The last run of summer?

There’s something about feeling like you’ve spent the whole summer outside that makes you feel like a kid again.

Being out as the evening light changes, dusty legs, something biting your ankles as you run through long grass, scratches from brambles, and getting home grimy and salty.

I love it.

Yesterday we ran for 8 miles out and back along the canal. It was hot and dusty - it’s been so dry that our well trodden paths have turned to sand. The water levels have dropped. Green has been replaced by burnt yellow.

But there’s a shift. The light is a bit different now. Autumn is starting to make an entrance and being outside running through it is a real opportunity to fully experience the changing season. I bloody love this time of year!

8 miles yesterday felt hard. Who knows why? Running can be such a fickle thing. It’s part of the love/hate relationship I have with it. You can never predict how good a run will feel physically… how you manage that is all part of the experience of running I guess. I’m learning to not get too hung up on numbers. To not worry about being faster than yesterday and to just get out there and move my body as it experiences the Earth.

(I know that may sound a bit wanky, but it’s a thought process that helps when the weather changes to something a bit harsher than 21 degrees and sunshine!)

Still, there’s a week of running to be had this week, mostly in the Wyre Forest which is always a pleasure to be in. Running in the trees is a pleasure in itself and now I’ve got some new trails to run, I’m keen to get out there!

So, here’s to a week of trees, trails and running up hills.

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️
I’ve been an England Athletics Run Leader for 5 years now. I’ve helped people run Couch to 5km, I co-host a weekly runners “Efforts Session” and a monthly Track Night with my lovely running group, Wonky Donkey Athletics Club, and next week I am embarking as a Run Angel for This Woman Runs.

Everything I have gotten from running in the last 20 years I love to share with others - it’s so much more than just putting on a pair of trainers and going for a run.

Running changes lives, and in 2026 I’m hoping that my running will also help change lives in a different way as I am running the London Marathon to support a local charity in their work to prevent youth homelessness. If you want to help support them too, you can find my fundraising page here.