So here is my new blog for my running, flying and diving.  My previous blog posts can be found at www.greensandway2012.blogspot.co.uk. 


With that challenge completed it was time to find a more permanent home for my blogging here. 


I wanted to start this blog with ‘a goodie’ so the opportunity rose this weekend just gone to meet some good friends of mine in Peaslake to go mountain biking. 


Why drive to Peaslake when you can run there?

Lee taking a sit down in the boathouse at Winkworth Arboretum

I set off around 11am Saturday with a light day rucksack (about 4.5kgs) rather than my overnight rucksack (up to 12kgs!). I ran down through Winkworth Arboretum and took a quick break to enjoy the view  in the boathouse overlooking the lake. My aim was to be in Peaslake for 1pm. 

swarm of honeybees in thornecombe street

I ran through Winkworth and into Thornecombe Street where I noticed a swarm of honeybees settled in a small village hall. (I’m a beekeeper so I got delightfully distracted and way too close)

lee crossing the arun and wey canal on the Greensand Way

Running out off road from Thornecombe street you quickly hook up with the Greensand Way (my old friend and my Surrey off road east/west superhighway). I crossed the Arun and Wey Canal and headed towards Winterfold Heath looming in the distance.


I was an idiot and forgot to start my smartphone running app so I had no idea how far I had run or how my pace was going. My estimate  was 8-10 miles to Peaslake. I would have to make sure I put it on for the way home or i wouldn’t know how far I had run.

lee taking a break on Winterfold Heath at a viewpoint

I took a brief break after 75 minutes on a viewpoint on Winterfold Heath having run up the steep climb to get  onto the ridge. The weather was great for running. about 20 Celcius with light winds and great visibility (and no rain). It was an absolutely magic day to be running the Greensand Way in the area referred to as ‘little switzerland’ 


It didn’t take long to get to Ewhurst Windmill which marked my turning point off the Greensand Way and to head north along a bridleway down into Peaslake. 

arriving in Peaslake – the mountain biking mecca

I arrived in Peaslake just before 1pm and having never been there before was amazed at how many mountain bikers there were….EVERYWHERE. In the pub, on the road, in the shop, on the pavement……EVERYWHERE. 


I go diving in Swanage and its the same thing with divers there….EVERYWHERE!


I could feel everyone looking at me with no helmet on in running gear and a rucksack and thinking ‘someone nicked that poor guys bike’.

Peaslake – the Mountain Bike Capital of the South

I had pre booked a mountain bike hire for the day with the very friendly guys at www.allbikedup.com They hire very high quality mountain bikes for very little money and had the relaxed laid back friendly shop style you get in dive shops in Barbados or Surf Shops in Cornwall. Watching them lend out tools to bikers for free with a smile instead of forcing people to buy stuff is the kind of business I admire. Give them a follow on twitter @allbikedup


I used to mountain bike a lot as a teenager and worked in a shop too. I hadn’t ridden a mountain for nearly 15 years so they took me through a safety check and showed me how all the new ‘science’ stuff worked on it.  Things have ….er….moved on a bit since my off road Penny Farthing. 


My hire bike was like going from a 1980s ford sierra to Subaru Impreza Turbo.


They checked I was borrowing a helmet (I was) and then sent me on my way.

The friendly guys at All Biked Up in Peaslake

I gave my little bike a ride up and down the road to get used to riding again and then settled down to wait for Steve and Matt who were both late. 

My pimped out white ride for the day from All Biked Up in Peaslake

Eventually Steve and Matt turned up with another friend of Steves too….er…..called Steve. Friend of Steve (called Steve) had a mountain bike that had a BLOODY COMPUTER at the back that ACTIVELY CONTROLLED THE SUSPENSION. As someone that still thinks spokey dokeys are cool I was simultaneously enthralled and appalled that someone had a ‘smartbike’ that would probably need rebooting every few hours. 


