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Apr, 2019

JORDAN WYLIE'S 15x15x15: DAY TWO - SOUTH DOWNS

I woke up this morning to the realisation that it would probably be my last night in a proper bed for the next 2 weeks. I made the most of it and set the snooze for another 30 minutes. If I told you my legs weren’t feeling the effects of yesterday’s 26.2 miles in the New Forest, well I would definitely be lying. This could be tougher than I envisaged after all... Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6. Day 7. Day 8. Day 9.

Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6. Day 7. Day 8. Day 9. Day 10. Day 12. Day13. Day15.

Psychology plays a huge part in long distance endurance events, more so perhaps than peak physical fitness alone so it was time to get back in the zone and head down to Winchester which was the start (or end) of the South Downs Trail. It's a designated route which meanders 101 miles through some of Sussex and Hampshire’s most stunning countryside, there were most definitely going to be much more hills over this terrain than the previous 24 hours and as I stood next to the King Alfred statue to the south of Winchester at my start point, I was ready for battle and was taking no prisoners today...

Fortunately, I was not doing the full trail and only needed to complete about a quarter of it to reach my marathon distance, but I can certainly see why people take on the mammoth challenge. I only went as far as Amberley passing through Exton and Buriton on my way which was a pretty direct route across some of England’s finest greenery, but it was easy to see why adventurers and endurance athletes from around the world come here year after year to enjoy these counties in all their splendor.

The weather was beautiful throughout and cyclists, hikers, runners and more were out in full force today. Throughout the run it was pure green rolling pastures, wide open spaces, ancient woodlands, and river valleys - truly encompassing the National Park’s ethos of being one of ‘Britain’s Breathing Spaces’. With over 3,300km of rights of way, the South Downs National Park offers a landscape as diverse as it is breath-taking. This is truly a place with something for everyone, all easily accessible. jordan wylie | montane