It was time for another session on that almighty hill in Richmond where last week I managed just THREE ups and downs and boy was I ready! I was gonna increase the ups and downs to 4 this week, so after making a celery, carrot and apple juice and chomping on 6 stoneless dates I was ready for action.
The sun shone brightly but the air was fresh and a stiff breeze buffeted the trees making for perfect running conditions. Waved goodbye to Mrs Dan and off I went on my warm up walk. I had JUST reached my favourite lamp post to start running when I heard this crash. I looked across the road and immediately across from me, a woman runner had fallen with a thump to the ground. I rushed over instantly to check she was alright but she was very very shaken up. Her mouth was covered in blood and she was shaking. I told her she was ok and not to worry. She said "Are my teeth ok?" I told her they were, there was a cut on her lip that was bleeding but her teeth were fine. I felt so sorry for the poor thing. She'd stubbed her toe and tripped up and said she felt so embarrassed as she had almost reached the end of her run. Again I told her not to be embarrassed and tried to reassure her that she'd be ok.
Suddenly a kindly silver haired lady appeared from the primary school adjacent to where the damsel had fallen. She offered to take the woman into the school where they had a first aid kit, and she could get cleaned up. I hauled the injured damsel to her feet and brushed the leaves and stones off her back and left her in the capable kind hands of the teacher lady. I wished her good luck and she turned to me and said "Thank you so much for stopping". Poor thing. Maybe she was used to London ways where you could be having a heart attack on the street and people would step over you! I told her it wasn't a bother and I shuffled off on my way.
What a start eh?! Whew!
I reached The Hill and looked at it. "I'm comin' for you baby" I told it. And I was off. This time I had my watch on to time how long it would take me to the summit. The geezer on the website I'd found who told me about this hill reckoned he could get to the top in 90 seconds. Yeeahhhhh riiiight!!!! It took me 2 1/2 minutes and I wondered how on earth he could have done it in 1 1/2 mins??? Probably lying through his teeth! Anyway, I set off back down the hill, once I'd had a minute or two recovery at the top.
Suffice to say I did exactly as I'd planned - four reps up and down The Hill, by which time I'd drunk 90% of my water from my running bottle. It was time for home and I set off, jogging very comfortably considering the bashing my legs had just got. I looked down towards the river and noticed a cut through path. I took it and before long I was riverside, shades on, jogging in the sun with a gentle cooling breeze washing over my sweating face. Ahead of me lay Richmond Bridge glinting in the sun. Two red buses crossed over as I looked and I thought I MUST take a pic of this scene for all you Forumeers. It was idyllic.
I got home having run 5K (2.5K there, then back again) and having completed my 4 up hill sessions. Well pleased with that too, because my legs and body were absolutely fine thank God. No pains or aches to speak off, so I stretched in the garden and then had a long jacuzzi with the jets playing on my bum and thighs!! Magic.
I do so hope the damsel is alright. I'm sure she is. Probably a bit shaken up but ultimately will be ok.
Isn't it amazing the things you see whilst out on a run?
Happy running folks!
Written by
danzargo
Graduate
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Firstly Dan, what a hero you are. The poor lady must have had such a shock. I agree - London can be an unfriendly place. However there are many people like you, which, for me, means I still think London can be a wonderful place.
Aside from that, sounds like you had a lovely run and thank you for sharing an amazing photo.
Bless your heart Dan, stopping to help. I have always found London a friendly place. I was poring over a tube map once with some friends and a kindly chappie came to our aid and I have had many a laugh with strangers there. So not all is bad and miserable. Glad you got your hill runs done ok- I really should try some myself sometime. Love your piccy- what a great looking place to run x
Well I'm glad you've had good London experiences. I once broke my toe at work (horseplaying around when I was 17!) and limped home in agony. Had to sit on some rubbish bags outside Bond Street station feeling very queasy and I asked for help from passers by. Not ONE stopped!
SuperDan to the rescue - Yay!! I'm sure she was very grateful - it's horrible when something like that happens, you do feel such a fool but need a sympathetic shoulder to lean on at the same time. Thank goodness you were there to help Dan, and the lovely lady from the school. At least she'll have had plenty of practice of patching up and calming down!
As for that photo....stunning. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I'm so envious of those of you who have such beautiful places to run. How can it be a chore to get out and spend time in lovely surroundings like that. There's me, trying to work out which pavements are even clean enough to want to run along, never mind the cars, bins, overhanging shrubs, household rubbish and other obstacles forcing me out into the road! Can you tell I'm not keen on where I live...?!
Oh, nearly forgot...well done on the hill reps! Great job!
I am extremely lucky to be living right next to the Thames. Running by water is such a calming thing to do too.
Have you thought of maybe driving to some nice locale for your run? Assuming you drive of course, as not everybody does. But I know what you mean about the household rubbish, narrow pavements, shrubs etc. Nightmare!
Ooh Dan - what a great guy you are! Helping said damsel in distress, poor thing - sounds awful. She'll know about it tomorrow, she'll have had a right old shaking up. You are an absolute star for taking care of her!
And thank you for the lovely picture of where you were running - looks wonderful!
WELL DONE YOU on those hills. Sounds to be quite a challenge! Go Dan, go!
Thank Beek. I'm sure any one of us on here would have done exactly the same.
And yeah, Richmond is a lovely place to run as it's got the river path as well as the Royal Park which is full of deer. COuldn't afford to live there though with the average house price well into the millions!!
Aw Dan , what a star you are , you have got a massive thumbs up from all the ladies on here for your knight in shining armour bit , fab stuff ! ( flutters eyelashes )
Lovely pic, wish I had somewhere like that to run, mine is mostly housing estates and a bit of greenery , but I will find a nice place , I have made it my mission , I will find it wherever it is , and I will run it .
Well done on the hills , getting a bit of a dab hand at them , I must say so xxx
Awww shucks poppyjug! I didn't do that much really - it was an automatic response. One is always a tiny bit wary of these situations as one doesn't want to scare the living bejaysus out of (literally) fallen women! People these days are so wary of strangers. Still I hope after all her distress she managed a PB before taking the tumble!
Thanks Lavender. The Hill is a test of endurance to be sure. You get up 75% of it then turn a corner where it gets even steeper! My speed at this point would make a tortoise look like a gazelle!
When I read the title I thought "ey up, women are throwing themselves at his feet now"
Bet she was waiting ages for the right time to fall off her bike. Mr Lovely (aka Dan) would pitch up like Saint George,whipping out smelling salts from under his chain mail breast plate, waft it under her nose, and she slowly opens her black eye, blinks in the daylight, and says, "Dan, my hero. I knew you'd be here for me when I needed you". He sweeps her up into his arms and they pedal off into the sunset on her crumpled bike, headed for Casualty
well done...and I am always shocked at the kindness of people. The other day I was sitting on a wall near work really upset and crying ( long story). Anyway..a few days after this down and out guy came up to me as I was sitting on the same wall and asked me if I was Ok as he'd seen me crying...I was so touched and it made me so aware of human kindness and empathy....You are the perfect panacea for a damsel in distress
A knight in shining armour! Unfortunately, us runners will all fall at some point and usually in spectacular style! Well done and well done on that pesky hill
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I hope you had warmed up fully before 'running' to aid the fallen damsel 
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