Argh I wrote a load and this stupid app deleted it so now you get the lazy rushed version (he said, before writing thousands of words about a banana not being ripe enough and then briefly mentioning the run).
So my mind really wasn’t in it today and it ended up being quite a struggle. It was just like old times when I tried this last year and it’s probably the most difficult run I’ve had this time around.
I think I prepared alright. I had an ok day, I had nowhere near enough sleep last night but then I never do these days and for someone who has a baby I didn’t do too badly. I had a reasonably healthy snack about two hours beforehand (some almonds, a high fibre cereal bar and a banana that wasn’t quite ripe enough but I won’t go into that).
I think as long as I’m dealing with the parking drama I ranted about last time, I’m going to be distracted. Incidentally, no progress there. I had an email this morning from the property management people I called yesterday asking me to confirm my address and I responded but then... nothing. I called when I got home today and it turned out the person I needed had gone home early, which is fine, but I responded long before she left. I need to up my game. Maybe if I harass them enough they’ll sort it out just to shut me up. We’ve done that enough times with customers in my job anyway.
I hate this so much, right up until Monday afternoon I had no idea there was an issue, as there hadn’t been an issue since the houses were built in 2013 so forgive my blissful ignorance. Now I’m constantly anxious that I’ll go out to find I’ve been fined and I have to keep checking the carpark.
As long as I’m at work with the car they can’t touch me but if the parking management minions come sniffing around at the weekend on a mission to get their commission, I’m screwed. I’m considering using supermarket car parks this weekend and alternating every few hours. Good idea? Probably a bad idea but I’m desperate!
So, this run. I was lucky enough to make it out straight away when I got home so I put my music on and I was off. As it gets colder my clothing of choice for running is loose combats, a tshirt and a hoody, unzipped. It’s warm enough in the cold but not too warm for when I heat up and start glowing.
Music of choice is still One Step Beyond by Madness, it really is perfect for this and it’s just a great album in general. I’m planning on doing a run to each one of their albums eventually but I’m still addicted to this one. Still haven’t learned to combine skanking with running yet but that can be a side project.
The walk was fine and when I started running it was ok but I was feeling it more than usual. I had the physical energy but not the mental energy and it’s weird how that can be a physical drain.
But I got through the first and the second just fine and because it was still light I thought it would be the perfect time to do a circuit of the park. However, when I approached the steps leading down to it, I saw a couple of guys who looked a bit rough and were clearly amused at this short, round guy puffing and glowing away (yeah didn’t take me long) so my social anxiety redirected me and I gave the park a miss because my mind just sucks sometimes. As do people, often.
But that’s ok, I continued along the path around the houses. About halfway through I was getting a bit out of breath and I think the cold probably did hinder me quite a bit. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. But I felt it most in my legs. Do you need to stretch more in cold weather? I should try it, who knows.
But I powered through and, despite the difficulties, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel good. My body was nice enough to remind me that this is a healthy thing I’m doing and it rewarded me appropriately with a few endorphins. Not many, just enough to keep me coming back for more.
But there were no heroics today. When time was up that was it, I did not have it in me to run a second longer, although I would certainly have tried it if the run required it, but on this occasion I decided to stick with the program. There’ll be time for extra mileage later when I’m more used to it.
During the last run I passed a neighbour walking her dog, then when I was walking to finish up I ended up following her home so hopefully she doesn’t think I’m a sweaty stalker. I’m just a sweaty regular person.
So, it was a hard run but it wasn’t a bad run. It wasn’t enough to distract me from the hilarious problems Life just keeps throwing out there but then again, the problem wasn’t enough to distract me from the run completely. I did it because I’m stubborn and that may just get me through.
Run 3 will hopefully be on Saturday. I’ll try and work it around my attempts to hide my car until we have a permanent, fine-free parking arrangement worked out, or move into a new house. Until then, I need to get the feeling back in my legs.
W5 R3 - I did it! 
W9R3 - just the beginning!
Just completed W4 with a 5k..!
