My first run in 12 days due to being crazy busy (750+ miles travelled up and down the country in the snow last weekend to move daughter into her new home, then snow / ice confining us all to barracks)..!! Starting ju-ju- 's 10 is the magic number has, regrettably, been 'paused' 😔
The only thing keeping the black dog from my heels of late has been the purchase of my new (to me) car this week. I'd been looking for her for over a year 🤗 I couldn't run to feel good, but driving (with very loud music) has helped..!!
I seized the opportunity to get out at lunch time today ... squeezed myself into the appropriate support attire and did my stretches ... just as it started to sleet ... and rain ... a lot ... in fact, MORE than a lot..!!
Hat... I was going to need a hat (purple hair requires much rain proofing), but I'm a bit weird with hats ... on 2 occasions I have been 'trapped' (yes, I did say TRAPPED) in a hat and panic attacks have ensued (much to the jaw dropping amazement of those who were with me at the time) 🤦🏻♀️ Baseball cap... that'll do nicely... even though the bright yellow colour made me look like some 'special kind of sunshine' 🙄
Decided to head to the park... less ice but more mud... thought about the big penis run icklegui but it's on main roads with no paths - it's a 'must do' but I'll save it for a quieter time 😉
Warm up walk to the park was bloody treacherous, still so much thick ice on the paths... I had to keep to the grass verges, but they had turned to slippery mud from everyone else walking on them. This is where I had a bit of a slide... you know, the ones where you let out a girly squeal as you throw your arms round like a windmill whilst doing the riverdance with your feet ... followed by a quick look round to make sure nobody saw 🙈
Further down the path, a guy was heading towards me pushing his bicycle (wise move), but he changed his course before I got a chance to (chivalry, clearly, isn't dead). He moved to the centre of the path where the ice was really thick... with his feet planted firmly on the ice, he and his bike slid quickly (but gracefully) by as I gave him a grateful 'thank you' whilst stifling my laughter. I then realised he was probably having the time of his life as I got the whiff of his spliff 😂 I inhaled deeply (😝) and continued to the park.
Once there I was confronted with the choice of an ice laden downhill path or a muddy, sodden farmer's field... I chose the field 😳 Sarah gave me her usual cheery "Off you go" (no, I still can't let her go - she is my buddy and stalwart timekeeper) and off I went, ploughing my way through water, slush and mud.
It was 3 degress, hammering down with rain and my feet were already cold and squelchy ... but, bloody hell, it felt so good to be out there again..!! I can't believe how much I'd missed it.
It was futile trying to hop around the mud and puddles, I just concentrated on avoiding the ice.
I'd chosen 'The Cure' to join me on my run - it proved and excellent choice as, apart from the birds, there wasn't another living soul in sight. You know what that means....
*Gasping* "..... wonderfully wonderfully pretty ..... I'd do anything for you ..... should have each other to tea ..... we should have each other with cream ..... curl up by the fire ..... sleep for awhile ..... "
Shrieking the words out, reminiscent to that of a 'Love Cat' (if you get my drift 😉), I was in a comfortable steady place and I felt goooood ☺️ ... but, hey, birds ... !!! Come backkk ... !!! "..... it's the grooviest thing ..... it's the perfect dream ..... "
15 minutes in and I was feeling a bit warm (that internal hormonal furnace being ignited, glorious bloody hot flush feeling)..!! I slipped my running jacket off and tied it round my waste.
20 minutes in and my legs were really beginning to tire - and the fact my feet had soaked up half the park really wasn't helping the situation. I needed to dig down a bit here. I'd set up The Cure's playlist with 9 tracks over 31 minutes and I WASN'T going to stop until that playlist finished..!! 😠
Internal furnace really was getting too much to tolerate ... as I'd not seen another human in the park, and I was 2/3 of the way round, I figured the odds were in favour of me whipping my top off and not being spotted 🙄 My sports bra is quite robust, there's no fear of escaping pendulous jigglies..!! 😱🙈 I took a walk across the ice encrusted wooden bridge (a 60 meter death trap at the best of times) whilst wrestling my top off and tying that, too, round my waist.
So - in 3 degrees, pi$$ing rain, with feet and legs plastered in mud, half my clothes slung round my middle, in my purple Brooks Juno bra, sunny yellow baseball cap, an exposed wobbly body that had turned a gorgeous shade of Piglet pink and half gasping / half wailing ...
" ..... I'll run around in circles 'til I run out of breath ..... I'll eat you all up ..... Or I'll just hug you to death ..... You're so wonderful ..... Too good to be true ..... You make me ..... make me hungry for you ..... "
...... a man appears from behind the hazel trees walking a dog lead (no dog anywhere to be seen, just a lead)..!! 😳 I didn't make eye contact but, for the first time on any of my runs, I prayed that my dripping snot nose drew the focus of his attention 🤦🏻♀️ ... and then ran on a bit faster ...
I made the 30 minutes, regained some modesty, and slid my way home.
Strava told me that I'd run faster than MapMyRun was reporting, so Strava is my new best friend 😉
After a 12 day absence (and 10 days prior to that due to illness), I had been dreading this run. It wasn't easy and, believe me, it wasn't pretty - most of them aren't, but I slothed my way round and was pleasantly surprised that I'd not turned to a gelatinous mess... happy days 🤗
We've been badly affected by the recent weather, but I hope that you're all now able to get your running shoes on again.
Happy running my lovelies - tread carefully out there 😘
First non-Parkrun event, first bling, first ice cream prize - this is Run Jericho!
I have just done my first ever park run, alongside Ewan Thomas!! 
Trail Running - I love it :) 
Park Run - Sister vs Brother - the challenge is on!
I can't quite believe this...I ran for 21 minutes!
