But ultimately a good one. It was just a struggle getting there. I’m a bit late posting since this run was on Saturday afternoon, which was also late because it was meant to be on Friday. But life happened in that way that it does and due to some... parental drama, by the time the chance to run rolled around I was done for the day and instead of a run and the healthy meal I planned to cook, I, um, drove to KFC. New Years’ reso-what?
So the run happened on Saturday afternoon and this was an impromptu one so I didn’t really prepare for it but the moment was there and I wasn’t going to miss it. I guess I should be relieved that the snow was all melted by then but to be honest, I thought it would be quite fun, if very challenging, to try a snowy run.
Anyway I headed out and once again put The Beatles on shuffle. I am planning a David Bowie one but I worry it might just give me half an hour of his weird experimental 90s stuff, which is ok in small doses but not something I’d like to run to.
So I had my warm up walk to I Want to Tell You and Tomorrow Never Knows, which fit quite well and led nicely into the first 3 minute run. Actually that second song is really good to run to, like journeying through a portal into another realm. Or along a cold residential path with a weird smell of manure in the air.
That led into Good Day Sunshine and I started to think I was just running to Revolver, which would be ok but it’s not the most upbeat album overall to run to. Fortunately that led into Something which was timed just right for the first walk.
I was still doing ok by this point but I already felt like I’d put a lot more than 3 minutes into this so it didn’t bode well. And only 90 seconds before the next run! This was not going to be easy. It was at this point that I had my first awkward encounter with PEOPLE.
As it was the afternoon I decided to go around my favourite park route but I should have taken into account that on a Saturday afternoon, even a cold one, there are going to be people there, and in a secluded park like this one, there are going to be some not nice people there.
So on the path to the park, I puffed past someone walking a dog. That’s fine. Then walking along the park path I encountered a group of guys, I don’t know how old they were, maybe 20s, maybe even 30s but they were spending their Saturday throwing things either into or over the pond/lake/giant puddle thing (still not sure what body of water it qualifies as). As I walked by they all stopped and turned to watch me in amusement. Their lives really must be boring.
I know I should just ignore it and carry on but it really does make me feel uncomfortable and intimidated by this kind of thing. I hate people sometimes! It’s not what they think that bothers me so much, it’s how they choose to act on it. Just do your thing and I’ll do mine ok? Although if you hit a swan I really hope it responds accordingly.
Anyway I passed them and decided to spend as little time in that park as possible, there was just no way I’d enjoy it with the present company so the run started again, I ran around the water and quickly moved over to the path leading out.
Suitably enough I was running to I’ll Follow the Sun, which wasn’t particularly hot but blinding when you faced the right direction, which was pretty much unavoidable. However this part led me to a less intimidating but much more awakes encounter on the path leading back to the houses.
In front of me was a woman walking her dog and I was rapidly catching up. Ok then, I can handle that. But wait, what’s this coming in the opposite direction? Only another group walking their dog. The timing couldn’t be better. The moment these two parties crossed paths was the moment that I needed to pass them. So what followed was various people unsure where to be (I veered off the path and onto the grass to bypass the whole thing), two excited dogs deciding if they should play or fight, and me trying to navigate through it all. Of course the dogs gravitated towards the only person running and all the while O was sweat and breathless and desperate to just not be seen by anyone. So that was fun.
I managed to get away from all that and puffed my way back up the steps to the houses, barely able to lift my own weight as Blackbird guided me to the end of the run.
I could not be more grateful for a long walk but even then I was worried that 2.5 minutes wouldn’t be enough. In fact I was convinced that I might need to cheat and pause it to extend the walk. Help! was playing and it couldn’t have been more appropriate. That led to Fixing a Hole and then it was time to run again so I thought, what the hell, it’s only 3 minutes, I’ll extend the next walk if I have to.
So I ran all through that and part of Martha My Dear but not fast and not easily. It was the hardest run of the day and I just thought, how the hell can I run another 5 minutes on top of this? The walk was so short I was still on the same song at the end of it!
But then something happened and I don’t know what. I just thought, start the run now, no extra breaks, go as slow as you need to, so as I’m Happy Just to Dance With You started, I started running at a ridiculously slow pace, slower than walking.
And it as good, it was fine. I didn’t have a lot to give but what I had I put into that run. I was running on empty and it was just enough. In fact it was so slow, it have me a chance to recover just a liiittle bit and allowed me to pick up the pace for When I Get Home. “
I don’t know how but this needed up being the easiest part of the run. I guess I’d used up all my exhaustion on the previous parts and it helped that there were no further hindrances or encounters. Just me and the mission and I focused and I was careful and I took my time and I smashed it.
When the end came I stopped, I had nothing left in me and that walk was more welcome than ever but it felt like a real victory walk. It was the kind of breathless, weak-legged walk that made me feel like I could finish this thing, one way or another. I struggled with the straight 20 minute run last time I attempted it and I know I will again but I can do it. It’s going to be a slow run but I can do it. Hey, I did it once before, just about, and this time I’ll do it better.
So I walked it off to Eight Days a Week and Mother Nature’s Son (great song to end on by the way). Just as the cool down was was wrapping up, Revolution 9 started but there was no time to listen to that one. I think I’ll manage without it though.
So it was a tough run and it didn’t happen when I wanted it to but it happened, I did it and I’ll do it again first chance I get, which better be tomorrow because I’m sick of delays. Still a day behind the structure I wanted to follow but I’ll stick with it and we’ll see. My legs are still weak but I can’t wait to take it on again. I remember loving week 5 last year and as the days get longer I’m looking forward to doing it again.
That was tough 
w4r2 FAIL!!
W4R2 completed!
W6R1 - Tough - Comfortable - Enjoy
That was just lovely 
