miserable weather

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 30

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Day 30. A very DREIGH day here in Cambridge. Raining or drizzling  throughout the daylight hours. I meant to do a long run but commitments and miserable weather combined against me. I did run 5.25 miles, a no-score draw, really (glass half empty). Or, I was busy today and the weather  was horrible but I still managed to run over 5 miles…..fantastic! (glass half full).

I ran to the river Cam and back, rather than along it for a more substantial distance. Although the run was routine, it wasn’t without incident. When I reached the river I came across a group of water nymphs laughing and chatting and obviously enjoying the rain. Some were resting on the river bank and others were half in the water (very much like the picture above, actually). I was both shocked at their presence and embarrassed at their immodesty. Flustered, I averted my gaze which highly amused them. Tarry awhile, they sang, we know you are a brave young running god and we salute you. Ye shall go from strength to strength and it is prophesied you will be the first among men in parkrun. They beckoned me to kneel and wanted to give me a chaste kiss but I felt it was too risky getting over involved with these mythical maidens. Like the News of the World reporter of old who wrote that, coming across a den of iniquity and unable to participate in the depravity due to his high moral standards, “made his excuses and left”, I, too, bid them adieu and turned on my heels.

I was in a good mood when I reached home and indulged in a bit of air guitar while listening to Boston’s More Than Just a Feeling followed by(Don’t Fear) The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult. Mmmm…..I might do more riverbank running. There was something  about these water nymphs I couldn’t quite put my finger on!

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 26

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Day 26. This weather is diabolical! Rain, rain, rain and more bloody rain. It’s cold and miserable and I’m sure I’ve seen a couple of zombies on the pavement from my bedroom window. And now I’m about to go for a run. Let’s hope the zombies are the slow moving, slow witted classical kind rather than the more nimble, forward planning thinking types I’m more frightened of……or an ex-parkrunner.

I did go for a two mile run. I waited until the rain partially stopped and it wasn’t too bad. I was expecting to come across a similar scene to that  in the Dore picture. If we did experience a deluge like that, we’d have to climb a tree because the land is as flat as a pancake where I live. In fact, in the 18 minutes I ran, the skies cleared sufficiently for a lovely sunset. “TOO LATE, MR SUN,”  I shouted skywards, choosing not to blame the clouds at this point. But surely the clouds are just as culpable. They bring the bloody rain. So I had a go at them as well. I felt better after this.

A sorry tale of technology fail yesterday at the Walthamstow parkrun. Or rather human fail. Three adults, three Garmins and one reliable stop watch between them. Both my children forgot to stop their Garmins at the finish line. I failed to activate mine properly and no time appeared. I also managed to take my ordinary watch off stopwatch function and pressed the right button to no effect. The three of us had to wait for the results to go online.

Actually, before I went running, I spent several hours  thinking of murder. I’ve started writing the opening chapters to a crime novel and needed to research the appearance of the body after a violent death. An enjoyable way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 23

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Day 23. I took Rupert the Dalmatian for a walk this morning and got drenched through and through. Then the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. Big bully type clouds muscled their way across the sky followed by angry types which pelted everyone below with hail. The weather never recovered its sunny disposition and when I eventually left the house for my run it was cold and dark. It wasn’t a difficult 2 miles but I seem to be getting slower as the month progresses. It may be that I need to take some rest days. I remember feeling tired towards the end of Juneathon last year. If the weather’s OK tomorrow I may go for a longer run to blow the tubes out again.

On my return I immediately started cooking the family meal – a chicken curry with homemade mixed salad, Brussels sprouts, rice, pappadums, mint sauce with Greek yogurt, naan bread and pieces of raw onion. It was late because I went running at the precise time I should have been cooking. This pic is similar to one I put up last year. Possibly the quality of the image doesn’t do justice to the little, torn segments of pappadum and naan bread with mint yogurt sauce sat on top with sprinkled with raw onion which are around the edge of the plate. Of course, by the time I’ve finished decorating the food, Lorna has finished her meal and is ready to start clearing up. Most pleasingly, my son is now doing something similar with his chicken curry. Is this normal or should we be contacting a helpline?

