2014 STARTS WITH A BANGING RUN!

[danzargo]

Yo dudes!

What a spiffingly glorious sunny day here in London! Most conducive to getting my rather pert bottom squeezed into my compression shorts and getting out the door for a delicious run. Having awoken at 10am after a very restless sleep, I did some glute stretches and squeezed my veg in the juicer before donning my Ray Bans (fake ones) and shouting "See you later sweetie pie" to Mrs Dan. This is my 2nd run of the week and I've been lucky to avoid the dark, dreary rainy windy days, one of which was yesterday (New Years Day) which was HIDEOUS! Yucksville Arizona!

I'd decided to try yet another route variation, this time keeping along the Thames path from Richmond Bridge along the river towards Twickenham. I'd never been down here before and it was sooooo exciting! Dunno why really? Probably because I was in my running clobber, on my own and listening to some proper rock music in my head whilst the sun shone. The river looked sooo beautiful. I wanted to stop and take a picture.....but I didn;t want to interrupt my flow, so decided not to! Sorry.

The first 2K's were easy, mainly because I was running in new territory with different vistas and it took my mind off feeling anything negative. I turned right into Marble Hill Park on my 3rd K and powered through the gardens. Lots of folk were out in the sunny weather and very sweetly got the hell out of my way when I huffed and puffed past them. Thanks guys, 'ppreciate it!

I reached the road. "Oh sh**!" I thought. "I'm lost. Which way?" I decided to go right. I'm glad I did too cos I wasn't really lost, and before too long I reached Richmond Bridge where I'd crossed earlier and headed back down to the river path. The 4th K was faster and now for the final lap. I was determined to make this the fastest one and thanks to a 1981 heavy rock record by Bernie Marsden (ex Whitesnake) which was giving it large in my head, I picked up speed and was reeeeally travelling to this fantastic rock song. I mean, I wasn't jogging - I WAS RUNNING. Really fast too! Wheeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooo!!!! The track finished in my headphones and I slowed down a wee bit until Endomondo announced I'd run 5K. But I didn't stop. Oh no. I kept on running. I decided to see if I could run another half a K as I didn't want to go too mad and injure myself. I did it too! I have always stopped running at exactly 5K as I cannot go another inch, but today I felt like I could. I may just set myself the mini goal of running 6K by the end of the month. Summink to aim for eh?

Got home and double checked my time - 5K in 31 mins. Longer than two days ago but what the hell?! Only 40 secs longer but todays weather and conditions were so beautiful I enjoyed every single step. Hooray!

For anyone out there thinking "I'm gonna start running in 2014" - do this C25K programme. It's a tough time of year to start, but in just 9 short weeks you'll be running for half an hour non stop and getting endorphine rushes which will make you smile for a week!

Olé!

Dan

[Rockette]

Another great run danzargo , sounds fantastic . Yes you are a wise man , wiser than me ! stopping at 5.5 , oh no I had to keep pushing straight to 6, when id only just started doing 5 & then 6.5 look where it's got me , injured ! Sorry for going on , lol but I have to let of steam somewhere . Take care & happy running .

[danzargo Graduate in reply to Rockette]

Oooh that's unfortunate to hear Rockette. Get well soon.

[Rockette in reply to danzargo]

Thanks danzargo

[Cheery_runner61 Graduate]

Well done danzargo! Managed first run of year today too. Lovely sunny day though quite windy. Managed 5k in 36 mins, slow and steady - right hip was hurting by the end so I'll need to watch that! I feel good to get the first run under my belt, especially as the weather looks likely to take a turn for the worse by tomorrow. I think the way you're gradually increasing distance sounds a good plan. Happy running for 2014!

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Cheery_runner61]

Way to go Dan the Man! That sounds a brill time you had out there with Whitesnake for company. You're really tearing up those distances now. Mind how you go. Please don't go too far too soon. Wags finger

[danzargo Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Wagging finger alert noted!

[danzargo Graduate in reply to Cheery_runner61]

Thank you Cheery_runner61.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

More tales from the riverbank and a danzargo who is running again. Hoorah!! Are you trying to impress the panther lady with that photo? It doesn't fool me.

[Mummysaurus Graduate]

Nice running there Dan, always enjoy your running reports, wish I got to run somewhere interesting more often but sadly until it gets a bit lighter Mr.MS isn't keen on me running around in the dark.......strange really as he was the one that brought me a head torch for Christmas

[Tinyrun Graduate in reply to Mummysaurus]

Great post. The weather was indeed lovely today. I get a tiny endorphin rush when I finish but am still slower than a snail!

[flossieflyblow Graduate]

Great to have the Twickers running report with music insight! In November I was having to dodge the sugar beet lorries and got shown up speed-wise by a hare who pretty much thumbed his nose at me! It's just great to hear you really enthused by getting back into running! You're a real inspiration (but heed what Aunty misswobble says: you know she's right!).

[vikicats Graduate]

Sounds like a fab run. Wish I had such an interesting choice of runs on my doorstep. Got my first run in today as well. Felt every single one of the pounds I've put on during the festivities! Gonna have to work on getting rid of those!

[misswobble Graduate in reply to vikicats]

I live on the edge of a town but I've found loads of good runs out into the country that I never knew existed until I started walking the neighbour's dog. I do road runs too but I much prefer the countryside, but there are green spaces everywhere. Go and have a search. Happy running

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Forget 6k... Aim for a 10k in 6 weeks.. Oh and a parkrun tomorrow too

Well done tiger!