It's true!
Okay, has anyone else noticed, (probably not, if you are not called Hil, and because I am odd, also)... Bad weather, rain in particular, is mostly on the Hills.. or Hil in my case!
You just listen to the weather forecasts..."... and today, there will be snow, mostly on the hills...and today, there will be a severe frost...mostly on the hills... and today, there is low cloud...mostly on the hills... and worst of all, nearly every day in the last three months, " and this morning, there will be, heavy rain," (and yes, you've guessed it), "..mostly on the hills!"
This morning was no exception.
Still recovering from the lurginess that is still upon a lot of us, I headed out to repeat a Stamina run... Ran a first repeat, last Tuesday and the weather has been dire here since then...so, when I woke this morning to see blue sky, (honestly, there was), and sunshine, I thought, yes. I need to get out there, and build back up to full strength. Encouraged by the lovely husband, out I go. Laura's reassuring voice murmuring in my ears and a blackbird skittering through the bushes... fluffy clouds overhead, bliss; my brisk walk takes me to what is my, decide point. Which way to go? Left or right?
Now, on seeing the blue sky, I had thought, originally, to head for the lanes; the rookery wood, the bridle path. Old, familiar, quiet, wonderful, and for the last weeks, pre lurgy and post lurgy, untrodden or un-run by me, pathways.
However... I am a Hil, (albeit a small one), and as I reached the decide point, I felt the first gentle, almost imaginary kiss of rain on my face. I simply could not believe it. Had I been mistaken? Looking up, still a blue sky and white clouds... except for a small fluffy conglomeration of greyness directly over my head! From whence the rain was falling!
So, having been really crocked, I felt it best to take the option of my route of the latter weeks, up the hill towards the common, so that if the heavens opened, I could get home quickly. The rain now, light and drizzly, as I ran past the copper beech hedges in front of the house with the snowdrops under the apple trees, the sound of the rain pattering over the brown crinkly leaves was singularly pleasant. Those of you who read my rambling posts, know I wax lyrical all the time.. and there was a real element this morning of, if it is going to do this every time I run, I might as well just get on with it and enjoy it!
A quiet Sunday morning...just me, the rain cloud and the sound of my breathing. I have to admit, I was a while getting my breathing pattern steady and I did feel that I was not quite as light of step as previously, but I concentrated, and did what Laura said. The rain cloud followed overhead ...or at least it appeared to. Not torrential rain, but that beautiful drizzly, smizzly wetness ; when it rained like that when my daughter when small, she used to say that it was sperkling. Good word that!
Anyway, it sperkled on me all the way up the hill, and past the newly discovered small lake; my legs were feeling a tad heavy but I persevered and did as the lovely Laura suggests..lifted my heels to create a cycling motion. I have no idea how that looks to a passer-by! The birds were absent, apart from the grey suited pigeons, always on the lookout for a quick snack. I thought I spotted a jay taking cover under the outspread branches of the silver birch, but no shelter there this morning. The snowdrops, as I said in a previous post, are everywhere. Hiding under hedges and peeping through the glossy brown leaves, damp and soggy remnants of the week's rainfall. The tiny white bell caps are a welcome sight and the daffodils, cheap and cheerful brighten my mood, even more.
I managed to keep the pace as I went along, only losing my rhythm in the first changeovers of pace. It must look really odd, because I sort of do a funny shuffle-type dance step to get back on the beat; still it probably entertains anyone who might be watching. My hat was quite soggy at the point I turned, but at least , whilst I was going downhill the blue sky and clouds were ahead of me...and the rain did more or less stop as I finished the last two blocks of running.
I enjoyed the last runs down the hill, and apart from a lone dog walker, saw no-one.
I felt better physically and mentally after my run, and I don't feel as worried now about getting out there. Only about two and a half miles this morning...but that doesn't matter a jot.
As I walked home in the last five minutes, I reflected, like so many of us, on just how amazing it is to be able to run, and feel like doing it again.
Just wish that sometimes a weather forecaster would say;
"...and this morning, it will be beautifully dry and there will be glorious warm sunshine...on the hills" 
And...apologies yet again, for the long ramble... the words get gridlocked when I am stuck indoors!
xxx
I did it!!!!
🎶 What a Wonderful World! 🎶
Over the hill...
Storms, round two
