I did two runs today on a beautiful spring day, just a day past equinox as it turns out. "Equinoxious" refers to my reaction in the forest at seeing MANY groups of people, not all of them families, walking together in close proximity.
I would be dishonest if I didn't say the thought hadn't crossed my own mind: what if a group of runners just showed up tomorrow and ran, and just happened to run the same route at the same time? Problem is: 1. we'd get caught because many of us use Strava and 2. it's morally wrong at this point to do anything in a group on non-genetically-related (non-family) groupings.
So yes, I had judgemental thoughts as I ran past a group of seven middle-aged women conducting their fitbit weekend walk/social. I do understand how important it is to continue to be vigilant about mental health, and for many that means doing walks or runs together in the great outdoors. What I don't understand is how people can justify it to themselves.
Maybe its just because we're one day in. However, what I saw in the forest (the mayhem, in my mind) only bolsters my belief in natural spaces as haven for now nefarious activities, precisely because they are free from surveillance, from cameras, and from social media especially if you don't post.
I mean I guess if you went for a naked run together you'd have a lot less chance of getting caught. But, 1. naked running is CRAZY and 2. see point above about it being morally repugnant to do large group (5 or more) activities in a time of CoronaVirus
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Now that I've gotten the moralising out of my system, today was a brilliant SOLO run day, and I completed two runs. The first was a hill session. I did 5 reps of Surrey Hill in Swinley Forest, with my Leki carbon-fibre poles. Like yesterday, the 10min/mile pace gave a beautiful flow and runner's high.
I had been reading Emilie Forsberg's book before I went out, and she talked about doing hill reps and a thing she calls 'Uphill Flow'. I definitely got this: a sense of flow and ease when going uphill.
My second run was a Perec-style attempt to exhaust a space in Bracknell, and today I focused on Easthampstead Church, also doing some scribbles across an open space, and a few round/spiral bits, finishing with a champagne bottle around Mill Park.
This week sees me having run over 70 miles so far and tomorrow is the big Predict-a-time 10k BFRs run, which I'm really looking forward to. I just have to figure out what kind of creative loop I'll do.
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