Less than 12 hours since the last run I was at it again. Today I ran along the picturesque seafront taking in the fresh air and morning sun at the woods. I seem to run at the woods a lot. Too much me thinks. Tomorrow I vow to try and run somewhere else. The only reason I run at the woods is so I can take the dog with me and kill two birds with one stone. Big effort to take in some new scenery tomorrow.
This morning's run was pretty uneventful, a big lap on the trails of Bourne Woods: 5 miles. It was a bit foggy this morning, I tried to catch it, mist.
Loads of mud.
I didn't really have a lot planned today so I decided to sort out my snail collection. I took the shell off my racing snail, thinking it would make him faster. If anything, it made him more sluggish. Also, Helen has taken to drawing on her eyebrows, I told her she was drawing them on too high. She looked surprised.
Today’s early morning run was, once again, at the woods. Plenty of people about this morning, including some very slow bike riders, that I actually ran past. Conjuring up images of Superman. How does the phrase go?
‘Faster than a speeding bicycle. More powerful than a gust of wind.
Able to leap over muddy puddles in a single bound’
It was very muddy, at times it was rather difficult to stay upright. Just recently I am suffering with a bit of an achy back after doing some trail running, I think I need to strengthen the core!?! Perhaps I should be hitting the weights at the gym? That sounds very Superman. Not.
I was accompanied on this morning’s run by Michael Rosenberg, AKA Passenger, and very enjoyable it was too.
I have been a regular participant of Janathon, or indeed its older brother, Juneathon, for the last few years. In that time I have always found the last few days of the month the hardest. Not this time. After a night of excess all I could manage this morning was: get up, have a cup of tea and go back to bed.
Therefore, it wasn't until after 5pm when I felt anything like going for a run. So tonight's rather pathetic attempt of getting on the Janathon train was a couple of very tired and still slightly hungover muddy miles in the dark.
Today's run = 3.28km
Project365 #1
Suffice to say that after a rather lacklustre start to 2015, today's photo is relaxing in front of the TV to watch a film.
Only six days to go; the plan is not to end with a whimper, Superman definitely wouldn't. 6 miles this morning around the woods in the mud. And it was very muddy.
I wrote a post at the beginning of the month about the eclectic mix of 'lost' items that I discovered when out on a run. Today I have another item to throw into the mix….
There are various reasons as to how it became abandoned in the woods: the little girl that this bike belonged to was fed up of pedalling it around the woods; or her Dad got fed up of her whinging and moaning that she was tired and threw it in the bushes; or, more likely, a group of drunk teenagers stole it and went for a late night spin on it around the woods. Either way it made for a strange sight this morning.
The rest of the day included driving through the eye of the storm on the way back from shopping. I felt like an American storm chaser. Woah man! Awesome dude! It was dope!
On safe arrival at home, Superman 3 was on TV. Cue anecdote of the day….
I remember being about 8 or 9 years old and going to the Science Museum (or somewhere like that) and laying on a table in front of a green screen and pretending to be Superman flying over Metropolis.
Tomorrow is the last Sunday of Janathon, and with the whole 'not going out with a whimper' idea and my memories of being Superman I plan to do a long run.
No this is not me dicing with the edges of educational blogging, as much as I'm tempted, I'm merely thinking about entering a few races for the coming year.
What's brought this on? Well, an email arrived yesterday from some crazy woman at school. She was following up on an email sent about 4 million years ago* that was inquiring whether there were enough people that fancied doing the Rat Race, and that maybe we could enter a team. I don't actually remember replying to the initial email, although as it was 4 million years ago that's not surprising, but apparently I was interested. This crazy woman is now looking for definite numbers and is on the verge of entering a team! And…..I'm in!
So….10th May…..20 miles….200 obstacles….yowza!
20 miles? That's quite a way! So I've been thinking about entering a few races before May. I've got a couple in mind that I've done before:
Spalding Half Marathon
Newton's Fraction Half Marathon
Although, taking part in Janathon is a good start for getting a bit of mileage in. Today is the eleventh day of Janathon which means, especially with all the rain, it is beginning to get a bit crowded at the back door…
Today was a 5-miler around the woods with the dog. Lots of people about this morning: runners, dog walkers and cyclists, including some particularly ignorant people about who refused to acknowledge my 'good mornings'. Sod 'em!
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…
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!
It has been three weeks since my last blog. Not exactly sure why? The weeks seem to be whizzing by like an old granny on a souped-up mobility scooter trundling down Oxford Street on the last Saturday before Christmas.
So, what has happened in the intervening weeks? Well, at this point I could launch into an absolutely hilarious collection of anecdotes. Well I could. But actually, I really can't be bothered. So instead you get this….
Frightened Rabbit in BirminghamMicky Flanagan in NottinghamMoRunning....fabulous medal!Endless muddy zombie runs...The boy is getting on fabulously...
Today saw four brave souls, Dead Men Running, attempt to complete a zombie infested 5km run….
Great example of teamwork – one hold phone, one press button!
A ‘short’ walk to the Zombie Evacuation HQ on a very cold and windy morning was enough to bring us to the edge of collapse before we had even seen a zombie.
Liability waiver was signed and timing chip, belt and tags collected. The liability waiver did not help to ease our fears:
‘The risk of injury and/or death from the activities involved in the Zombie
Evacuation Race and the Event is significant’
But we are a simple group of blokes and after a coffee and a KitKat, the standard zombie runners breakfast, we were feeling more confident and ready to face the zombie hordes.
Our allotted evacuation wave time quickly approached and we were ready and in postion to begin. We jogged to an assembly point on the edge of the infected zone where team tactics were quickly discussed. It was decided that we would stay together at all costs and if necessary risk possible zombie infection for the good of the team. After a quick briefing from the head of operations we began to jog ahead in a surprisingly light-hearted mood. This was soon to end because within 30 seconds we were running for our life, amongst smoke and dead corpses, after a zombie attack. At this point it was clear it was every man for himself, Simon pushing other runners to the side, Dave violently pushing me into a ditch in an attempt to save himself.
Over the 5km course we encountered various obstacles (logs, fences, walls, barbed wire, forest, mud, mine fields, rope bridges), what seemed like 1000s of zombies, and managed to just about stay together as a team. Only on a few occasions did the pressure of virus-infected zombies cause any team issues:
Early on Neil lost his hat which I bravely went back for, despite the cries from Dave of “leave it – it’s just a hat”.
On a particularly muddy part, Simon was seen walking over Neil to reach the top of the ridge.
At a rope walking obstacle again Simon was seen disrupting Neil’s progress by excessive swinging on the rope, nearly causing a zombie to infect him.
Trees twanged back into team mates faces…
Lots of needless shoving and grabbing for reassurance (the zombies were actually really scary!)
As we approached the end of the course Dave was the only member of Dead Men Running not to be infected, due to some decidedly ‘gay’ hand wafting around his hips, and it was decided that we would do ANYTHING to get him home in one piece. To cries of, “We’ll get you back Dave!”, we faced the final horde of zombies. Final outcome: 3 infected, 1 survivor. Good job Dave!
Escaping zombies makes you happy!
Overall it was a great day, and despite the ‘screaming like a bunch of girls’ I was very proud of the boys! A well earned pint was the reward…..
Dave was keen to tell EVERYONE he knew that he was the only survivor!
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