Open countryside

I traveled to the latest parkrun to start in Essex today with Elaine and Emma.

It was the 3rd one in Highwoods, chosen as Elaine wanted a ‘3’ for her ‘Wilson index’ (you go the a 1st event, 2nd event etc).

I wanted to regain my ‘PIED’ (parkruns in Essex some)

It has become a bit of a ‘thing’ for us to get a little lost on our travels and, taking the wrong exit off of a roundabout meant that we have an 8 mile detour. Arriving much later to the Tesco car park that we both knew then we’d intended. Fearing further confusion in finding the actual park, I spotted a car of people who looked like they were arriving for the run and went to check. They were also from Maldon and equally clueless. Fortunately we then spotted a hi -viz and were pointed to the start.

On route Elaine shouted ‘Dolly or Bev’ at another runner and I checked out the houses we were passing. Nice bungalows.

The run itself was challenging. Mostly on tracks and grass in good weather, it was mostly a mud bath today. There were a couple of very steep and slippery hills. My picture today was at the top of one, looking back towards the town.

At the end we got a little lost again but eventually we grabbed a drink in the coffee shop at Tesco, chatted with Danny Norman who does the ‘with me now’ podcast. He lives with a Dolly and a Bev and both are often interrupting his show.

The rest of the day was a lazy one.