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 21

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Day 21. Another cold day. This winter I’m wearing more layers in the morning when I’m walking Rupert in Wort’s Meadow. Suddenly and inexplicably I caught myself wearing these thermal long johns which belong to Lorna. The image of myself looking similar to Brad Pitt in Gladiator briefly vanished. I went out in T shirt, heavy fleece, a ski jacket and another substantial coat over it. Plus mittens. Unless it’s very cold (below -3C) I don’t wear a hat. I guess it was around -1C today in the morning  but in the afternoon it rose to 3 or 4C and the sun came out. The chill left me and I felt comfortably warm doing gardening in fleece and T shirt ( plus trousers, obviously).

Cambridge and Coleridge running club this evening and the temperature was down to zero. I wore tracksters, two tops, a winter running jacket and gloves. I felt so much better than in the morning. We did a number of sprints with decreasing recovery times in each of 3 sets. I enjoy sprinting because I feel acutely alive and because I can still do it. It’s very enjoyable sprinting in a group and in the middle of a Cambridge  road  underneath the street lights.

Interesting programme on BBC 1 at 10.35 pm called The Naked Rambler. He’s a former Royal Marine who undergoes long walks wearing only boots and a rucksack. He’s spent nearly 7 years in Scottish jails for continuing to defy court rulings that he should not appear naked in public. A good example of the law discrediting itself.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 16

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Oh my gosh! I went running for under 20 minutes and I returned to this. My little cottage had become a spooky house. And it was only midday. My door key wouldn’t turn in the lock and I heard strange, unidentifiable noises from within. I did a few minutes of warm down exercises and then called out to the poltergeist demanding she/he   immediately cease her/his activity and return to the Ancient Well, reputed to be over a thousand years old and situated in our little garden. I used my deep Cambridge running god voice and the poltergeist knew resistance was useless. I gained access within seconds and immediately got out the vacuum cleaner to clear up. The sun came out and smiled benignly, when 30 minutes later, I sat down to eat a cold porridge sandwich and read a non tabloid, non digital, non right wing, actual physical, wood pulp newspaper.

The actual run, unlike my return home, was uneventful and straight forward. It was windy and a thin rain descended for the duration of the jog. I felt cold despite being togged up with appropriate kit and I thought about the effect of winter weather on my motivation and physical experience of running. It seems to take a long time for me to warm up and I seldom discard layers even on long runs.

Lorna attended her out patient appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon at Addenbrookes Hospital today. Thankfully it was a positive experience. The consultant confirmed she had Achilles insertional tendonopathy and explained the treatment options which included surgery.  This option only has a 50/50 chance of success and is more suitable where the severity of the condition warrants that kind of risk. It was felt that Lorna would be able to run again but she still needed months of rest and some physiotherapy. The Couch to 5K sessions would be a good reintroduction to running in, say, 3 or 4 months. This is good news.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 15

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Day 15. “Ooohhh……….what a lovely dog. I bet he loves to run with you. Don’t those Dalmatians run beside carriages of the rich?  Or used to in the past when horse drawn carriages were common and posh people wanted to display their sense of style.”

This is Rupert. I’d love to take him running with me. I’d love to take him to parkrun where dog running is allowed. He gets along very well with other dogs and he’s grown up with children. Unfortunately, he finds it impossible to run in a straight line and frequently stops suddenly. In a large group he would be a complete liability and trip up large swathes of runners. I mention this because I had various commitments today and took Rupert for a walk later than usual. I then went for a run and started cooking as soon as I got back. It would have saved time if the dog walking and run had been combined. It’s not too late, though. I’ve successfully bid for a carriage and four horses on Ebay. They’ll be delivered on the weekend and we’ll go for a trial run as soon as we can. I’ve discussed this approach with Rupert and he’s agreeable in principle. I think it will work. I’m sure he’ll learn to run continuously ahead or behind me so a parkrun with him is possible……as long as he’s accompanied by a carriage and four horses!

The 2 mile run went OK. It was dusk again and the temperature was a mild 10C. Yesterday it was considerably colder and I really didn’t warm up all day. I attribute this to the side effects of my cardiac medication.

