Smells like September
I did a 10 mile run on Saturday along the canal and the shift to autumn is palpable.
It’s my favourite time of year to run.
The sun has dialed back the temperature so running feels more comfortable (or at least as comfortable as it’s ever going to!). The vegetation is changing and the berries and fruit on the trees and bushes are ripe and exploding all over the place so there are new things to look at and changes to notice.
But I think the overriding change for me, and what I love the most about this time of year, is the smell.
As I ran along the towpath on Saturday, I ran past:
The not unpleasant smell of boat engine
A hint of woodsmoke
Fruit - sweet and a bit boozy
The water - can’t describe this one, but it’s good!
Farm smells! I ran past sheep and pigs and poo. I actually love a good farm smell.
But the overriding smell is the unmistakable autumn damp. It’s a very specific damp vegetation smell that you only really get at this time of year. It’s not a mouldy smell, it’s just an outside, damp, grass, earth, wet smell. It’s wholesome and delicious.
But, smells aside, it was a hard run.
My legs felt as though someone had tipped concrete into them and they were NOT happy about the autumn smells or being asked to work.
I had run up a lot of steps in our Tuesday running club “efforts” session.
I had done some strength work in the gym on Wednesday… and then I sat on my bum for 2 days before asking my legs to run for 10 miles so I think they were paying me back for that.
Mental note - on the days I’m not running I need to remember to keep moving. Sitting about feels nice, but my legs don’t enjoy it.
Sunday morning was a much nicer run entirely. It was the first run of a new Trail Running group back in the Wyre Forest. I’ve volunteered along with some other ladies to be a “Run Angel” and basically help to lead and encourage ladies who run or want to get into running, around a 30 minute trail run each Sunday.
This was our first week and we had a magnificent turn out!
It’s nice to be able to encourage people into running and provide a friendly space for them to not feel self-conscious and to enjoy the trails in the forest that I love so much.
So, it’s been a week of mixed runs, achy legs and getting home for sausage sandwiches.
Next week it’s the Worcester City half marathon…. hopefully the legs will behave themselves a little better for that!
👟👟👟
I’m running in the London Marathon in 2026 to raise money for an excellent local charity. I’m mostly powered by sausage sandwiches, so if you’d like to help by bunging me a few quid for a pack of porkers, the link to donate is here.
(Of course, this money goes directly to the charity and not to my stomach but it feels nice to be involved, right?).