My Fellow Runners,
This day was a momentous one for me. After a month of being a complete whingeing moaning minny, constantly shouting at my legs to repair themselves, this every morning, this very dark, damp, uninviting morning, I donned my lycra catsuit onesie........OK, I'm lying, it wasn't one of those, it was my normal "dual pants" combo, and off I went.
The past two days I've been relatively pain free and thought that the time was right to grace the dirstricts of Isleworth and Richmond with my sleek gazelle like skills. I have to say it took a huge effort going out. I awoke at 5.40am and looked out at the pitch blackness. Popped downstairs to load up on a few mouthfuls of porridge (feeding our new two kittens first of course!) and heard the pit pat patter of rain on the kitchen skylight window. |Ohhhh Godddddd!" I thought. Well, in for a penny blah blah blah....
I had decided to avoid the Thames path because frankly, I was scared to run on a dimly lit path where footpads and vagabonds could be lurking. So I kept to main roads (well the pavements beside them obviously!) with lots of street lights and cars whizzing by. My ears were stark naked - no headphones, just me and my thoughts.
5 minute warm up walk was fine and I only noticed the tiniest of twinges in my dodgy leg. "Now come on Leg" I said "We're out now, Don;t give me no bull sh**!" I set off at my usual speed and then immediately slowed right down. I didn't wanna go too mad having not been out for a month. I reached the first roundabout and turned left along the A316 pavement, which sounds geographically hideous but actually there was a wide grass verge between me and the road and the pavement was smooth and flat as a pancake. The rain had abated, so I was skimming along nicely. A runner was ahead of me and I sailed past him like a formula 1 car purring at a 7mph......if you get my drift?
Both legs were holding up fine. Breathing was fine too and I felt quite comfortable. Knowing that I wasn't trying to achieve any PB or anything helped me a lot. I kept slowish and decided if I wanted to walk at ANY point, then I would. There were no probs at 1K, 2K or 3K. At the 3K mark I turned back on myself towards home which was 2K away and at this point I awarded myself the glorious prize of a welcome walk. "Take that Dan" I said "No PB today or stupid self competing. Just enjoy the fact you're out (I was) and getting some exercise!". I thanked myself for such insightful wisdom...
Once I'd gathered myself I set off again and decided that avoiding the Thames Path on the way home would add a 1000 miles to my journey, so I decided to take the plunge and look all butch, hunky and "don't mess wiv me kid!" and go down t'wards the river. There were street lights so I felt ok. There was also a car with its engine running and a bloke sitting inside, staring at the River Thames! What his story was I'd love to have known, but I jogged / lollopped past and headed for the final K. I had to stop at one stage to stretch as my groin (JuicyJu's favourite part of my body) had started buzzing a bit. It soon corrected itself with a good old stretcherama and I set off again.....when suddenly..... I heard this heavy breathing behind me! Wheezing, puffing and blowing he was. I made myself look even more muscular and meaty and stepped on the gas. The wheezing man suddenly drew level and I realised it was a fellow early morning lunatic runner (like me) except this guy had a back pack on with what appeared to be about a ton of lead in it! He passed me with ease and disappeared into the distance leaving me thinking how mildly pathetic I must look struggling along. However the end was in sight and I stopped for my warm down walk home.
The kittens were chasing each other around the dining room at a height of about 1.5 feet above floorboard level when I entered. "Hey guys! I did it!" I said to them. They stopped their playing and stared at me with eyes like saucers before tearing off into the living room where I heard a ping pong ball getting a good beating!
So dear runners, I am pleased to say that todays run was a success. Nothing fancy. 33 mins for 5K but at least I've cracked the dark morning thing.
I think I'm back......
Dan
