Lyon morning run

I was on business in Lyon this week and staying at a hotel in the north of the city. I set the alarm for 6:00 am but when it rang I was still so tired that I was in half a mind to get back into bed. It was only the thought that I hadn't been running for 3 days that bossted me out of bed, into my running kit and out of the hotel.

It was raining outside and dark. As usual when staying in a new hotel, I didn't have a clue as to which direction to take and I decided just to fall the main street as it was lit, the traffic wasn't too heavy and at least I wouldn't get lost. I'd been at the Mercure hotel in Chabonnières-les-Bains which was towards the north of Lyon and seeing a roadsign towards Roanne, away from Lyon, I thought that this would be a quieter route for an early morning run.

The main street soon turned into a main road and I discovered that I was running along the Nationale 7, one of the oldest and most important main roads in France, linking Paris to Lyon and the south. I was running without my Garmin, since I'd left that acciedntally back at home, and all I had was a normal watch with the time. I headed into Salvagny la Tour and ran through this little town while the traders were preparing their stalls for the market. It was fairly hilly around the area and I struggled uphill and coasted down.

I turned back on the far side of Salvagny and ran back the way I'd come as the rain fell heavier and the dawn broke. Faster run back to the hotel and 11.7km all up in 53 minutes. Approximate pace of 4:30 / km over the distance.