I did not want to get out of bed, I did not want to go running. I lay in bed listening to the pouring rain secretly hoping it would rain all day. I kept checking my phone, no messages. I did not dare to send one myself.
I kept stalling, I would have breakfast first, I would finish the chapter of my book, the rain had stopped. Eventually I dressed. I was cold, long joggers, jacket, hat. I did not want to run. Still no messages. Pouring with rain again but apparently we still had a date. I wondered if the rain storm was just over my village and my lazy bones. Maybe Taunton had bright sunshine.
I stalled again, a visit to the loo, can't find my nike+, can't find my car keys. Now I'm going to be late. I don't want to go. I've already made our start time later and still I want to stay at home even though this option means chores. I text, I'm on my way, OK comes the reply. OK, I'll leave then.
I make a plan, I just need to say the words hot chocolate and she will melt, she wont resist, she'll agree it's a mighty fine idea, who wants to run on a morning like this. I should run, Ali will want to, I can't let her down. I don't want to. I want hot chocolate. I hope for red lights to delay my arrival. I'm cold too.
There she is, waiting in the rain. It is raining in Taunton. It feels like it's raining everywhere. I do not want to run. I say the magic words and Ali agrees, hot chocolate - a mighty fine idea. I turn the car, hang on Ali has a plan. Lets run along the river to McDonald's, have a hot chocolate and run back. OK I agree, she hasn't won yet, it's still raining. I'm still cold.
We park up. I'm not getting out in this I say. I actually don't mind running in the rain I just find it incredibly hard to set out in the rain. And, today I'm not going to. We sit and listen, contemplate, wait. We could just go for it she says. My jacket's not waterproof I reply. It wont be too bad once we've started she says. It just the getting started I reply. This is not my Ali. Hot chocolate I had suggested. She's choosing running. I have no money for hot chocolate says she, I do says I.
Come on, lets go for it she encourages. I get out. It has stopped. I can see blue followed by more grey. We run. I need to get going to get warm. We notice the river running high. We dodge the puddles, we slip through the mud. I am not happy. My trainers are filthy. I do not do this off road trail type stuff. We natter and put the world to rights. We meet and greet numerous dogs and their owners, cyclists, walkers and pram pushers. I begin to feel better.
We run a lot, we walk a little. We reach our compromise. We are soon inside enjoying hot chocolate and we are soon back out in the sunshine retracing our steps. We walk back. We feel great. My mood has lifted. I am so glad Ali is so strong. I am so glad she stuck to her plan and dragged me along.
Thank you Ali x
Sunday 14 October 2012
Wednesday 3 October 2012
Better Late Than Never
I am writing this with the biggest headache I think I have ever had. It has lasted for weeks, on and off. It started just before my son's wedding and I think the adrenaline from that staved it off for a few days before it returned with a vengeance. It didn't stop me from running on Sunday but it has delayed my writing of my blog and has stopped me from joining the running club this evening.
On Sunday I met up with my friend Fi to run in the Taunton 10K race. We both had the collywobbles, we knew we could do the distance but there is something quite unnerving about lining up at the start line with 648 other runners.
I got quite impatient waiting for the blast from the horn to send us on our way. I thought it might rain and I was cold, probably something to do with this bad head, so I had my jacket on and a hat, I regretted both by the time we were making our way up Chestnut Drive. The countdown began and the keen statisticians amongst us were paused over our various ipods, wrist watches and iphones to record hopefully our own personal bests.
With a loud hooting and hollering the crowd cheered us away from the start banner and as usual I found the pace far too quick and I was soon gasping for breath, I kept thinking any minute now Fi will be asking me if I'm OK, I don't think I would have been able to answer! I desperately wanted to rid myself of my heat retaining accoutrements but didn't dare slow down to deal with the problem. We were soon heading down Holway Hill and I was heartened by the fact that we did seem to be further up with the crowd than I have been in the past, this gave me great encouragement and worry, how on earth would I be able to keep up this pace? I so wanted to stride out down the hill but Tina's words of not going faster down the hills and letting the decline do all the work and to take it easy and rest up made me ease up. I'm always so tempted to just go hell for leather on the downhills, it's the only time I manage a decent speed!
Rounding the corner into Holway Avenue I began to feel this was going well but had to keep reminding myself that we were still quite some distance from home. I was delighted to reach Stoke Road in time to actually run in the road, in the past I've been so far back the pack I've been relegated to the pavement. My aim for next year popped into my head, maybe one time I would run along South Road thus avoiding the ups and downs of property drives that I detest so much. I doubt that will ever happen but I can dream.
An enormous cheer from Donna and Andy and then Jamie, Isla and Fin helped us along the next stage and I could already feel that Fi needed to be going at a faster pace than I was able to manage. She started to pull away from me as we neared the lane to Stoke and I reminded her that she must not wait for me. I tried desperately hard to stay with her and I kept her in my sight for at least the next 2K but gradually she started to pull away from me. I just kept thinking how hard the run was being. I know this route like the back of my hand and I tried to relax and enjoy myself. A young woman and her male partner just ahead of me kept slowing to a walk and for the rest of the run every time I managed to catch them during their slow stretches they then ran again and increased the gap once more.
Out through Haydon the traffic annoyed me, overtaking us on blind bends, too impatient to just wait and allow us our bit of road time. Surely they could see what was happening, after all there were plenty of marshals trying to keep us safe. I had now completely lost Fi from view.
