One of imperatives of marathon training is that you must choose your long practice run, HM in my case, to collide with weather forecast that warns of persistent rain for the entire duration of your run. Check. Got drenched to the bone.
Second. Try and see at least one of the wonders of your humble parish during your exercise in order to feed the brain with more fun. I was hoping l would witness the Thames dolphins (the orange ones), known to leap over the bridges backwards in unison of 5. No such luck today. Then l wished l could stumble across the famous hanging villa in Knightsbridge, so famous and yet so secret that nobody has ever seen it. And neither have l, sadly. Then l went for scraps and hoped l could at least spot the famous Hyde Park albino goat, the one that walks on his hind legs and recites Milton backwards. No idea where that guy was today, certainly not on my trail.
But then, then the luck stroke near Cadogan square. I saw a runner, a lady, running with an umbrella!!! With. An. Umbrella. Dear Mary, mother of Lord, what the hell was that?! I mean, alright, it was pouring down, but what was she thinking?! I nearly went under a bus, the scene was pure acid, incredible....
Oh well. At least l got home with something. See if you can spot here near 7km mark. The dolphins can wait.
Written by
mrrun
Ultramarathon
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Good post from you 'mrrun', strange seeing a runner 🏃 running with a umbrella ☔. I have seen cycling videos about cycling in Amsterdam, one showed a video when it was raining and there were a few cyclist with a umbrella ☔ yes, running and cycling with a umbrella ☔ does seem crazy to me as well as to you.
It’s a very good, very animating historical route. Times goes quickly if the legs agree and there are paths that are very quiet. Yes, it does feel uphilly and running back feels more comfortable. Never done the Serpentine, the start time always clashes with my recovery schedule.
Need to be a bah humbug person about new year celebrations - even then it seems like a long 10K. Lived round there several years ago but often think would never have taken up running if I'd stayed - 3rd floor flat with no lift so I'd never have got up the stairs afterwards.
Brilliant! Too bad you missed the orange dolphins. I understand they are really something to behold. I think if someone showed up to our group with a brollie that they would be respectfully asked to leave it behind to be picked up after the run. Otherwise you are missing all the fun.
Thinking back l believe she was protecting her hair do. That part of London is very style conscious, you cannot just turn up wearing anything. Let’s just hope they don’t start carrying those massive golf umbrellas although l wouldn’t be surprised if they do.
I couldn’t imagine running with a brolly, I don’t even know how that would work. I guess it takes some skill to stop in going inside out. I love your route. I might nick that next year. I have a standard 17km route but I like A change every now and then.
Tbh, she looked as if she’s having difficulties navigating the stretch towards car busy Sloane Square. It’s not as if you’re given great visibility options with a bouncing dome above your head. Anyways, I’ve got another longish route, the one from Battersea park towards St Paul’s, over to Tate then back. If you hit it early, before it gets busy, it’s a treat. Where is yours?
Mine is really boring to start with and can be a right pain. Crystal Palace, gypsy hill, Brockwell park, (round the outside) Brixton, Stockwell, Vauxhall, south bank. London Bridge elephant and castle. Sit on the 363 bus home with an almond crossaint and a hot chocolate from Pret. I have done it once a month this year. Either race walk or run. I’m trying to stay distance prepared more or less all the time. South bank can be a nightmare at times but I love the buzz of it.
That sounds like a nice - undulating - route as well. Do intend to get train up and run along the Thames one day. Current long run ends at a coffee shop and can then hop on train home but starting to cool down a bit to quickly at the end now it's a cooling down.
So it’s true then mad dogs and Englishmen etc., and Englishwomen run with umbrellas in the rain.🏴👏👏
Never seen that around here men or women, 🏴 too afraid , might get locked up.🙈🤔.It is so windy around here also that people walk with a permanent lean into the wind .Been here 3 decades.
Must say, thinking about that never seen it in the West Highlands either, 🏴 heaviest rainfall in the country.Lived there for 3 decades also.The rain starts and forgets to stop.In fact and I am one, it rains so much local people have webbed feet but no umbrellas,can’t afford them.
I wonder what sort of costume she will don in the winter, that will probably depend on the current fad. On the subject of rain, there is nothing wrong with it but l would think twice before running in hard rain during the winter, that’s one of those that can go badly wrong. From breeze to freeze before you know it...
Oh I so wish you’d got a pic, that the most utterly ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.... she’s clearly not a proper runner. Sounds like a fantastic run...
Ha ha. Why not though? 🤷♀️ The lady sounds very sensible 😁😁
I did a double take the other day when I saw a lad on a unicycle. it had a huge wheel 😃. Watched a bloke getting arrested once and forgot to start my watch as was being too nosey ☺️
I do go past a house which is Onslow and Daisy to a tee. They have the front door open til it gets dead cold and then they open the top living room window for the dog to go in and out You can imagine the state of the window They took the garage door window out last year when they had guests staying and had cleaned the window. There are always loads of different vehicles there, parked on the garden, which resembles a scrap yard I always have a good look when I pass to see what’s occurring The dog seems fine, a brindle bull dog type, funnily enough 😃. Their near neighbours keep geese on a tiny front lawn 🤷♀️ It’s not Surbiton 😎
Come Christmas I shall be switching my running to Knob Hill where I can oooh and aaaah at the lovely window decorations of the posh houses 😃
Joking aside, think of balance. You don't want to be carrying anything which can cause strain, and a brolly defo falls into that category. I'd start with shoulder blades, those guys would most certainly disagree with any added pressure. What you need is free arms and relaxed shoulder movements. Or a treadmill.
I'd take shoulder ache over a treadmill any day. Went on one for five minutes whilst I had my gait checked a year ago, never again! 🤣 I like seeing all the ladies zipping about side saddle on motorbikes with umbrellas and parasols up in Singapore and Thailand. I feel I could learn a lot about grace and balance there.
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Otherwise you are missing all the fun.
Didn't really feel like going outside today but then... 
2/3 of a half marathon
HHM Training - Week 10 Day 6
