March 2010

[Sweder]

Whoo-hoo! A second outing this month ... hang out the flags.

With the Day of Days ready to pour down upon us this Wednesday ParkRun held their St. Patrick's Day event today. To accompany the shock of garish green garb the organisers cheekily reversed the circuit, starting at the finish alongside the cafe, running clock-wise to finish at the, er, start. This was great fun. The usual steep plummets became short, sharp climbs, over in a flurry of wild sawing breaths and the high-pitched whine of screaming hamstrings. By contrast the seemingly endless ascent one normally curses on the weekly slog became a gentle down-hill lollop, sloping South towards what was once Brighton & Hove Albions' beloved Goldstone Ground and is now Toys R Us and Carpet-Right. I took full advantage, letting my long, open stride lope lazily for half a klick. The breeze at my back on this section was a small joy to savour alongside a working set of lungs and fresh, niggle-free legs.

I didn't bother with the Garmin (OK, I was horribly late getting up and left it on my desk). As usual when running without the bleeping task-master I relaxed and enjoyed myself, catching up with Moylebird on the last lap to chat amiably over the last few hundred metres. Cam logged in at the finish and set off immediately on her long run. Impressive.

Coffee and endorphins flew in equal measure in the Hove Park Cafe. The band of regulars gathered to swap pre-Brighton tales of training horror and cruel injury. It seems everyone has some kind of ailment to carry; Ladyrunner nursing her sore legs, Mikey battling cramping calves via the use of potions, lotions and a rather dramatic-sounding epidural (!)

Perhaps we should entice a physio or two along to these gatherings. Or maybe Billy Graham. We could sure use a mass healing. Praise the Lord.