I don’t know why the word tromp seems to come to mind, but it does. I think it’s the sensation of running on a surface made of crinkly mud that has frozen, not as a solid, but in the way that an ice-box does when it hasn’t been defrosted. It crunches underfoot in a most delightful way!
It was so cold as I left that by the end of the street I had decided to make it a short run… in fact I very nearly turned back right then!
I headed out towards the Royal Oak and Wivelsfield, my feet leading the way and at one point countermanding an earlier decision on the route to take. Having realised that I had been on autopilot I turned it off and turned off left to go up through the West Woods in a different direction.
When I hit Hundred Acre Lane, I merely turned back into the wood and followed the fire breaks… I had thought it was a path, but I’m really not sure as it’s not on the map.
Eventually I came out, back onto Hundred Acre Lane, down which I tromped and then on down Streat Lane.
After a detour which proved to me how close Streat Lane is to my normal route to Westmeston, I continued down the lane as far as Streat Church, from where I took the only photos below. I didn’t want to freeze my camera.
Going west I quickly came back to the Westmeston path and crossing it, came to Spatham Lane. I suspect the water in my bottle would have long since frozen had I not mixed it with Powerade and I chose now to head back towards the warmth of home, en route saying hi to a chilled-looking Ron excavating his garden to fix a water pipe.
Since it was a day for abnormal routes, I crossed the Ditchling Road at the roundabout on the Common and headed down the path that runs past Freckborough Manor. This path was well trodden by me a few years back before Daren showed me what was on the other side of the road… and back when I was only running a few short miles before being exhausted.
I returned home in 1.49 having run 10.7 miles, an average of just under 5.9mph. Actually, I really enjoyed being out and quickly warmed back up to normal working temperature!
