Athenry AC Tackles Thames Towpath

Once upon a dark and dreary day, in the middle of last year as I drove to work, I wished I was out running rather then dragging my sorry arse in the direction of the office. Inspiration hit and a few phone calls later I had arranged to run from Louisburgh to Leenaun in Connemara the following week. I was joined by Ray and Peter that day and I don't think any of us will ever forget the beauty of the Doo Lough Valley and a thirst quenching end-of-run pint in Leenaun. We didn't rush, we stopped to look and take it all in and we ran, walked, talked and laughed.

We decided to do it again this year but wanted to change the location for the run. At first we though we'd jet to Spain, run in the sun and jet home again. Complications with flights led to a compromise - we'd run London! Last year had been a smash and grab raid - all done and dusted by tea time on Friday - this time we allowed ourselves just over twenty four hours. We flew out on Friday morning as our fellow wage-slaves got stuck into another round of drudgery and we were scheduled to return home at lunchtime on Saturday. The travelling party consisted of the three original work-dodgers and three greenhorns Larry, Johnny and Maire Treasa Beatty.

By lunchtime on Friday we were in the London Bridge Hotel looking out at the pouring rain. By the time we had changed for the run the rain had stopped and we didn't see another drop.

Ray had travelled in an advisory capacity as he was still recovering from his recent 10-in-10 heroics. In many ways, he had done much of the hard work as he had planned out our entire twenty-mile route. The intention was to run a section of the Thames Tow Path, a public right-of-way that stretches along the entire length of the Thames River. We started the run at a small group of shops in the shadow of London Bridge, just before Tower Bridge, and struck out into the unknown - slowly.

On our left hand side we passed a bloody big warship on the river, HMS Belfast and straight ahead was Tower Bridge. For the entire length of the run it seemed like there was something remarkable, familiar or extraordinary around almost every corner.

It would be impossible to recall here how many extraordinary sights we came across. At times it seemed unreal to be moving smoothly through the urban jungle of London's riverside communities. We passed rich and poor, slum shacks and posh pads - often within minutes of each other. Everywhere we went we soaked up the slightly familiar slightly weird sounds, sights and many smells of the original 'big smoke'.

After about six miles or so we passed by what Larry was calling the 'Cutty Shark' and pushed on past the Maritime Museum at Greenwich and towards our halfway marker at the Thames Barrier. The landscape was becoming less populated and increasingly industrial - we were leaving the hustle and bustle behind us as we reached the turnaround point.

We all touched the wall at the Thames Barrier and knew that we'd covered about ten miles and that it had taken us an hour and a half. We paused only a moment and headed back for London Bridge. We were only back on the road for a few minutes when we decided that all running and no beer made for a dull day and so we paused for a moment at a riverside pub to sample the 'local' continental beer and soft drinks. Suitable refreshed we strode out for the 'Shark' and the Greenwich Foot Tunnel which would take us onto the other side of the river.

Peter and I took off like lunatics into the foot tunnel - you have to stretch the legs once in a while - and then managed to get separated from our comrades while waiting on the other side for them to emerge. Undaunted, we ran on along the well marked path hoping to be reunited at some point. Sure enough a couple of miles later we caught up with Larry, Maire and Johnny who were taking in the river views and contemplating the few remaining miles on foot.

We were a little slower on the return portion of the run but nobody was clock-watching. We made it back to the hotel just in time for tea.

I wondered if Zebedee was just around the corner ... waiting to tell us that our grown-up's school tour was over.

The running was done for this year's 'Dodge Work For a Day And Go Running'...but there's always next year to look forward to.

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