Strap yourself in... this could be a long ride...
Women of a 'certain age' will be familiar with the stark contrast feelings of kill or cry... well my week had been a kill week, I'd been so bad tempered that nobody dare even smile in my direction. Hence, this week, I have kept my head well below the clouds π
I did W8R1 on Saturday evening - a grumpy run after getting back from the rugby, where we'd endured a monumental thrashing..!! I spent some time on the cross trainer before heading out, to see if a longer warm up would help overcome those toxic ten minutes. It did help, but those 3 extra minutes of running were very apparent. I struggled getting into my stride and still didn't find those ever elusive magic robot legs. I changed my route to shake it up a little but that didn't seem to help. I was so glad when Sarah told me I only had 5 minutes left to run. I was waiting for the 60 second notice to quit... it seemed to be a long time coming "Come on Sarah, where the f**k are you"..?? I cried. With no pre-warning, she suddenly popped up and told me I could stop running. OK, Sarah had changed her strategy π
Unfortunately, I'm really going off Sarah... for the first few weeks she was very encouraging and, after a run, told me to have some water and a light snack. This dwindled to having some water and a banana. In week 7 she only offered water. Week 8... nothing, absolutely bloody nothing. If she doesn't tell me, at the end of week 9, that I can have a mug of tea and a plate of buns, I'm going to be REALLY p*ssed..!! π«
My knees really suffered after Saturday's run so I opted for an extra rest day on Monday. On Tuesday I took my running gear to work (planned to head out during the day if time allowed). It didn't. Got home, psyched up to go out and trample the streets, but..... I'd left all my gear at work..!! Not happy π
Never mind, my new running shoes were due to be delivered on Wednesday, I could take them out for their maiden voyage in the evening. I was way beyond stupidly excited..!! π€ Long story short... shoes didn't arrive on Wednesday because the Hermes man, as usual, couldn't be ars*d to drive out to my place of work (tracking info stated that an 'attempt' to deliver had been made). What the tracking info didn't say was that this was a load of b*lls and the Hermes man is a perpetual t*sser..!! The last pair of running shoes I ordered went missing after the Hermes guy had collected them from the local depot - I never received them π‘
Well, I was spitting tacks... and no amount of 'forceful complaining' on the phone was going to get me my shoes that day..!!
My bloody awful foul mood was going to drive my run that night... I got home, changed, and grabbed a quick look at my emails... which took me to a post from Mummycav about her dear friend Helen. This is when I went from kill to cry... last November I lost my best friend, unexpectedly and in unpleasant circumstances. It was heartbreaking and I miss her every day. A wave of emotion hit me like a brick wall. I gave myself a severe rollicking for being so petulant over the insignificance of not getting my shoes, sobbed my way through my stretches, and I ran... I ran with my best friend in my heart, I ran for her family and I ran for mummycav. All I can remember is that there were times, during those 28 minutes, when my legs just 'took' me... and, when I'd done, Sarah still didn't offer me sustenance... π
Thankfully, last night's run (W8R3) was more relaxed. My daughter travelled down form up 't north on Thursday and we headed to the south coast yesterday to stay with the rents for the weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday π Happy to see my daughter (miss her since she moved away), happy to be surrounded by family, happy to have new shoes and happy it was a lovely evening, I heaved myself into my undersized tights (causing my daughter much side splitting hilarity) and used my warm up walk to head down to the seafront. MapMyRun and Strava were lost in their new location and both refused to work. New shoes felt good, but the left one kept dragging my sock under my foot. Removed said shoe and readjusted twice but it persisted. The only thing to do was get the socks off... but where would I put them..?? It's been many years since I've padded my bra out with socks, but there's not a sock in hells chance that I'd have room in there for them now..!! So on I plodded, with left sock stubbornly rolled under foot.
The seafront was thronging... people out for a moonlit evening walk with their dogs, cyclists and lots of runners. It felt good to be by the sea again. Sarah gave me the "3, 2, 1, off you go" and, because I always do what Sarah tells me, off I went...
I've started to use a metronome app on my phone and, initially, it helps me get into my stride until I ease into my music.
It wasn't long before a runner passed me. I mustered a smile, he mustered a half hearted sneer back. Charming π³ A few minutes later I smiled to another, he gave me a sideways glare - nothing more. I felt somewhat miffed π I also noticed that, aside from the fact they sprang like gazelles, were light of foot and silent of breath, they didn't look the same as me. I offered my best running camaraderie smile to the third gazelle that sped past me... nothing..!! It was then, and only then, that I learnt a very valuable lesson... snot bubbles are NOT a compulsory running accessory..!! π€ Why did no one tell me...??? π«
I had a good sniff and plodded on.
The shoes still felt good and I didn't feel as though was 'slapping' the ground quite like I usually do. I was also grateful that the rogue sock wasn't causing any discomfort.
The sea air was a treat, my surroundings felt great and the reflection of the moon across the inky sea looked beautiful. My legs, although not great, certainly felt better than they ever had done before. Pharrell Williams burst into "Happy" and filled my head with Minions... I upped my pace, dodged a Labrador, nearly got hit by a cyclist and sang my heart out... yes, I was "Happy"..!!
Week 8 has been full of hormonal emotion, snot, uncooperative socks, a p*ss taking daughter and new running shoes... but I did it and I survived..!!
With much excitement (and even more amazement) I start week 9 tomorrow, with another run by the sea.
Happy running my lovelies, I hope your week has been more 'level' than mine π