Ivar the Boneless

I had to be in deepest England yesterday and arriving at around 7 p.m. on a balmy evening, had time to dump the gear at my B&B and think about a quick run. The proprietor asked me where I was off and I said I wasn't sure. He recommended a run along the path that follows the nearby canal towpath. He also slipped in his 3:15 marathon and 1:18 half marathon achievements. I was impressed by his half time and asked where he did this (so that I could have a crack at this secret PB course); he said it was the Lincoln Half which started with a long downhill but isn't run anymore. Drat.

I took off at a steady 7:20 pace and found the route along the canal flat with tarmac for a couple of miles past the many parked and colourful barges and blokes fishing as it wound its way out of Lincoln north before giving way to short firm grassy paths free of human occupation and canine perambulation (if you know what I mean).

It's said to be the oldest stretch of canal in the country, used by the Romans and later the Normans for transporting stone to the cathedral and later by the invading Danes. Wonder if Ivar the Boneless had had a jog along the track. It was established enough to have been recorded as being extended by Henry 1st. All that history below my trainers.

There was a heron among the overhanging willows and some super big damsel flies, one of which took a last minute manoeuvre to avoid my gaping mouth. All in all some 8 miles or so of flat running and absolutely no use for my trip to Dollar (profile from Scottish Hill Racing Website). Looks like the legs are in for a bit of a beasting...