Mary Berry would have been appalled. I committed the ultimate GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF sin today by getting a soggy bottom. Not you understand due to any physical ailments, but due to the lashing rain! It was like the end of the world out there this morning......
I awoke hearing the rain pounding the roads outside, the drain trying to cope with copious amounts of water as a river flowed down our road. I turned over and went back to sleep. There was no rush today and if I slept another hour or so, it might back off a little.
Blimey, was I wrong! When I did rise and put on my lycra catsuit (well, I may be exaggerating slightly.....nike top, long sleeved plastic top, running tights with orange go faster stripe and Asics) I realised that I had to go out into the miserable wet weather no matter what. I'd planned a 10, but mentally my mind was telling me other things like ; "Are you bloody mad mate? 10K in this weather? You're a total loon!"
NO matter. I whispered goodbye to Mrs Dan and opened the front door. "This is NOT going to be a good hair day" I said to myself - and set off. Within 8.3 seconds I was drenched. It was chilly too but I didn't mind that so much as I knew I'd warm up when I got going. I reached my "Start" point (a very tall lamp post) and set off slowly. A car passed me and just 20 yards ahead of me was a small lake which had formed by the side of the road. The car went through this lake spraying a wall of water about ten feet high across the pavement that I was about to run on. I decided to cross the road and avoid a drenching, despite the fact it wouldn't have made the slightest bit of difference to my soaked state. Once past the obstacle I jogged down to the Thames path and settled into a slow pace along the river. I couldn't believe quite how many other nutters were out running today - I stopped counting after 7 and reckoned these dudes were hard core. I wonder if they thought that about me? I've never been thought of as hard core before....
I got to about 4K and all was well and I even forgot it was raining. I was soaked through and the rain made loud splatter noises as it dive bombed onto the big leaves lying on the ground. There were hardly any walkers and the few I did see ignored my smiles! Halfway through the 5th I started to tire and my chest got a bit wheezy. The cold I have, clearly hasn't left my body yet and I definitely felt my fitness a bit below par. Passed 5K and onto the 6th.........coughing and clearing my throat a lot now and legs feeling heavy. The 10K I'd hoped for was going to have to be put off for another day. I'd take a rain check on it (see what I did there? Rain? It was raining? No?.....OK.....sh** joke....).
Once I'd decided to just do the 7K which would take me home, my mind settled down and everything seemed to adjust accordingly. I was still tired and pushing as hard as I could, but the effort was huge. This was not an easy run for me, but I put it down to the human body being beaten up by VIcky Virus and I was doing all I could to tell it to **k off and exit my body!
Got in the door and I looked at myself in the hall mirror. It looked like I had been dunked into a giant barrel of water! I was totally soaked through, but pretty warm from the run and Mrs Dan laughed when she saw me. Oscar cat woke up from his position on the sofa and looked at me with wide eyes of derision. You wouldn't find HIM out in the wet. No sirrreee. He was on the sofa and dug in for a 15 hour snooze!! I on the other hand had the most glorious HOT SHOWER! God it was lovely. This was followed by a double fried egg sandwich. YES! TWO eggs! I was ravenous.
So I didn't achieve my goal which was 10K, but I managed 7K in the lashing rain and my chest wheezing a bit and that will do me, thank you very much! The time? Not too shabby actually - 40'57 which averaged out at about 5'40 per K (approx).
I'm going to get into my Tiger Onesie now and look like a complete plonker. But I don't care. It's dark outside, still raining, no colour in the sky at all which is perfect conditions for ONESIE fashion!
Toodle pip and see you next week.
Dan.
xxx
W5R2 -Just love jogging in the rain! Zippadeedoodah...
Wet weather running gear? 
Soggy, wet kit.