My wife Lorna was contacted by Addenbrookes Hospital today and offered a cancellation appointment tomorrow to see an orthopaedic surgeon with a view to assessing and treating her Achilles tendonosis. It may well require surgery and we don’t know if running in the future is an option. We are keeping our fingers crossed. In the meanwhile I hope she continues to take some great photos of me running.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 12

Day 12. A nice helping of sunshine this morning so why did I leave going out for a run until it had clouded over and the light was grey? It was cold as well; Cambridgeshire is very flat and possesses the least amount of trees of (?) all the English counties. So when the winds whoosh off the flat fields you certainly know it. It’s hardly Tornado Alley but the winds can be cutting to a sensitive soul like myself. So, as I prance like a prawn down the road, with open fields on one side, the cruel wind delights in buffeting me and chilling my spindly legs, clad only in manly Ron Hill tights. Any grey, dull drab weather seems to drain the life out of me. On the other hand, the sun immediately makes me feel good and motivated. I’m probably a mild SAD case. I’ve thought about getting a light lamp and never actually got around to it. Perhaps I should get around to it. I’ll wait for the next sunny day and sort it out but then I’ll feel better and won’t need one. And so I go round in circles! Probably easiest to move to California.

It’s a great shame that many people never take up running.They perhaps don’t see themselves as runners or  they may  refuse to acknowledge the benefits to their health and mental well being that running and other forms of exercise can bring. Even loss of energy and vitality may be accommodated without challenge. So many people beyond 50 want to rush into an older age and embrace poor dietary regimes and minimal physical activity. And so many of these will experience loneliness, isolation and a sense of physical decline. I know a number of people who are running into their 70’s and 80’s. They may be runners of long experience but interestingly I know many men and woman who have come late to running in their 50’s and 60’s and taken it up very successfully (and socially).Two of my running pals are approaching their mid 60’s and only took it up 1-2 years ago. Shockingly, they can both out run me (at the moment). If this state of affairs continues, they’ll be ex pals and I’ll be looking around for some slower mates.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 6

Day 6. The weather in Cambridge today was almost Spring-like. Periods of sun in a hazy blue sky alternated with heavy downpours and the temperature was a mild 10C. I feel so much better running when the sun’s out as I’m sure most people do but it’s the degree of enjoyment compared to a cold, drizzly, overcast day that always surprises me. After yesterday’s debacle (see blog dated Jan 5) I ran over to the next village, avoiding their roadblocks and vigilante patrols (they have their own issues in this community) and used their recreation ground to do a few strides/sprints. I felt very happy to be able to sprint for short distances at full speed. I may not be fast but it feels fast and I recover quickly. I had a heart attack four years ago and I was able to recover my full fitness subsequently. I feel extremely lucky to be running at a reasonable level and now be part of a running community. I started doing Cambridge parkrun on their fifth event in February 2010 and now I’ve completed 159. I also joined a running club after 30 years of running alone and found it conducive to my exacting requirements of a good balance between sociability and just running without frills.

The Guardian ran an article on a research findings  link between cancer and inactivity today http://bit.ly/KxhjW2 giving shocking figures concerning cases that (theoretically) could have been prevented  if people were more physically active. Apathy and a closed mindset can be lethal.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 4

Day 4. I marshaled at Cambridge parkrun today and stood at a fork in the path where all 280 runners passed me 3 times. The 5K course in Milton Country Park was very muddy and they took the opportunity to splatter me as they went past. Repeat offenders were reported to the Community Support Officers and I expect they will be spirited away to  a gulag near the  Watford Gap for running etiquette rehabilitation.

I’m constantly fascinated by everyone’s different running styles and my perception that the fastest runners don’t seem all that speedy when you are passively watching them from the sidelines. I surely must be able to keep up or pass them if there is any justice in the world. Of course, these notions are in my head and the reality is very different. Afterwards we had  tasty coffees with our pals and I continued to learn to be more sociable. I found it’s worthwhile making an effort rather than rushing away home. The great majority of runners are very friendly, even those who you initially judge to be a bit aloof (like me).

