sunday long run 25 Jan 09

Was quite excited this morning at trying out my new run. No elderly hippy today, he's gone to the Chernobyl 10k in Preston.
Set off from the estate at 9am ish and headed down the very steep Sheep Hill where I met another jogger coming up. Feeling quite smug that I didn't have to go up it today, but you know what they say and low and behold, I'd dropped my hanky so I had to run back up to get it. Little unscheduled hill rep there. Turned round and went back down, past the smelly greyhound kennels whilst holding my breath and up the other (almost as steep) side. There's then a gentle slope down towards the Hayrick pub where I turned left onto Wigan Road. Down hill to Slater's garage and up hill to the Leyland golf club. At the traffic lights I went right and over the motorway (another hill!) and continued on to Church Lane. Left at the mini roundabout and a nice little jog to and through Worden park. This eventually brought be out on Croston Road where I turned right and along the main road past my physio's clinic and several pubs. Continued along this road for about a mile and turned right onto Mill Lane which is the start of a private housing estate but turns into a footpath over the river Lostock and runs along the side of the old motors test track. Nice to get off road for a while. Onwards to Centurian Way and past the old tank factory, and BTR (now small businesses I got quite a nostalgic feeling here thinking of all the old days when they were both thriving factories) Another hill over the main railway line and down to Stanifield Lane. Turned left and then right, over the M6 (another hill) and down to Wigan Road again. Turned left to the traffic lights past the back of B & Q and into Bamber Bridge where I turned right into Church Lane. Took the scenic route through the copse and back up onto the A6. Nearly home thank goodness. All up hill here to St Bede's (feeling guilty cos I didn't go last night and hence put a bit of a sprint on) Turned left and through part of Cuerden valley (to make up the last mile), back out onto the A6, avoided the shortcut up Fiddler's Lane (pleased with that) and on past the garage to Sheep Hill Lane. Home at last. Felt very tired towards the end but kept pushing on thinking that this is how it will feel in the marathon.
12.36 miles 2hrs 15 mins.