In this fast-paced, ever-changing world in which we live, it’s important to choose an opening sentence devoid of nugatory cliché.
Seventeen more RC Tip of the Day opportunities left till the Almeria Half. On the evidence of my 4 miler this evening, the pain of the post-Christmas, post-ankle recovery effort is becoming more bearable.
The church bells were clattering over the village as I left. Every Wednesday at 19:30, the local campanologists ring the changes. It’s an optimistic sound, so a good time to get out and run. After yesterday morning’s early lope around the block, I’d planned to have a day away from it today, but the rather grim weather forecast for tomorrow encouraged me to swap the days around. It was a dark evening, but clear and mild. Où sont les neiges d’antan?
It was also the first outing for a few weeks in which I could sense an improvement in my fitness. I’m still prodigiously over-larded, but there’s nevertheless a kind of relative looseness, a keenness, a mild bounciness that appears now and then. I saw just its shadow this evening, so the real thing can’t be too far behind.
Seventeen days isn’t long enough to make the race anything but a struggle, but it’s sufficient to burn off a few pounds and sharpen my attitude.
And develop a thirst. 2007 continues to be a grog-free zone.