Continuing in this vein, I had the option of going for an individual run in the afternoon or joining a social run with an informal club, 5 or 6 members being  already known to me. I opted for the latter and it was very enjoyable. It was a mixed ability group and we ran about 5.5 miles through puddles and more mud. Everyone behaved themselves, no-one was competitive and I didn’t have to make any citizen’s arrests.

My eldest son Dan did parkrun in Valentine’s Park near Ilford, Essex and came in at 21 minutes 57 seconds, a whole 1 minute and 22 seconds faster than my personable best. I am eclipsed as this family’s premier running god. I have been toppled from my pedestal. I am yesterday’s runner, an ex legend consigned to history. I could carry on dissing myself but I will stop there. Instead I will rise from the ashes like the phoenix, regenerated and stronger than ever. Another notion in my head. Note to self : make it reality.

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Aliveandrunning December 30

Yes, I ran for 46 minutes and 53 seconds yesterday. I ran to the river but not along it. At the point I turn around, I touch a railing as the river footpath rises onto a bridge. Failure to touch the railing would result in me falling into an alternative dimension where running is illegal and everyone has to consume a gallon of corn syrup each week by law to ensure good health. Naturally the BBC is regarded as a terrorist organisation. So you see, I have to touch the railing or I am imperilled. On the return journey, nobody gave me a friendly acknowledgement but a robin hitched a lift on my shoulder for 700 metres and gave me the latest ornithological news. He also recommended adding worms to my diet for “balance.”  “No,” I gasped,”that’s strictly for the birds.” He flew off with in a huff.

Pedestrian observation : I’ve eaten too much over Christmas and unhealthy food to boot. How to make reparations ? Shall I order a hair shirt on line or indulge in a bit of verbal flagellation ? No ! I’ll eat less and return to a healthily discriminating diet. And I will up the running until I reach such a peak of fitness and performance, it causes Usain Bolt and Mo Farah to look anxiously over their shoulders. Tomorrow I am doing the Ely New Years Eve 10K. Unfortunately the weather prospects are grim – no sun but plenty of rain, wind and cold. These conditions are not conducive for a comfortable run. I’ll do my best and explain to hundreds of my fans lining the course, that I am a below par running god now regaining his fitness. This will be received as shocking news given their belief I was infallible.

I read in the Murdoch owned Sunday Times yesterday that the World Health Organisation (WHO) is considering halving the recommended sugar consumption people should have in their diets. This is following increasing numbers of studies which conclude that sugar plays a major part in obesity and heart disease. The article predicts, predictably, “a robust response from the multi-billion pond food and drinks industry.” The manner in which our food and diet has been degraded for financial and commercial reasons  over past decades is truly shocking. Your degree of shock and awe is usually proportionate to how much interest you have shown in how food is sourced, grown and manufactured which for the large majority of people is zero. The mindset and conduct of the food and drinks industry is unlikely to be radically different to the tobacco, alcohol, armaments and pharmaceutical industries in successfully pulling the wool over our eyes. As I write, the TV sound is off but I looked up to see Rock Hudson and Patrick McGoohan each lighting up a cigarette in Ice Station Zebra (1968). It could have been worse. At least they weren’t munching Krispy Kreme doughnuts on screen.

Egregiously, I saw a Krispy Kreme delivery lorry outside my local Tesco store. I shot the driver a withering glance and my upper lip curled up in the manner of Clint Eastwood showing contempt for bad persons in the Dollar films. It had no noticeable effect because the delivery person carried on taking this dangerous foodstuff into the store. In hindsight the reason for this may have been I was 150 metres away when I executed these devastating facial movements. Must try harder.

I’ve had a few ideas about  the development of a new cult/religion. I really like the concept of karma and reincarnation. I think this idea has legs. What about MuchBetterNextTime.com ? For a fixed yearly subscription, my personal self serving  registered charity/cult/church would guarantee a return to this world in greatly enhanced circumstances compared to your previous life. No- quibble money back if not fully satisfied. How do subscribers attain this goal ? They embark on a policy of tolerance, generosity, kindness and acceptance towards others even if they wear strange clothes and live in other countries. I’ll produce the guidance and develop lots of esoteric waffle, they pay their subscriptions and accrue the benefits in this life and the next. It’s a win-win situation. I’ll also make them start running.