I had to be cajoled out of the house today. To say I wasn't really up for it is probably fair. It's not snowed much here, still freezing but cold to the bone. Cloudy and a bit of wind, this man was not for stepping out. Which is a shame, because I wanted it to be better. But it just wasn't happening today. And no one to run with, everyone seems to be looking after number 1 with little in the way of constructive responses. So I was out early, if not reluctantly and heading for the airport. It's a curious place to run, but it can be stunning there.
Just the other side of the fence, it's almost tranquil with R2 stretching out into Cheshire, the paths and trails are lined with woodland and fields. There's many routes and options, but I'd decided I was going to head for the tunnel under R2. I've discussed it here before, but it's a surreal structure, absolutely huge. The club does sprint drills out here from time to time, strangely secluded honing your craft in this subterranean amphitheatre! I bumped into the Sunday Morning RunClubbers and almost immediately lost them again.
Distracted by a photo opportunity. Crossing under R2 takes you to the end of R1 and I could see the lights of an incoming plane, so sat around to wait for it to pass over. A bit of an anti climax to be honest, but as I walked away I kept hearing this short but striking whistling swishy/swooshy noise, the kind of noise that had it been on TV it would signify a supernatural presence. I was absolutely on my own and essentially in the middle of nowhere. It made me stop twice and look round to see what it was, then it stopped.
Truly weird. Turns out, I discovered later, wind vortex turbulence! Don't you hate it when there's a tedious rational explanation for something that was genuinely confusing and exciting in equal measures. Where's the mystery and romance in life? Pah! I carried on down towards Mobberley and then picked up the back end of Graveyard route. I was away most of last week in the Netherlands. -10 there seemed so much more tolerable than the damp tepid conditions of this morning. I was cold to the core and never been so glad to get home and warm. Hoping for better this week.
