Month: January 2014

JD7

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 7 Comments

The journey home from work took slightly longer tonight, lots of diversions in place due to a major accident locally. The added time sitting in the car, together with getting far to comfortable on the sofa, meant a run was not going to happen.

So something different.

There will be a new building appearing in London in the next four years. One Blackfriars. This is what it will look like….

Tonight, in my head, I climbed the 50 storey building and reached the top of it. I went past the upmarket shopping complex. I went past the studio apartments that will be on sale for £960,000. I went past the two-bedroom apartments that will be priced at £1,850,000. I went past the three-bedroom apartments that will be on sale for £2,900,000. I even went past the restaurant and viewing platform. I also walked back down. Only on the way down I had a three course meal and a couple of cocktails, registered my interest on a three-bedroom apartment and picked up some designer clothes.

Ok, let me start again….tonight I went up and down these 50 times….

Not quite as glamourus, but just as knackering.

 

#janathon day 6

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 7 Comments

If Janathon is all about doing something extra….then I've got the hang of it. Defo!

If there was a chance of an early Janathon fail, then today was going to be the day:

  • First day back at work after Christmas break
  • Dark by the time I got home.
  • Windy and horrible out.

But despite this I got out there for 3ish miles around town at a steady 9 min/mile pace. Cushty!

Total Janathon mileage = 24.10

 

#janathon Day 5

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 6 Comments

Sunday morning, traditionally the home of the long run. Although this early in Janathon to attempt a very long run would be madness. Madness. Madness I say!

10am. Billy boy was quite keen to get out there…

Today the plan was to hit the woods for a muddy run. I like running around the woods and I love running on the trails, even after all the rain when it is near impossible to actually run on them. The last three runs have all been round the woods with Billy boy, which he loves, but he does get absolutely covered in mud. Then of course during the course of the day it dries and he then leaves little piles of dust wherever he lays. So I had a word with him and he agreed to try to avoid getting too muddy.

He lied.

We both got absolutely covered. So when I got in I had something to eat, had a shower, put some washing on, did a bit of ironing, mopped the floor, loaded the dishwasher and wrote this blog. Billy? He had a relax…

As for the run…here it is….in what has quickly become the norm….in graphic form…

Total Janathon mileage = 20.5

 

Slightly Strange….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 9 Comments

This morning was one of those mornings, you know the ones? The ones that seem slightly strange, the ones that seem to be full of too many coincidences.

The morning began in the usual 'holiday' way. I woke up, lay listening to the rain hitting the window for a bit, put the iPod on shuffle and began contemplating when to get today's Janathon run done. First track that came on was a Frank Hamilton track, featuring Mark Grist, called 'Animal Farm'. This is not particularly strange, I like Frank Hamilton and have quite a few of his tunes amongst the 1000s that are on the iPod.

The 'holiday' morning continued, I went downstairs, made a cuppa, grabbed the iPad and carried both upstairs with the intention of catching up on some Janathon blogs. As I jumped back in bed the iPod was playing the Pet Shop Boys. The iPod has gotten into the habit of picking the Pet Shop Boys when on shuffle, I don't understand why, but I've sort of got used to it by now, it still creeps me out a bit, but I've learned to cope. Next track up 'Animal Farm' by Frank Hamilton and featuring Mark Grist. What? The exact same track that was on earlier! Cue an investigation. Why had it picked the same track twice? Is the track on the device more than once? No. Does shuffle even repeat tracks, I thought once it had played a track that was it. I didn't dwell on this too much, it was really no big deal!

Next, did a bit of blog reading before heading off to Twitter to see what is going on in the world. After refreshing Twitter feed, I was quite surprised to see the latest Tweet was from Mark Grist, yes, the same Mark Grist that featured on 'Animal Farm'. Strange? Well, maybe a bit of a coincidence. The Tweet was referring to the fact that a YouTube video of his, 'Girls Who Read', was approaching 3 million views. Now I like Mark Grist and know of this particular poem, it's very good. I've seen him a couple of times, on his own and also as part of Dead Poets. In fact, it would be great if we got him into school to deliver some poetry workshops – must mention it to HoD. So I thought I'd click on the YouTube link and have another look at the video. Here it is….

