My 8K Photo Essay

   A few of us have posted their "favourite runs" here in the past and this is what I offer you today.
   Not only is it one of my favourite runs but you could almost call it the running hub of London so popular is it. It utilizes the roadways in Springbank Park and the paths along the Thames River. I've been running it a lot lately as it is also the venue for a 5k race in the Springbank Road Races I'm running a week from today.
   Here's how it looks:

Flint Shelter

   I start from the same starting line they'll be using for the race and I then simply follow the course. The course begins at the Flint Shelter, one of the oldest buildings in this end of London.

   We head from there down the roadway to one of the two main park intersections. The park is full of wonderful flowerbeds.

   You continue on past this intersection toward the far end of the park where it then curves around and heads back in the same direction you came in, but on the other side of the park. At this point, a nice little downhill.

Nice, little downhill section...til you run back!

   Not too far after this, the roadway heads on down to the riverside, the first major hill.

The damn dam's busted!

Scenic

   At this point, there is a long stretch which runs along the river and past the ill-fated dam. They tried to make some improvements to the dam a few years ago but the first time they tried to use, it broke! All sorts of lawsuits that still aren't resolved and, in the meantime, the river is way low.

   Shortly after you pass the dam is the first major hill going up you have to contend with. It's pretty enough but it is a hill...

Storybook Gardens

   After this, there's another long stretch which takes you down to one of London's longest-running tourist attractions--Storybook Gardens. It's the site of the castle and I remember going there as a kid (fifty years ago). They re-did it a few years back and the debate these days is whether it was better then or better now.

The merry-go-round hasn't changed

   At this point, I stopped and took a pic of the merry-go-round. I did this more for nostalgia's sake--I spent the whole Spring and Summer of 1972 running the thing, to make enough money for university. In 1972, my wife was 5, lived right near the park and used to ride on the merry-go-round all the time. I was likely the guy that helped her get on the horse...

Turnaround point.

   Just past the merry-go-round, is the turnaround point for the 5k race. Here we turn around and run back past all the things I just showed you. For the purposes of a better photo essay and to give you an even better idea of where London runners run, I continued on past the turnaround point.

The Pumphouse

   Next stop, the old pump house. Way back when, it used to be a sulphur spring and the water you would get from the fountain there was, essentially, undrinkable. Smelled like rotten eggs, big-time.

The footbridge...

...and the view from the footbridge

   From there, it's just a short jog to the footbridge over the river, my chosen end point. The running path continues on much farther, however, essentially traversing the city. I have included a view of the beautiful Thames River, taken from the middle of the footbridge. In years past, it was much fuller and no rocks could be seen along the edges.
   At this point I turned around and re-traced my steps, all the way back to my car which was parked at the Flint Shelter. The Garmin had me at almost exactly 8 kilometers. Much of this was running, with some walking portions interspersed. At the same time, it is three kilometers farther than any distance I've run since the end of March. My knees are sore and my heel is suggesting that it may be acting up in the morning (BAD heel!), time will tell. In the meantime, happy and healthy running to you all!