Running… it’s a funny thing.
There is good news and not so good news on the work front. The good news is that we are really busy… busy is good because it means growth and growth means income. The bad news is that we are really busy, and busy means less time to do the things I like to do… and more (understandable) pressure from the rest of the family to spend time with them. Amongst all of this I am trying to re-ignite my running.
I am very happy being a member of the herd (running club)… they are doing me a world of good and are a cracking bunch of guys. However, it has now been two weeks since I ran with them and sadly this week is no better.
So this last weekend I decided to take matters into my own hands and invited BGG to run the Twittens with me. Having made the invitation on Twitter, another running friend, Rob (aka Out Along the River) asked whether he could join us as well. Excellent.
So this is how the three of us found ourselves meeting at 8:30 on a cold Sunday morning. Two of us turned up in what I can only describe as very loud, brightly coloured tops and light weight lower running apparel… i.e. dressed for the occasion. The other one (you know who I am referring to here) arrived wearing gear than would make an Eskimo sweat. I kid you not… he had two pairs of gloves on… long trousers, short trousers, three tops and a hat. The poor man was sweating like a hamster in a sauna before we had even started.
But start we did. It was my idea, so I felt I needed to take the lead. “Come on guys” I shouted and started sprinting up the first Twitten. The only sounds I heard behind me were the sounds of plotting… the plotting of my downfall… if they can’t catch me… then their only recourse was to nobble me. The game was on.
We jogged lightly down the next Twitten before launching again up the next. This time Rob did his best to catch me up… and very nearly made it before we arrived at the top in a mass of sweat (and in my case) blubber. On, on, on we ran… up and down until we reached the half way point. Here the big man made his excuses and headed home, having received a text message from the Mutts requesting his return for their daily constitutional. This left Rob and I to reverse the route and run back to the start again.
This run is brilliant, yet brutal. All told it is 5 miles… 5 very tough miles. But I love it.
Once finished, Rob and I managed a slow jog to a local coffee shop for refreshment, before we parted, in my case running back up the hill to head for home.
So that was Sunday. On Monday I realised I only had one more opportunity to rack up a few more miles before next weekend so decided to head out again. The Big Man decided to join me…he clearly has the bit between his teeth.
So 19:00 on Monday night we met at the prison for a romp through town. Again I had the lead… and with only a rough idea of a route in mind we set off. A long downhill started the run, all the way to the river. Next there was a flat bit on the edge of a park. I innocently suggested that we ran a few Fartleks here, as this is where I do them when running with the herd. Honestly, the look he gave me could have cut diamonds. But he did them… he didn’t say much… but they were done. We then headed back into town where I had a choice. I could either skirt around Southover, which is relatively flat, or head up the high street, which isn’t relatively flat. I chose the latter. I realised half way up the hill that I was in a feisty mood so decided to head back down another hill so we could charge ourselves up one of the infamous Twittens before turning our attention to a nice steady incline back to the starting point again, 3 miles in the bag.
We had a natter for a few minutes before meandering our way home. Like I said I was feeling feisty, so instead of running the direct route back, I took a detour and added another quick mile to the distance. It was a great run… I was feeling up for it… the pace was sub 8 min/miles and it was lovely to be out with the Big Man again.
Interestingly, having made some noise on Twitter about Sunday’s shenanigans, I have two others expressing an interest in running the Twittens. I think we have a new Sunday morning running club in the making.
