It’s not over yet

After yesterdays run was cut short after 400m by a lurking bollard, I thought my plans to run every day for Janathon were over. However I woke at 5.30 this morning and thought nope I’m doing this, even if it’s only a token mile. So I chose a slightly better lit route and set off.  I staggered along the pavement , enjoyed the lovely early morning smells coming out of the local bakery, drifted past lounge windows with toddlers clued to cartoons, and dodged the fast trotting bin men.

 Now the deed is done and although short, but enough on my bruised leg, it felt sweet because I have still run every day.

Who Put That There!

5:30 this morning saw me pulling on my running kit, and heading out into the gloom for my run. I decided to head through the park, there is a well lit section, but to get there I had to cut across a dark car park. A bollard that I don’t recollect being there before and my foot made contact, and I went sprawling onto the tarmac. Of course it was my crap knee which took the bash, and a bleeding shin, all convinced me to hobble back home and sulk.

Still I have not failed I have a 10km cycle commute so my exercise will happen

Not the best of days

Short and sweet for day 23, I ran 5km this morning, and on my bike ride home tonight  was threatened by a motorist who cut be up in a bus lane. The motorist was an off duty policeman, I have his number. is it worth making an official complaint? Unfortunately I think not… my word against a policeman…

Running together… or not

Janathon Day 22 completed with a morning 5km, feeling suprisingly fresh but guess I am not pushing myself too hard.

Today also saw OH make his second run in 40 years ( yes I think he should have had a rest day) we agreed he would join me for the first 2km of my planned 5km. Bean Pole set off at a nifty pace and accelerated away on our agreed route, I next saw him 2km later sat on a gate waiting for me. I had tried to keep up, and the result was that I ran faster than I have since coming back from injury. However he is 6’3” with very long legs, so I guess our ‘Running Together’ is just going to involve leaving the house together and sharing a glass of water when we get home. It probably won’t be long before he is zooming ahead of me for the whole 5km.

The Day the OH ran

As I was getting ready for my Janathon Day 21 stagger, OH declared his back ok enough for him to join me. OH has not run since leaving school 40 years ago, and he does not DO sport, however he does walk every day, and is built like a bean pole.

I was very excited by the thought that he wanted to start running, but obviously a little worried. Of course I didn’t have to be, Bean Pole sailed around a 2km route I had planned at 6’20” per km pace, it was ME struggling to stay with him. Admittedly he stopped at 2km and I carried on for a few more, but still not a bad first go!

He is now talking about his next run, and I am having to advise caution and have a days rest. We plan to run a Park Run in a couple of months, and I have a feeling Bean Pole will be waiting at the finish for me to come in.

 

High Kicking Janathon

Day 20 of Janathon is done, once more a predawn 5km stagger through my local streets. All very quiet, though my one observation is perhaps people should get better blinds in their bathrooms, a passing thought.

I have been wanting and not blogged for the last 3 days, I did, however jog and log, so a bit of a Jnathon fail I am afraid. However in this house there has been a Janathon conversion. My OH, a man who likes to conserve his energy for more cerebal exercise, announced on Wednesday that he thought he might join me for a run. Once I had picked myself back up off the floor, we discussed the need for some running kit, and he duly went off to the shops. On returning from work I found a pair of  new size 12 Ascis adorning the hall way . The OH I found lying flat on the living room floor, his back had gone….how? Apparently, he felt, in hindsight, that maybe he should not have tried doing high kicks in his new running shoes…

Coming Out

I have hinted to this in the past, but have always been nervous about coming clean. However fairweatherrunner mentioned it the other day, so now I am out…I like running to the BeeGees, oh and the Three Degrees. Some might feel I need treatment, but it takes me back 30 odd years, and makes my legs feel a bit younger.

Today was the third week of Janathon, I have tried to ‘up’ my mileage a little each week, so 5.3km was staggered in the predawn mildness this morning. Slow, 5 mins off my times 6 months ago, but injuries take time to come back from, but back I am coming… and the BeeGees are with me every step.

McCains Oven ready Chips

Today one of the events in the McCains Cross Country series is happening on my doorstep. Lots of athletic runners buzzing around, a few were even earnestly running down my road at 8am this morning as I left for my run . I am quietly amused how the makers of ‘Chips’ can be sponsers of running, but there again booze and fags have also been used in the past.

Knowing my local running grounds would be awash with all these extremely fit people I turned the other way, and staggered off for a pavement run. I had mentally planned out a nice 8km route, but within 5 mins of starting by knee was telling me no way.  Bearing in mind I am only half way through Janathon and I want to keep running every day, I drastically shortened my route. So day 15 was a 3.3km stagger, I was back home, showered and back in bed with a cuppa and the papers by 8.45, not bad.

I am a Saturday Slob

It’s Saturday, the day my whole body exhales and says ‘ You can do what you like today’., and normally I do just that. However it’s Janathon, so a run must be done, but I will admit only two miles, and now I am back in the house preparing to Saturday Slob..brilliant!

 

Greyhounds and a disinclination to incline

Day 13 of Janathon dawns, well pre dawn for me as I head out into the dark. It was all glittery this morning and my breath showed up in the street lights, so definitely a drop in temperature from yesterday. Ahead in the park I could see 2 little red flashing lights darting around like mini alien space craft, they headed toward me, and finally I could see two greyhounds charging about. They then accompanied me for a little while darting around me, but finally they got bored with my slug pace and shot off, back to me and me alone.

My route today took in a few more upward gradients, I don’t ‘do’ hills, but am trying to build a few more slopes into my staggers. I know they will improve my overall speed and fitness, but I hate them. Another problem I seem to have developed is that my ‘cronk’ knee just doesn’t seem to be able to handle even a slight slope, and I have to do an odd hopping movement. It’s strange because it’s ok walking up stairs and riding my bike, obviously a different muscle, ligament involved which isn’t playing ball.

One good thing about running really early is I can have a reasonably leisurely breakfast ( weetabix with pears and blueberries) and quiet time, before getting on my bike and heading to work, all things have a plus side!