There's no doubt about it, seeing people you know is such a great help, their words of encouragement are an enormous motivator. And then, complete strangers clap and cheer and get you up the hills and along the long stretches and keep you going when your legs are burning and your head is pounding. Every single word and clap from them is appreciated to the very bottom of my heart.
The last incline up and over the M5 for the second time and I suddenly spot a tall figure at the top that I'm sure I know. Once close enough I call across and ask if he had won. Sure enough, I haven't even finished and the winner is watching us lesser mortals stagger towards the end.
Once more I'm back onto Chestnut Drive, mustn't press too hard just yet, I always get such a sinking feeling when I take the next turning and realize I'm not quite so near to the finish as I think. My lovely husband is waiting to take pictures, bless him he managed to get 47 photos this year and most of them have both our heads and feet in!
Final stretch, my number and name is called over the tannoy, the buzz oh the buzz, I must sprint, the cheering, the clock, oh my, that's why this has been so hard, can I get there before 1hr and 8 minutes, I have never run so fast in all my life, except for maybe last year's sprint finish with Emmie! I pound towards the finish, the adrenaline pumping, coming through...
My time is recorded at 01:08:04
Just missed it, if only I hadn't walked that little bit, if only I had pelted down the hill, if only I had tried a little harder to stay with Fi.
Oh well, I guess that gives me a new goal for next year!
Fi finished a whole 4 minutes ahead of me, a very big well done to her. She has now suggested we take part in the Hestercombe Humdinger in February. I don't think so Mrs T, that, I think, is just a hill or two beyond my capabilities!
On Sunday I met up with my friend Fi to run in the Taunton 10K race. We both had the collywobbles, we knew we could do the distance but there is something quite unnerving about lining up at the start line with 648 other runners.
I got quite impatient waiting for the blast from the horn to send us on our way. I thought it might rain and I was cold, probably something to do with this bad head, so I had my jacket on and a hat, I regretted both by the time we were making our way up Chestnut Drive. The countdown began and the keen statisticians amongst us were paused over our various ipods, wrist watches and iphones to record hopefully our own personal bests.
With a loud hooting and hollering the crowd cheered us away from the start banner and as usual I found the pace far too quick and I was soon gasping for breath, I kept thinking any minute now Fi will be asking me if I'm OK, I don't think I would have been able to answer! I desperately wanted to rid myself of my heat retaining accoutrements but didn't dare slow down to deal with the problem. We were soon heading down Holway Hill and I was heartened by the fact that we did seem to be further up with the crowd than I have been in the past, this gave me great encouragement and worry, how on earth would I be able to keep up this pace? I so wanted to stride out down the hill but Tina's words of not going faster down the hills and letting the decline do all the work and to take it easy and rest up made me ease up. I'm always so tempted to just go hell for leather on the downhills, it's the only time I manage a decent speed!
Rounding the corner into Holway Avenue I began to feel this was going well but had to keep reminding myself that we were still quite some distance from home. I was delighted to reach Stoke Road in time to actually run in the road, in the past I've been so far back the pack I've been relegated to the pavement. My aim for next year popped into my head, maybe one time I would run along South Road thus avoiding the ups and downs of property drives that I detest so much. I doubt that will ever happen but I can dream.
An enormous cheer from Donna and Andy and then Jamie, Isla and Fin helped us along the next stage and I could already feel that Fi needed to be going at a faster pace than I was able to manage. She started to pull away from me as we neared the lane to Stoke and I reminded her that she must not wait for me. I tried desperately hard to stay with her and I kept her in my sight for at least the next 2K but gradually she started to pull away from me. I just kept thinking how hard the run was being. I know this route like the back of my hand and I tried to relax and enjoy myself. A young woman and her male partner just ahead of me kept slowing to a walk and for the rest of the run every time I managed to catch them during their slow stretches they then ran again and increased the gap once more.
Out through Haydon the traffic annoyed me, overtaking us on blind bends, too impatient to just wait and allow us our bit of road time. Surely they could see what was happening, after all there were plenty of marshals trying to keep us safe. I had now completely lost Fi from view.
There's no doubt about it, seeing people you know is such a great help, their words of encouragement are an enormous motivator. And then, complete strangers clap and cheer and get you up the hills and along the long stretches and keep you going when your legs are burning and your head is pounding. Every single word and clap from them is appreciated to the very bottom of my heart.
The last incline up and over the M5 for the second time and I suddenly spot a tall figure at the top that I'm sure I know. Once close enough I call across and ask if he had won. Sure enough, I haven't even finished and the winner is watching us lesser mortals stagger towards the end.
Once more I'm back onto Chestnut Drive, mustn't press too hard just yet, I always get such a sinking feeling when I take the next turning and realize I'm not quite so near to the finish as I think. My lovely husband is waiting to take pictures, bless him he managed to get 47 photos this year and most of them have both our heads and feet in!
Final stretch, my number and name is called over the tannoy, the buzz oh the buzz, I must sprint, the cheering, the clock, oh my, that's why this has been so hard, can I get there before 1hr and 8 minutes, I have never run so fast in all my life, except for maybe last year's sprint finish with Emmie! I pound towards the finish, the adrenaline pumping, coming through...
My time is recorded at 01:08:04
Just missed it, if only I hadn't walked that little bit, if only I had pelted down the hill, if only I had tried a little harder to stay with Fi.
Oh well, I guess that gives me a new goal for next year!
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