I keep saying it and maybe I should stop… But this could’ve been the month in which I completed the Cleveland Way. We’ve all seen our plans halted due to the outbreak and, slowly, we are returning towards a form of normal life (although the government are keen to rush it, somewhat).
Throughout all the chaos, anger, fear and uncertainty, I’ve kept walking and continue to do so.
01/06 – 2.75 mile run – St. Georges, W-s-M
02/06 – 2.75 mile run – St. Georges, W-s-M
04/06 – 2.75 mile run – St. Georges, W-s-M
05/06 – 4 miles – Mendip Hills
07/06 – 9 miles – Abbotts Leigh, North Somerset
10/06 – 2.75 miles – Wick St. Lawrence
14/06 – 9.75 miles – Dolebury Warren and Sandford
15/06 – 8.75 miles – Priddy and Wookey Hole
16/06 – 1.75 miles run – St. Georges
22/06 – 11.5 miles – Blagdon and Compton Martin
24/06 – 2.75 mile run – Wick St. Lawrence
28/06 – 9.5 miles – Congresbury and Goblin Combe
Total for June 2020 = 68 miles
I’m always pleased to have covered more than fifty miles in a single month. At this time of year, I could easily walk double that. But this year has been an exception thus far and, once again, I’m not looking to achieve a certain target by the end of the year.
What I notice most from the list above is how I started off very well with consecutive evenings or mornings spent running. This was only the second month of my cautious new interest and it seemed I was setting myself up to complete at least fifteen runs… Not the five that I finished with. I’m sure I did more than that in May.
A downturn in the weather is partly to blame, while my motivation to ‘get out’ after work has also been on the wane. Not a single evening walk from my doorstep in this month, although I did manage to drive further and meet with friends on two occasions; some I’d not seen or spoken to in months.
(I’ve also yet to write that post I said I was going to do about why I’ve started running…)
I’ve remained try to my local ethos of ‘staying local’ right now. As I write this, restrictions on staying away from home overnight (in England) have been lifted. Many pubs have reopened, with more to follow this coming week. Many have taken this as a sign to restart ‘wild camping’, while we’ve seen congestion on the motorways as if it were a Bank Holiday.
I have my own thoughts and desires about travelling to many different areas, in and outside of the greater Somerset area. Along with walking the Cleveland Way (possibly in September), I’d like to make a return to Dartmoor and my first wild camp there (the closest place to home that I could legally wild camp). Wales remains off-limits, for the time being. I’m hoping that we’ll now see a reduction in “Lockdown Walkers” heading to and disrespecting our outdoor spaces.
Current total for 2020 = 318 miles
Thanks for reading.
Walks With Olly 