Hi again l, blogging is almost becoming a habit again. I am currently sat on a Virgin train on my way up to Birmingham New Street to get a connecting train to Stourbridge in the Midlands. I have already been from Braintree where I live to London Liverpool St and on the Tube to Euston where I boarded this train.
Why am I subjecting myself to going in and out of London and sitting on trains all morning?
As some of you may know I organise a few races, in fact I do it for a living. Www.challenge-running.co.uk is my events company and I organise a number of trail races. The longest being a stupid 615 miles non stop over 2 weeks.
Www.challenge-running.co.uk/races/monarchs-way
It’s a stunning 615 mile footpath (see pic below) taking in some of England’s most stunning terrain.
The event took place last year for the first time and 3 runners started it but nobody finished it. The route is signed with small markers and marked on OS maps and there are three great guidebooks by Trevor Antilles. These have detailed route descriptions available from the Monarchs Way Society who manage the way.
Basically the route is the escape route of King Charles II after he was defeated by Cromwell in 1651. I let you find the history yourself as there is not enough space here to do it justice.
Some parts of the route are particularly difficult to navigate and leg 2 was one of those sections last year. The OS map and markers don’t quite match up. So I am going up to recce legs 2 and 3. A distance of around 100 miles if you consider that I have to get onto the route from the nearest train stations.
So I am travelling up today by getting the train to Stourbridge and walking that section and then getting a train back on Monday lunchtime from Longbridge. Yes the famous car plant place!
I have given myself plenty of time to do the walk as my fitness is shocking at the moment and I am checking the route etc so will be slow anyway. I am not staying in any comfy B&Bs or anything I will be sleeping rough in my bivvy when I need a rest.
My pack is very heavy as well with all I need for 4 days of changeable weather and power supply for phone and watch and GPS etc. Plus waterproof layers and spare gear and sleeping bag and stove etc. All in my pack weighs around 35lb, so that will slow me down a bit. Not helped by the fact I pulled something in my back a few weeks ago that is making everything tight but hey ho such is life.
On the plus side the train tickets were a bargain! £17 on the way up and £14 on the way back! Result.
It will be good to recce this section and also check how good the guide books are as we did not give them to runners last year. Plus it will do a world of good for my Strava account and my own personal training before I do coast to coast as a walk with my mate John next month.
I will post bits an peices on my fb page as I travel along and the odd photo etc.
I will blog properly after I get back, likely on the train on the way home again.
P. S. I have my spot tracker on my pack if you want to see where I am.
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0t3hIg4D2bzisYriINYc6YNJKNcUvSQOb
See you on the trails.
Lindley.
