W8R1: The Ghost of Christmas Past

[Pm3eak]

First run since Christmas Eve and the first few minutes felt like I was back on Week 1 again ...but with a particularly large turkey strapped to my belly. I thought I had been quite restrained in my eating and drinking and was surprised that my stomach felt like the recycling bin before the men took it. It did improve though and the bitterly cold wind soon took my mind off it.

I saw the elusive 'special bird' at one point which really put a spring in my step- clearly visible on my new Garmin trace. Actually, speaking of which, the run did have a dodgy start: all that technology is brilliant but somewhat limited when I didn't take my glasses and spent some time blindly stabbing at blurred buttons trying to get it to fire up.

Anyway, I was soon feeling back to normal- controlled desperation-and was ticking along along nicely with only two minutes of the 28 to go when I was pounced upon by a sheepdog pup that came streaking across the field, having thought me more interesting than his lesson. He definitely felt I was his long -lost and best ever friend, or something similar, and I was licked and slobbered on to within an inch of my life. So, a short delay ensued while he was recovered by his owner which left me adding a couple of minutes on to compensate.

So, back in the saddle after the break and with a new best mate in the sheepdog world;

Just need to practice operating my Garmin in the dark now to simulate using it sans glasses.

Five to go.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Love it... what a fantastic post... ) This has made me smile

Very well done you...nearly there, so very nearly there.. slow and steady to that podium..!

PS

Get down, Shep!!!

[Elfe5 Graduate]

Lol! I enjoyed this thanks! 😀

[Hidden]

Much more interesting than my week 8 run 1, done on the dreadmill thanks to snow and ice. Haha, that’s me, blindly jabbing at buttons on my Garmin. If I tried to run in glasses, I would fall over,but I have to be very careful to set up the right activity before setting out. Failing to do so has resulted in some interesting results, including a 25 minute “swim” with no distance recorded and a long run with no statistics other than time.

Did the sheepdog actually halt your run, or did you manage to fend it off while still jogging?

[Pm3eak Graduate in reply to Hidden]

No, it actually stopped me for a short time FlickM3 as the owner was frantically waving for me to hold it while he caught up. Recent interrogation of my H.G. Wells inspired device by a suitable technical person ( teenage Granddaughter Anya, who is staying with us ) tells me I stopped at 26 mins 40 seconds, was at zero pace for three minutes and then ran for another four minutes thirty seconds. Gosh, these machines are amazing: I just wish I could drive them. It even told me that I had battled a soul destroying gradient of +/- 5 metres! As I told you, it is flatter than country cider around here; I would probably have died by now if challenged by the gradients in your neck of the woods.

I've always had this strange 'gift' of being 'bestest mate' to all dogs, large and small, whereas people generally avoid me like the plague. I grew up surrounded by dogs, trained working sheepdogs for many years and my family think I am some sort of mutant 'White Fang' hybrid loner who tolerates people so he can be with his dogs...not true of course...and my love of Jack London's writing is purely coincidental.

I hope all is well with you: keep running, you are inspiring many people.

[Hidden]

Yep, Garmin rules! I love mine. I dont understand half tbe statistics on it, but it aint half impressive

You sound a lovely bloke. My partner is a dog magnet too. Ive had dogs all my life, and he never had any till we got together, but tbey all make a beeline for him.

You would manage the hills if that was all you had. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger 💪🏻

I cant think why anyone would be inspired by me😳 im the woman who records swims when she’s running and falls over logs in the dark 😂

I love your posts...so descriptive and full of humour, with that connection to the land lurking behind the irony x

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Ha, well done on that run Pm3eak...and its not surprising you had dogs leaping up if you will run with an enormous turkey strapped to your belly😄😉...

Back in the saddle and into Week 8...brilliant news, and a great, funny read.😊xx