Reasons for not running Part 1

[londongirln19]

Yesterday I woke up to find that one of my eyes wouldn’t open. Something had bitten me in the night (bed bugs feature heavily in my Google history at the moment) and I’d suffered some kind of allergic reaction which had made my face swell up. I looked like a cross between Caliban and the Elephant Man.

Thankfully, I do most of my work on the phone, so no-one else had to look at me, apart from my poor son. Although I wasn’t technically ill, I looked and felt terrible and the antihistamines weren’t working. Feeling very sorry for myself I took to the sofa as soon as I could with rubbish TV and a large bar of Green and Blacks Caramel (well, it was a rest day).

My face didn’t look or feel much better this morning and running was really the last thing I wanted to do.

I told myself…

It’s cold.

It’s wet.

It’s windy.

It’s muddy.

The leaves underfoot will be slippery – I’ll fall and break a leg.

I’ll get hit by a falling bough.

Small children will burst into tears when they see my face.

Hey, I’ve graduated. I don’t even have to do this if I don’t feel like it.

And, magically, that was the bit that worked. I don’t have to do this. If I get tired and want to walk for a while I can. If I want to stop and admire the view, I can. If I don’t feel like swimming in the pond at the end of the run, I don’t have to.

I’m running because I want to. Because when I finish I’ll feel great. Because whatever else I do today there will be a secret little glow of happiness and pride knowing that I've been for a run and a swim.

I found Handel’s Messiah on my Blackberry and ran round the heath singing along to the gloriously uplifting music.

Walking back from the Ladies’ Pond an hour or so later feeling warm and elated, a very faint sun glowed through the clouds and there were jet trails across a patch of blue sky. These are the things I'll remember next time the sofa beckons.

Hallelujah!

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Can't wait to read Part 2!

Good on ya London girl, xox London woman (well, I was till I was 18, albeit the wrong side of the river!) delia

[londongirln19 Graduate]

We've both graduated, Delia! Who'd have thought?

There's no wrong side of the river - I went to university and spent my first 20 years in London on the south side of theThames - 'transpontine' is one of my favourite words.

[Vivwestie Graduate]

That conjured up a lovely picture Londongirl. And it sounded much better than the couch. Hope your face subsides soon.

[londongirln19 Graduate]

Thanks Viv. Thank goodness for makeup.

[vixiej Graduate]

great blog, I will remember that next time I'm making excuses for myself.

I scared someone half to death once many years ago, I was a nanny and my darling nephew gave me chicken pox, aged 21. I went stir crazy cooped up indoors so decided to sneak out for some air just as it was getting dark. As I rounded the first corner, right under a light, a man coming the other way exclaimed loudly and leaped about 3 feet backwards as he almost bumped into me. It was very depressing at the time, but your blog reminded me of that and made me laugh

Hope your face returns to normal soon!

[londongirln19 Graduate]

Hilarious in retrospect but it must have been mortifying for you at the time. My face is back to normal now, thank you , and I'm pretty sure it's not bed bugs , thank goodness.