A difficult 13 miles today. I’m disappointed, but have to accept that these things happen from time to time.
Yesterday evening I drove around the local lanes beyond the canal, working out a new long run route. I’m a bit fed up with the canal. I need a break from the flies.
This morning I was up early and drove round again.Finally settled on a 13 mile route. Dropped off a drink at the 10 mile mark.
Finally set off at around midday, using a water belt for the first time. I thought it was going to feel very awkward after a while but it wasn’t too bad. In fact, it seemed to hold my guts together as I trundled along.
The weather was just about ideal for running. Warm with sporadic, light showers.
I felt strong for the first 4 or 5 miles. The run took me down past the canal and beyond, into that swathe of flat countryside around Burghfield, Three Mile Cross and Grazeley Green. The roads were fairly empty, though the cars travel quickly, and it wasn’t very relaxing.
Then my phone rang, and I stopped for 3 or 4 minutes to negotiate the cost of having our dining room floor sanded and varnished. It was a mistake. I rarely take a phone with me but as I had this belt today, and as it was a long run, I thought it wise. Anyway, while I appreciated the rest, it broke the rhythm, and I struggled after that.
By the time I got to 8 or 9 miles I was feeling weary. This was around the time that I stumbled across some top-secret establishment surrounded by huge fences, barbed wire, CCTV and patrolling police cars. And signs saying “NO PHOTOGRAPHING OR SKETCHING”. Berkshire has several of these places, most famously the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, and down the road a little, the cruise missile base at Greenham Common (which may have closed now). This place might have been part of the AWE. It doesn’t appear on the two maps I’ve checked. Anyway, I’d urge everyone to go and have a look at it. Take a picnic and spend the day wandering round the perimeter fence, waving at the CCTV. It confuses the hell out of them.
In a previous existence, I wasted 5 years working for the police, snooping on other people and grumbling about how awful other people are. A despicable occupation, though incredibly cushy. It embarrasses me to think about it. Eventually I chose life. It’s much nicer out here than in there, I can assure you.
Just past this ludicrous place I stopped to pick up the back-up drink I’d dropped earlier. I now knew I’d struggle to keep running. I even had the PowerGel that I’d bought back in April for the London Marathon, but hadn’t used. It wasn’t bad. It said “vanilla” on the packaging though I suspect there would be little forensic evidence to link this substance to a vanilla pod. I can imagine the white-coated boffins in the lab, mixing up their noxious chemicals, producing this sticky off-white substance.
– What shall we call this one?
– Er, Brilliant White Emulsion?
– What about Putty? Or Sealant?
– No, should be something vaguely food-related. Someone’s going to eat this stuff, remember. [Sounds of chuckling in the background]
– Tartare? Mayonnaise?
– Hmm, better, but not quite.
– Vanilla?
– Vanilla! That’s it!
Actually, it was mystifyingly tasty. Had a sort of caramelly-chocolate character, and with a satisfyingly gloopy consistency. But it didn’t do much for my energy levels.
Struggled through the last three miles, jogging half-heartedly, walking here and there. Though funnily enough I finished the 13 miles in the same time that it took me to run the Reading Half in March: 2 hours 30 minutes. This surprised me, and made me wonder if I’d started off too quickly.
Our exploration of the area’s cultural facilities continued this evening, with a trip to the cinema at the Arts Centre in Bracknell, where we finally caught up with K-PAX. We enjoyed it. The cinema was a sort of Regency drawing room, complete with Palladian fireplace, chandelier, elaborate cornices and ceiling decorations. (I might have imagined that chandelier.) An unusual cinema, to put it mildly.
The film is interesting. Kevin Spacey plays a guy who arrives in New York claiming to be a visitor from a distant planet. Spends his time in a psychiatric hospital, slowly convincing a psychiatrist (Jeff Bridges) that he’s telling the truth. Main flaw is the unconvincingly rapid flurry of detective work at the end as Bridges tries to uncover the ‘truth’. But it’s thought-provoking and funny in places. Worth seeing.
Hurrah! The long run is over for another week!