Getting lost

For the last three weeks I've been doing longer-distance training in preparation for (a) the John Austin half marathon this coming Sunday and (b) the Grizzly next weekend.  A crucial component of this is running to work and back, a round trip of about 16.5 miles.

It's always exciting doing this in February because the light evenings aren't there yet.  The journey takes about an hour and it's 90% cross-country along the Test Way.  The final part of the home route takes me through Squabb Wood, which is dark and very boggy, even at the best of times.

Last week I didn't get away from work as early as I had hoped.  It was 5.25 when I finally started running and it was getting very dark as I entered the wood.  I wasn't too worried, though - I had brought a head torch with me.

With a little pool of light in front of me, I could see the 2-3 metres ahead nice and clearly - no tripping over roots or running in to branches.  However... I soon lost the path and found myself in the middle of the wood.  I went right and then left but I couldn't find the path.  Of course, at this point I should have been sensible and retraced my steps.  Of course, I didn't - I pressed on, figuring that if I headed in a kind-of 10 o'clock direction and keeping uphill, I'd come out in the right place.

Errr, no.  I went on and on and eventually stumbled out in a clearing behind a chain-link face.  I knew it had to be somewhere on the perimeter of the Squabb Wood extraction/landfill site, but where? I then noticed the last rays of sunlight on my right.  Hang on... Work to home was a northbound journey and here I was heading South.

I called home to say don't flap, I'll be a few more minutes but my battery cut out, luckily just after delivering the slightly embarrassing message.  I ventured around the perimeter of the fence until I came across vehicle tracks and from there it was quite straightforward to find the road.

Here's the map:

My big lessons for the day:
1 - running by torchlight in a wood is a tricksy business, when you can't see the path for the trees;
2 - it's unbelievably easy to turn 180 degrees when you think you're running in a straight line.

Raw geographical intuition confounded 2 miles from home.  Bah.