Paul and the metal cow

I did a new run, today. The first six miles were out to Lupton, which I've done many times before, but this time, instead of turning back north, I crossed over the A65. For a long time I've wanted to find a safe way across but it's only recently, encouraged by the Minx, that I've looked at my OS app and found a bridleway that does the trick. (The metal cow is a new feature by the lake at Kittridding Farm.)

Safely across the A65 and having fallen over trying to get across a fallen tree on the bridleway, I found the lane to Hutton Roof and headed up there. Having passed the church, I was faced with a choice: continue on through the hamlet or turn down towards Kirkby Lonsdale. My dilemma was finding a route that would give me my thirteen miles.

In the end I set off downhill, then turned through High Biggins and down the delightfully named Hosticle Lane to Whittington and then across the fields to the river. 

I first ran this part of the route many years ago with a neighbour, Paul. We had been at a street barbecue the night before and I was lamenting the lack of routes that I knew for running. He offered to take me out for a run and show me a new circuit the next morning, which was something of a challenge as I was already a few beers in but I liked Paul and readily accepted. 

The next morning I didn't feel much like running but I met him outside his house and off we set. He was sprightly on his feet and chatty, too, while I struggled to keep up, physically and verbally, but it was worth it, both in terms of getting to know each other a bit better and also in learning a new route.

It was only a couple of years after that that Paul died in an accident. As you'd expect, I thought about him every time I did the run after that, which was a bit of a double-edged sword; it was good to remember him but also saddening. 

Today, though, I found myself feeling happy to have known him and remembering what a lovely guy he was: funny and smart, and very popular with his students at school, as evidenced by the memorial in the church after his death. Today, I was happy to have such a nice way to remember him.

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-11.8 kgs
Reading: 'Jog On' by Bella Mackie