Midweek run: in search of greenery

Another opportunistic midweek run today, but didn't manage to fit in a 5K. That said, I could have done, but I chose to go into the office after a morning off work, and that restricted how much time I had. Anyway, just 3.5K in the end.

As for the route, I was all set to do the 4 bridges (High Level, Tyne, Swing and Millennium), but at the last minute, my itching to explore and find greenery got the better of me. As I was passing the Black Gate just before the first bridge, I spied an access road I'd laboured up near the end of my 8K orienteering event and jinked off down that instead.

There's always a risk of bumping into someone off their heads on glue on one of these back-alley dives (what an advert for Newcastle that is!), but this time it was mercifully uneventful. A few high level twists and turns later, I came to the end of the path and had to head down ten million urine-reeking steps and out onto the quayside, just past the old Cooperage and the Quayside bar.

Heading upriver, I continued along the road past the Copthorne hotel and then onto Skinnerburn Road towards Newcastle Business Park. I'd run in this area plenty before while doing the later stages of my Couch to 5K programme, so I knew there was a thin slice of greenery alongside the Tyne here. Nipping across the grass, I was onto the riverside path and stayed there for the rest of my run, upriver first and then back to the Quayside bar.

On the whole, it's not a bad place to run, and you always pass other people out for a lunchtime jog. It's a damn sight nicer and quieter than Monday's run, for sure. The wind can whistle down the Tyne at times mind, both freezing and impeding you going west, then carrying you along on the way back. Today, however, it was fairly calm with a barely noticeable breeze. It was nice that the sun was out too, with the 12°C making it pretty good running conditions.

So, ideal conditions made for a good pace, right? Right? Well, it was ok, but that's all I would say. Probably close to parkrun PB pace, but I knew I was doing a shorter run than usual and so could push harder. Plus, it was as flat a route as you'll find anywhere. And it still felt bloody hard. Even when I made a conscious effort to pick up the pace, increase my bounce and lengthen my stride, my phone was reporting that it was making practically no difference.

After a while, Google announced "Distance: two kilometres", followed shortly by Pace Control disagreeing and giving its verdict. At that point, I turned back, as I was really risking missing a meeting (the joys of work!). Slightly awkwardly, I'd turned around just as another runner passed in the opposite direction, so I was now tailing him — heavy breathing and all. To my amazement, as he looked far fitter than me, I was matching or even bettering his pace. For a while, it was like being on a parkrun, using him as motivation, but it soon just got really embarrassing. In the end, I put on what was meant to be a burst of pace... and crept past him. 😂

From there, I just had to try to keep it up. I heard him behind me for a while, but then I realised it had gone quiet. I guess he either couldn't face having to overtake me back, had turned back, or he'd ducked off on another path at the earliest opportunity. Whatever — I was the winner, right? Right? 😉

Shortly after that, the run was over. I could've continued to get closer to the office, but my motivation was gone, knowing that I wasn't going to be able to compare to a full 5K time. Hopefully, I'll be back to parkrun this weekend and that will give me a measure. Not promising it this time though; things have had a habit of cropping up lately.