"It's raining, you didn't sleep much, got woken up early and you're in a bad mood because of it," Goblin Cecelia announced from the hood of my jacket as we once again stood at the park gates, "we could go and get a coffee instead, the supermarket cafe will be...ooh! We could go and get a cooked breakfast from there too" she chirped happily
"Shut up, I can't hear Kenny Loggins telling me he's alright," I growled back, pulling my hoodie closer around me against the drizzle and walking at a brisk pace as per the programme's instructions, just as Sarah Millican piped up to ask me if I was ready to run "No" I mumbled but set off anyway
"Are you legs cramping?" Cecelia asked, the very picture of concern as Sarah spoke up, breaking across my David Bowie groove to tell me I'd done 5 minutes of 30.
"Go. ah. way." I responded between gritted teeth, to both Cecelia and Sarah, trying desperately to lose myself in the music and the rhythm of my feet on the ground.
'you've just done 10 minutes' - Sarah
"Are you getting a stitch? should you stop? - Cecelia
"Can't. Hear. Music. Be. Quiet." - Me
'You've done 15 minutes halfway there!' - Sarah
"There's no shame in stopping halfway" - Cecelia
"Will. You. BOTH. Be. QUIET?!" - Me
'you've just done 20 minutes, that's 10 minutes to go. You might be feeling tired now but we want you to run right to the end' - Sarah
"We do?" - Cecelia
"OK. I swear to any deity listening. Sarah, interrupt my music again and I'll pitch my phone into the nearest bin. Cecelia. You keep on and I'm going to throw you on the ground and jump on you like a trampoline until you shut up"
the last 10 minutes went, once again with interruptions from both Cecelia and Sarah but they passed finally and I made my way back home to Hubby-to-Be for a well-earned breakfast...followed swiftly by some 'first house' browsing before today's Wales rugby match.