After reading various Janathon blogs I felt enthused. I looked out the window, it was raining, but not amazingly heavy. I decided to go for it. I got changed, grabbed the dog, jumped in the car and headed for the woods. I sat in the car for a bit, the enthusiasm I had felt earlier was rapidly disappearing. After having an intense conversation with myself I was ready to go for it. The plan was: two laps of the small circuit, at a brisk pace. Recently I have been using RunKeeper whilst running. This enables me to track mileage for Janathon and also plays music via the app. You've probably guessed what is coming next. The music was on shuffle and what track should appear first? I think you guessed correctly: 'Animal Farm' by Frank Hamilton featuring Mark Grist. Now that is definitely slightly strange. I wonder what the rest of the day will bring?

Nearly forgot…..Janathon….

Total Janathon mileage after Day 4 = 15.23

Why not join in with 'Mark Grist Day'….click here to listen to 'Animal Farm', pop over to his website or do a search on YouTube.

 

A day of discoveries….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 11 Comments

My first discovery of the day was that apparently the UK is receiving some ‘exceptional’ weather. You only have to watch the news or listen to the radio and you will be given various warnings: amber, low-level flooding, high tides, severe flood warnings, red, danger to life, tidal surge and localised flooding to name but a few. Now….let me just make this clear: I sympathise with people that have been affected by the ‘exceptional’ weather. But….I am fed-up of the media storm (no pun intended) that has been created. A couple of minutes watching Sky News and I’m ready to throw the bloody TV out the window (although I remember screwing the bloody bracket on the wall so I doubt I could manage it). The language they use is ridiculous: the sea ‘battering’ the coastline; the latest storm ‘thundered’ in; the flood waters are ‘frightening’; ‘ripped’ apart; left in ‘tatters’. So I headed out the door for today’s Janathon run expecting nothing more than it being an extra bit muddy at the woods.

My second discovery…..the frightening storm that thundered in had battered the woods leaving them ripped apart and it tatters, left an amazing amount of water. This is the estate I live on*, not a house in sight….

And the discoveries kept on coming. I recently read a blog (can’t actually remember what one – I’ve read a lot recently) about some things that had clearly been lost at the woods, which included a Johnny Depp DVD. I love that people pick up stuff and hang them on trees and bushes for others to find. So I give you a selection of items, left in prominent positions, for their original owners to reclaim….

There is always a lost hat about
…and gloves, always lost…
Secateurs? Slightly stranger…
This minion was waiting to be reunited
Someone had even very kindly nailed a lost ‘Private – Please Keep Out’ sign up on a tree….

Ooooo….better actually mention what I did for day three of Janathon…

Total Janathon mileage = 11.37

* this is a lie

Lately things have changed….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 14 Comments

This was me a couple of years ago, all shiny and new:

I couldn't wait to be taken off the shelf and have someone take care of me, love me and be number one in their life. This happened. A lovely man came along, he looked at me, he tried me on and took me home. He welcomed me into his life; I was so happy. Our relationship blossomed. We went everywhere together: club training; loads of races; we sometimes even went shopping together. I was at the centre of his life; always left by the door ready to be slipped on.

I'd always known I wasn't the only one in his life, there was someone else. But it was me that he choose most of the time. Only when the weather was bad, rain and mud, was I left indoors. I was happy with the situation: I didn't want to get ruined. I was the special one. It was me that got him through Juneathon, it was me that got him PBs, it was me that never got thrown in THE cupboard.

But days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, months turned into years and eventually something changed; I was no longer number one. Someone new entered his life. I was now the one that came out when it was raining. I was the one that had to endure the mud at the woods. I was the one that was thrown in THE cupboard.

This is me now, dirty, smelly and knackered:

I know my place, and whilst I'm not entirely happy with it, I know I am still loved. With the help of Janathon, we are building that relationship again. With the help of lots of rain and mud we're together more often. I've heard him talk about chucking me out, but he hasn't yet. I know he can't live without me. So for now, thanks to Janathon, I'm loving life. Bring on the rain!

Total Janathon mileage = 6.03