LSE Summer School x GoodGym Week 3

Last night, twelve energetic runners took to the streets of central London, heading east, to check out some of our most beautiful sites and covering 8km.

We were back to top temperatures last night, so lots of water and sunscreen needed (but only one mention of air conditioning). It was lovely to welcome some new faces and to reacquaint ourselves with our now 'regulars'. Some of our runners were absent this week, due to the upcoming exams on Friday (though I always think a run is the perfect way to refresh your mind and body during intense study periods!).

Our run this week took us out east, first of all passing the Royal Courts of Justice and heading out along a very busy Fleet Street. A sunny evening keeps people in town after work and the pavements were heaving with post-work socialising and over-spilling pubs (oh, for an icy-cold drink!). Ahead, we could see the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, the perfect stop for our first group photo of the evening.

Our next point of interest took us by surprise (I still gasp with delight when I look around the corner and see its golden top), at The Monument. This beautiful tower marks the spot where the Great Fire of London started, on Pudding Lane in 1666 and was designed by the same architect as St.Paul's, Sir Christopher Wren. The views from up here are quite lovely, but you will have to work for them, walking up the 311 steps to the viewing platform.

We continued our run out towards the Tower of London, which a few people have already visited. It's a fascinating day out and you get to chat to Beefeaters, who have some amazing stories to tell (and live here, with their families, in the grounds of the Tower!). A visit to the Tower wouldn't be complete without a run across Tower Bridge, so off we went.

Pausing outside City Hall, we took another photo, before running along the Thames to London Bridge, where the views along the river were just gorgeous on this sunny evening. Turning along Cannon Street, we headed back to Fleet Street and to our start point. It was great to hear about all the exploration and travel that has been going on during spare time, one of our group was in Edinburgh at the weekend and will travel to Paris this weekend, definitely making the most of our location here!

Good luck with your studies and the rest of your stay everyone, I have really enjoyed leading you through our town :)