Day 16: A Frosty Outing to Rodmersham

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Day 16 of my London Marathon 2025 training, and Sunday brought the usual long run, with a slight increase in duration to 1 hour and 12 minutes. Given it was still extremely cold (-4 degrees), it felt even longer! However, the sun was shining in the sky and there was little wind, so it made for a pleasant run.

Into the Countryside

My route today took me out from home, on the outskirts of Sittingbourne, into the neighbouring countryside. I crossed some frozen paths, a reminder that winter running requires extra caution. These paths, with their subtle shimmer of ice, seemed to say, "Tread carefully, or you might end up testing the ground’s sense of humour." Still, the crisp air and the golden light of the morning made the journey worthwhile.

Heading towards the village of Rodmersham, I encountered a series of gently sloping roads and frosty hedgerows. Sadly, it wasn’t time to stop at the pub (perhaps that's a future reward for post-run recovery), so I turned around and made my way back home.

A Note on Rodmersham

Rodmersham is a lovely little village not too far from where I live. It’s just under a mile south of Bapchild on the A2 and about 1.5 miles southeast of Sittingbourne. Most of the village is around Rodmersham Green, which is a charming spot with its own church and a bit of a timeless feel. It’s the kind of place where you imagine life moves a little slower—or maybe that’s just everyone bracing against the cold! Either way, it’s a nice area to pass through on a run.

Reflections on a Frosty Run

Even though it was freezing, it was great to get out for a good run and explore a bit of the local area. There’s a certain charm to winter running—the way your breath fogs up like a steam engine’s and the reassuring crunch of frosty ground beneath your feet. Some might call it madness; others might call it dedication. Either way, I’m counting down the weeks until spring and looking forward to what’s next.

Roll on next week!



Location: Sittingbourne, UK

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