A Favourite Run

By Dan Crane

“My current favourite run takes me from home in Upper Holloway, North London, down through Tufnell Park, Kentish Town and Camden to Regent’s Park. I do a lap of the Park and head back the way I came. I tend to do it as my weekend long run, which is usually a steady session with no intervals or hills. That direct route is about 9.5 miles but I can add miles by going around the top of Hampstead Heath at the beginning or coming back through Kings Cross and Angel.

Whichever route I take to get there, the highlight is the lap of the Park. I enjoy it so much for several reasons:

1) In my pre-running days I used to accompany Notajogger to Regent’s
Park 10K races. I think the early morning race buzz was a big
contributor to me getting the running bug.

2) Being able to get there so easily, without using public transport, makes me feel more connected to the city in which I’m living. London can feel pretty vast and impersonal, but this makes it feel a bit more local.

3) It’s flat and in the early mornings not too crowded. There are lots of people there, but they’re there doing things. Walking dogs, playing football, cricket, lacrosse, or cycling round the outer road.

The next time I’m in there will be for the 10K race this Sunday, when I’ll see if the last 8 weeks of training pay off.

Wish me luck.”