Training Routes

Lap of Olney

approx 2.4 miles, road, hilly Our stock route for the winter evenings as there are streetlamps all the way. From the Market Place, head out the back turning left onto East Street, taking care when the pavement ends and you are competing with the traffic. Continue to the end, crossing over Midland Road and then crossing the High Street at the pedestrian crossing. Going right, then immediately left, take the footpath which leads up through the houses and comes out on Colsons Way. At the end, turn right onto Yardley Road, crossing over to turn left at the roundabout. Run the length of Aspreys, turning left at the roundabout and finishing with a downhill on Weston Road. Turn left onto the High Street and cross at the pedestrian crossing back to the Market Place.

Lavendon Mill

about 4.5 miles, mostly off road, hilly A favourite route for a summer’s evening. From the Market Place, run south down the High Street, turn left for the church and continue to the end of the road. Go through the gate onto the river meadows. Run over the meadows, crossing the wooden footbridge and on to the bridge over the river. Climb the steep hill, reaching the gate at the top. Rest for a moment for a welcome breather and remember to turn around for a wonderful view of Olney. Continue through the gate and down into Clifton Reynes. Turn right onto the road, then immediately left, follow this road all the way to the railway bridge, going straight on down the bridle track between the fields until you reach the weir at Lavendon Mill. Another chance for a short rest and to count yourself lucky that such a beautiful run exists right on your doorstep, before retracing your steps for home.

John's Weston 5

5 miles, mostly off-road, hilly Start from the market square, up Weston Road to the roundabout, turn right onto Aspreys. After about 1/2 a mile along here (just past the Barnfield - at the Bus Stop) there's a public footpath on the left hand side of the road leading away from Olney - follow this path up over the brow of the hill, it then opens out into a farm track back down the other side of the hill, keep going down the path to a stile at the bottom of the track, just before the track starts to bear to the left. Over the stile, then diagonally across the field (the line to take is as if the track you've just run down continued in a straight line across the field) - its downhill so the corner you are aiming for is not in view when you first get into the field. When you reach the opposite corner of the field, cross the little bridge in the hedge over the stream and turn right, following the edge of the field along for 1/2 mile or so - another little stile between two fields, keep tight to the hedge and on for about another 300 yards, to a larger stile at the next gate on the right hand side. Over the stile and then head up the hill (you can see the well trodden path in the grass here) to a set of steps that climb over a large set of gates - you have now reached the old railway line. Turn left here and run down the railway line cutting for about 1/2 a mile until you reach a crossroads. There's a sign in front indicating the end of the public right of way on the railway. Turn left here onto a dirt track road - follow this now all the way along the fields, down the hill to the old flamingo park and then back up the last little incline to join Weston Road just outside Weston village. Turn left here, back along Weston Road towards Olney, straight over the roundabout and back down the hill to the square. By my reckoning this is just over 5 miles and a great variation of surfaces and inclines - good for an easy run or a harder tempo session. It might seem a little complicated when you read this, but get out and try it and it, it's very easy to follow once you're there!