All hail to my Fellow Runners!
What a beautiful sunny day we had in London today! I woke up this morning incredibly late and opened the curtains which revealed a glorious blue sky and bright sunshine. "Still going for your run then?" said Mrs Dan with a cheeky smirk, knowing that last nights imbibing in the pub with some chums may have rendered me unable to move. "I most certainly am Mrs Dan." I said "Fetch me my lycra compression pants wench!".
After the slap on the head I received, I dressed in my running clobber. Long grey jogging pants over skin tight lycra compression shorts, blue T shirt and fluorescent yellow long sleeved top! Jogged down to the juicer and pressed a couple of apples, carrot, lemon and ginger and cucumber and celery and swallowed. Deeeelicious!
Decided that today I would run to my own musical choices. "You and Julie" on the WEEK 8 PODCAST really makes me want to strangle the nearest person to me and the thought of hearing it again was just too much. Being a bit of an old rocker (played lead guitar in my band in my 20's), Tom Petty got me underway as I stomped down the street. I had also set ENDOMONDO to read me my lap times, (something I'd long ago switched off because it made me compete with myself too much - but this time I wanted information baby!) and once my 5 minute warm up was complete I started it off and awaited the information on my first K.
The music really did keep me going and once the first K had been eaten up by my shoes, it announced 5'56sec! WOW! I hadn't managed a sub 6 minute K for aaaages! I powered on with the full knowledge that I would without doubt today, complete 5 kilometres. The 2nd K done - 6'02. "Damn it!" I said "That K was longer. I can speed up. I can. I can!!!"
I couldn't. But I was still motoring along at a fair old pace as The Beatles sang "Ob-la-De-Ob-La-Da" in my earholes and the third K eventually swept by in 6'07. Slower, but not much. I wondered if I could speed up? Lengthen my stride perhaps? I was feeling pretty good but my pace just would not increase. It didn't matter really, cos I was really enjoying being out in the fresh air, sunshine and seeing lots of annoying people who wouldn't get out of my f***ing way!
The 4th K was really hard. So hard, that I had to stop for a "get my breath back" walk and boy that felt good. I knew my time for this K was shot to bits as a result of my walk, but what the heck! I couldn't really care less. I was out and running and pleased with myself for conquering the overpowering desire to stay in bed!! 4th K announcement in that weird computer'y stuttery voice - 6'34. Way slower than my glorious first kilometre, but again - WHO CARES! A LIVE version of "My Back Pages" started in my ears with Petty, Dylan, Harrison, Clapton and Young each singing a verse. See? Told you I was a bit of a rocker!
The final K beckoned and I started running again. Maybe I could romp home in a sub 6 minute K and really earn myself a pat on the back? I tried once again to go faster, but it was all I could do to keep moving just above walking pace. Thoughts ran through my head about the folks on here who run 6,7,8,10, even 17K (a JuicyJu mind boggling run) and I wondered how the hell they do that? I was nearing the end of my 5K and I was looking forward to it. If anyone had said "Go on Dan my son! Do another kilometre" - My response would have been "Why don't you **** right off you *** *** ***** ****** sod!"
"YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR GOAL" announced Endomondo woman. "5K in 31 minutes 08 seconds". Not bad eh? It was hard as hell, but enjoyable. I am getting quicker each run since my loss of mojo. I may be going too hard too soon, but it's hard to ignore that little voice in your head that whispers to you that if you go a bit faster each time, you'll be a champion!! I think it's part of the human condition to want to improve oneself.
Will Dan improve on his next run? Will he go just that little bit faster? Will that pair of skinny jeans do up without crushing his optimism? Find out next time on..... "The Incredible Adventures of.......Lycra Man"!!
Thanks for reading 
My inner snail is smiling...
Knocking on Week 8's door!
Follow me into the sunshine!!!!
Week 5, run 3 - 20 minutes done!!!
Mud, sweat, darkness and...face paint? 
