Today Matthew I'm going to be... Bob Geldof

[Razouski]

I woke up bright and early this morning, and leapt out of bed ready for my planned longer run. (Actually I'm lying, I didn't leap at all. Mr R. had made me a cup of tea, so I dosed for a while, then thought I'd better drag my sorry ass out of bed). I wanted to get out promptly as I knew this run would take a bit of time, so I quickly got all my kit on, and made sure all the other paraphernalia was by the door ready to go. It was only when I had my final trip to the loo downstairs and caught myself in the mirror that I realised my hair resembled that of Bob Geldof in his scruffier days back in the early '80s.

Oh well, I thought as I scraped my frizzled fringe out of my eyes, and dragged my fingers through the rest of my hair. Not much point in doing much else with it as it would be shocking by the end of the run. I grabbed my bits and pieces and got in the car for the 10 minute drive to start my run. Unfortunately seeing myself in the rearview mirror confirmed my Sir Bob likeness and my brain immediately started singing the Boomtown Rats anthem from my youth, "I Don't Like Mondays". Unfortunately I had brought along gremlin for the ride, who decided to rewrite the lyrics as "I don't like Run Days!) and this had turned into some kind of mantra by the time I reached the carpark (and not the sort of mantra that ju-ju- would recommend).

I couldn't get the tune or the words out of my head, despite trying to absorb myself in my warm up exercises. As I set off for my warm up walk, that was it. I would show this gremlin just who was best at rewriting lyrics to songs, and very soon a new improved set of lyrics started to formulate in my brain.

🎶 The power inside my quadriceps is switched to overload,

And nobody's going to stay in bed today, I'm going to run far and alone.

The gremlins don't understand it, they always said I should stay home,

But I could see no reasons, 'cos there are no reasons,

What reasons stop this running fervour..?

🏃🏽‍♀️

Oh, oh, oh, tell me why, I do like Run Days

Tell me why, I do like Run Days

Tell me why, I do like Run Days

I want to shoot... those gremlins down.

🎶

So by the end of the 5 minute walk I'd put paid to the gremlins, switched on my playlist and was raring to go. It was an out and back route, and I didn't turn round until just after 8km. On the way back, one or two of those gremlins were getting their own back on me by messing with the topography. The gentle inclines I'd run down on the way out had turned into craggy hills and mountains to be scaled, and the downward slopes seemed to be non-existent. When Papa was a Rolling Stone (The Temptations) came on I was going so slowly up a hill, I thought I was going to turn into a rolling stone and roll back down. But Bob stayed with me and reminded me that I do love run days, and I somehow kept going.

I managed to cover 16.5k in 1 hour 40 minutes, although just under 1km was down to my warmup/cool down walk (10 mins). I was pretty happy with that, drove home, jumped in the shower before transforming myself back from Bob Geldof into a reasonably well coiffured Razouski.

Note to self: do I need to get some Boomtown Rats on my next playlist???

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10]

Wow! Great job on the run!

My vote is YES for some Boomtown Rsts! I haven't heard that song in eons, now I must get it on a playlist. It was on a compilation album, I'm going to have to dig deep and see if I can remember some of the other songs on the album 🤔 . Edit: found it! k-tel's Rock 81! Also had Drugs in my pocket -the Monks; Money - Flying Lizards; Ghost riders in the sky - outlaws; good girls don't - the knack; Pat Benatar, Loverboy, the Police, Blondie. Yup feeling a new playlist coming on!

Oh how this running thing has changed me. Now I hear a song and think Would I like to run to this? I was watching Rock of Ages on TV (solely for the 80's Rock nostalgia!) this weekend and searched Spotify to see if there was a playlist of the songs with the original artists so I could listen to that on my next long run. Of course I checked to make sure the duration would be long enough . So so hooked on this running thing!

[Razouski in reply to SaskAlliecat]

I know what you mean. This running malarkey is so addictive, and finding good music to run too is fun. Thanks for your suggestions, I can feel the start of a new playlist coming on. 👍🏽🤓

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate10]

You are just fabulous Razouski ...flippin ‘eck...that is some distance!!! I want to do that too!!!!!!!!! I don’t like ‘rundays?!!!!!!’ Well you obviously do?!!! I like to change ‘personal Jesus’ by Depeche mode to ‘your own personal target!!!!!!’ Can’t help it, every time it comes on!!! Ha ha..what are we like??!! X

[Razouski in reply to Mummycav]

Thanks Mummycav , it was a long run, my legs are still feeling it today - although a good session in the gym and pool worked wonders this morning. It'll be a shorter run tomorrow - probably Speed podcast which is good because it's short, but a killer because I hate the intervals.

Hope your progress to 10k is going well.

[Ajs07 Graduate10]

Wow amazing run 🏃 well done x

[Razouski in reply to Ajs07]

It was a good run, but the legs are still in recovery. LOL... they were particularly miffed when I tried some speedier intervals on the cross trainer this morning during my gym work out. Thanks Ajs07 .

[pollyp1 Graduate10]

Yes, you do! Well done on 16k, very impressed. And on showing those gremlins who's boss.

[skysue16 Graduate10]

Great lyrics and what a fantastic run, especially with those pesky gremlins along for the ride!! Brilliant distance - very well done 👍😀

[Razouski in reply to skysue16]

I was pleased with the distance skysue16 , my challenge is how to fit these longer runs into a busy week. I guess I need to practice getting up earlier. It also find it hard finding interesting routes as I have a really low boredom threshold, but don't like to have to spend too long in the car in order to find some variety.