is not a run to do in wet conditions as I have run through river water shin deep and it is extremely cold and hard to run through. It has mud passages, tarmac, fields and stony paths, a mixed terrain course that circumvents Aylesbury, taking in a river, canal, lakes, fields and country lanes along with housing estates and a village. In short, it is the best run ever, lacking only in woodland and hills. Unfortunately it is only a Summer run. I was so in love with the course that over 3 runs I took my camera with me. The downside is that the first half of the course was in darkness and I don't run with a tripod so this is the second half of the course, mile 5 and onwards.

Mile 4-5 - There is a choice, through the field or Riverside.

Field

Riverside

Both routes are stunningly beautiful but for very different reasons.

Mile 5 is interesting as it becomes a macro lesson its own right, spider webs galore, dew and frost and various flowers and a pair of swans that make interesting subjects

Mile 6 is through a housing estate but passes 2 lakes first.

Mile 8-9 is a country lane and it was here that I injured my ankle in January. This stretch of road is magical to run down at any time of the day or night. The other weekend I was up and out by 5am, it was crisp and icy and felt like the middle of the night but this stretch of road was surreal and beautiful, it made me remember why I love running so much. The first shot is of hay bales that have been left out in the field to rot. It was a conflicting picture, bright and beautiful sunshine with bales that are steaming and rotting.

Mile 9-10 are down the towpath of the canal. Nearly every run that I do finishes with this final mile and a half stretch because I adore it.

 The warm down walk home is depressing in daylight as the town is not particularly pretty.

So that charts my dream run or around half of it. The other half, run in darkness, is slightly different, it has paths for 3/4 of it with 1/4 of the run being through a small copse of trees and across a field normally full of cows and occasionally a big bull.

I really wanted to capture this run in pictures to show how lucky I am to have such an inspiring and pretty course.