Good runs

[Seafront Plodder]

My last weekend long run was always going to be today. What with the non-cross training (thanks Hal) of 4 hours of tennis on Sunday, my back was playing up a bit yesterday – all those kick serves ya see – so I rested.

Today I had a fairly full day of meetings and err, well not much else really. But by driving at breakneck speed I managed to be home by about 4pm, just enough time to slip into the lycra and get at least half the run done in daylight. Or so I thought.

I only sat down on the bed to put my socks on, really I did - and, well the pillow looked sooo inviting that before I knew what was happening, it was almost dark outside. Oh well, I stumbled downstairs and grabbed my things, garmin, towel, phone, drink. Shut the front door and…..bugger! No keys.

So there I was, standing there in the drive, in shorts, in the biting wind. Sh1t! The neighbour who is most likely to have our spare key have gone on holiday!

I rang Miss SP the teenager (nuff said)…

Me: Hi it’s me, where are you?
Teen: I’m at Jess’s
Me: where’s that?
Teen: Oh my god dad, you’ve dropped me off there often enough!
Me: where is it?
Teen: It’s behind the Texaco garage, remember?
Me: (sensing I was wasting my time) Ok, see ya.

I then called Master P. But he’d had his BCG jab (remember that) today and had gone around a friends house to compare bruises. Lastly, (although I should have done this first), I called Mrs P and luckily she was just on her way home from a dog walk. So ok I got ridiculed for standing there in shorts looking like an arse, but at least I could get in to pick up the car keys and head away to my starting position.

In case you are wondering, I couldn’t just begin the run from home as it was all so meticulously planned and to alter things would have meant no drink for at least 6 miles. Long runs call for circuits of the town, so if I park the car at the opposite end, I get a drink every 3 miles or so .See?

With the wind west – east, I parked at the west end of the seafront to give myself the first mile and a half with the wind to warm up and get going. One town circuit is bang in 10k (6.25 miles) and I didn’t fancy doing two, so the route involved a lot of doubling back and veering up previously unchartered roads.

Mile 8 and I started to regret my decision to take the easy start, as it was against the wind……and uphill! Mile 9 and I caught my reflection in Caffyns window.

Somehow I knew I was going to manage this run without walk breaks, despite the strong winds. I made a pact with myself to run 11 miles; and that’s exactly what I did.

I’m pleased.

And for the benefit of Sweder, who knows the route around my town but probably doesn’t know the sort of information available from a GPS jobbie…………….