Well the temperature has certainly dropped a bit here, but this wasn't going to put me off running early today. Unfortunately the gremlins had other ideas. They woke me up über early - around 4.30 and turned my tinnitus up to maximum volume which then kept me awake for an hour or more worrying that I would be too tired to run if I didn't get back to sleep soon. Around about 6pm I must have drifted back to sleep, but then those irksome little fellas had me so sound asleep I didn't hear my alarm at 7am, so was shocked into consciousness by hubby shaking me rather vigorously, saying that I should be out running by now.
I'd like to say I leapt out of bed, but that would be a lie. I stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom, only to be tricked into some weird quick step dance routine - those tiles were pretty chilly on my bare feet. So then it was time to locate my slippers, before heading downstairs to make a quick cuppa, and try and get myself in the mood for running. I was supposed to do a long run on Friday, but work and then a weekend away with friends meant that I still hadn't done it, so there was no room for excuses. I knew I had to get out quickly as I was supposed to be helping a friend set up a stall at the university Fresher's Fair at 10 this morning. As the minutes ticked by on the clock, another pesky fellow sat on my shoulder whispering that I didn't really have time for a long run and surely putting it off for one more day wouldn't matter. I tried to brush him off, but the voice only repeated itself louder this time... in fact this was a no ordinary gremlin... but a life-size fully human one in the guise of Mr Razouski. I guess he thought he was being helpful by suggesting I postpone my run for yet another day. "Get behind me satan!" my inner resolve kicked in somehow.
I was going to do this run and do it soon, so that I would be back and ready for action at the uni. But the ambient temperature required a different set of running apparel to that which I've been used to over the past few months. So there I was careering round the bedroom like a mad thing. Who needs an upper body workout when you spend the next ten minutes pulling out drawers, throwing clothes into the air with gay abandon, and scrabbling around in the box under the bed where you suddenly remember you stored your long leggings and other disused running clobber.
Eventually found a pair of long leggings - and managed to squeeze my reluctant calves into them. How helpful is compression clothing when you're in a rush? Not at all. Then of course I needed to find the top that would co-ordinate. "Really?" said hubby, amazed at the palaver. Next to take the tags off the new light weight jacket I'd found in TKMax a few weeks ago.
The faffing had started. During the summer when all that was needed was a pair of shorts, vest and belt to put my phone in, I had forgotten all about this dreadful affliction, but it all came back to me this morning. I stuck my nose out of the front door, and decided that I wouldn't need a buff but I might want my gloves, so then a scrabble around the coat cupboard eventually enabled me to locate not just one, but two running gloves.
By the time I had my socks and running shoes on I was pretty exhausted, but still went through the routine of dynamic stretching before, at last, setting out through the door for my warm up walk. Probably not necessary, but I'm a creature of habit.
5 minutes into the run the gremlins were back, pulling my laces so tight that I was in danger of loosing circulation to my feet, and running with gangrene is probably not ideal when you're training for a half marathon, I'm guessing. Much better to stop and loosen them... and then I was off again. Once I got onto the cycleway I seemed to settle into a rhythm, and before long I had a pheasant running alongside me at the otherwise of the fence, stopping when she got ahead of me until I came level, the running off again. It was as if she was deliberately pacing me.
Then as I turned a corner the railings running alongside the railway combined with the low hanging sun to create a flickering effect as I ran along. Now my balance is compromised very easily, so having the sensation of running in a zoetrope wasn't doing me any favours. I was determined not to fall over, and did my best to shield my eyes using my hands like blinkers while staggering around in the most ungainly manner. No wonder a passing cyclist gave me a very wide berth as he passed, and looked back over his shoulder to check if he had really just seen a drunken woman so early in the morning.
I wasn't to be put off and kept on, knowing that soon I'd be in the shade, and that by 11km I would be able to turn back, and the sun would then no longer be shining in my face.
I survived and managed to run my intended 16km distance, and as I reached for my phone to switch off mammy run I noticed a new text message had appeared. "Don't worry about coming along this morning to set up, I have plenty of help and have put you on a 1pm stint to give you plenty of time for your run." this from the woman, who was supposed to be my friend. Why couldn't she have shared this information first thing this morning, or better still last night???
Still at least I've got my run in the bag and I was happy with 16km in 1 hour 30minutes and 30 seconds. So I've had a leisurely shower and am now going to sort out my running kick to try and minimise the faffage next time.
Hope the rest of the day was a little less stressful
My first 6K and no gremlins
5K - and a ‘Negative Splits’ Gremlin! 😈
Gremlins ruining my running
I've named my Gremlin!