Shaking my head we rode up the first path to find ‘some good downhill’ . I was at the back with my saddle too low (finally sorted that out). You have to ride suspension bikes differently from the old ones and I found uphill hard as the damn thing just felt like I was riding a bike drunk. You cant stand up and lean forward on the pedals like the good old days as it just squishes around. 


I managed to stiffen up the forks (fnar) and got used to this new riding style after about 30 minutes of screaming downhill terror over some very branch strewn trails. By screaming downhill terror I mean speeds of up to and possibly just beyond slow running speed.  The hydraulic breaks work so well you can feel your internal organs shifting forward when you break.


I was shit at mountain biking. 


Friend of Steve (called Steve) left us to it and the three of us then started another ascent towards Holmbury Hill. We got a bit lost but I recognised when we joined the Greensand Way and suggested we ride to Pitch Hill summit instead.

Steve and Matt – Experienced Mountain Bikers

When we got to Pitch hill summit and much to the amusement and encouragement of about 20 Duke of Edinburgh challenge teenagers i introduced Steve and Matt to some of my running stalwarts. These include ‘Trig Point Planking’ which started at Pitch hill and also ‘Smacking’ Smiling with your back on a bench topless at a viewpoint. Both of these are heavily covered in the Greensandway 2012 blog here 

http://www.greensandway2012.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/every-days-school-day.html

Matt and Steve didnt really understand the significance but took direction well from me. 

Matt was a natural at Trig Point Planking . I think it is because he is so old his spine is fused in a long line and   his legs have straight titanium pins in them.

Matt and Steve did a ‘2 way smack’ topless viewpoint bench photoshoot to large amounts of applause from the teenagers.

Matt and Steve do a 2 way Smack (smiling with your back) on the Greensand Way at Pitch Hill

I also got introduced to a new photo opportunity stalwart…..OWLING ! this involves balancing on a thin rail or the top of a bench crouched down with your hands inside your feet holding on with just your fingertips. It looks easy. 


It wasnt. 


Eventually I got it and we nailed a photo before I hurt myself. 


We did some more great climbs and descents. I got ‘less shit’ at mountain biking as the day went on and began using my brakes less and my bravery more. We did lots of downhills that sad people like Matt watch videos of on the internet all day. They had names like ‘Up the Barry’ and ‘WHERETHEHELLISPEASLAKE!’ 

Steve Matt and Lee finishing mountain biking in Peaslake

We finished about 4pm and went our separate ways. I had a blast and said so and cant wait to do it again. The guys at the shop got their bike back and I started my run back home. I remembered to start my smart phone app this time so I knew what distance and pace I was doing.

Ewhurst Windmill on the Greensand Way

The bridle way between Peaslake and Ewhurst windmill is almost impassable because of some very sloppy forestry work which has left the paths there completely trashed and 2 ft deep in mud.  It took longer to pick through the trees running parrallel to what was left of the trail but I got back to Ewhurst Windmill and turned right back onto the Greensand Way .

Descending off Winterfold Heath on the Greensand Way

Descending off Winterfold Heath gave me more great views and the weather was still good. I picked up a ‘knee twang’ (a painful knee) at some point probably from running on uneven ground that you cant see well because of all the foliage.

Shamly Green Church on the Greensand Way

As I ran past Shamley Green Church I realised that i had about another 4 miles to go and I was feeling quite tired. I decided to ‘man up’ rather than call for a pick up from Dr G but the last 4 miles were quite a slog. In retrospect there is a noticeable difference between a 15 mile run and an 18 mile run (especially when you’ve done 2 hours of mountain biking too) 


I got home in less than 2 hours (the total distance running there and back was 18 miles). I arrived home around 6pm.


I really enjoyed the day and cant wait to do something similar again soon. 


I was also pleased that with some riding on the highest point in the South East (AIR) and some running on the Greensand Way (LAND) and a stop by Winkworth Lake (SEA …ish) I had kicked off my new blog as I mean to go on.