February 2014 – Black and Tabby Runs

On being too enthusiastic

Last week’s thought process any something like this:-
Hooray my niggle seems to have finally cleared up.
Fab I’m enjoying my running again.
Yay I’ve found a plan in a magazine to crack 2 hours in a half marathon.
Whoop I’ve run three times in three days.

Damn, my shin is sore.

On a lighter note, Tuesday’s run was in awful weather, incredibly windy with rain lashing down. A mile in, with hail battering my face I actually stopped in the middle of a field and considered turning around and going straight back home. It was only the thought that the second half would be more sheltered than the first that kept me going.

I was right -it was more sheltered, and as I stopped to grab my breath I took a quick selfie to see how wet I was. Not my most attractive photo ever, I think you’ll have to agree.

Update -I made it home safely and discovered the rain was so heavy it had even made it through my best ever running jacket. Boo!

What any Sane, Normal Person would do

As Thursday’s long run was the longest run I’d had for months, I resolved to take it slow and steady and allow myself tobe easily distracted. After spotting myself in a mirror designed to help someone trying to get out of their drive safely I pondered for some time about safety when running and the usefulness of hi-viz clothing.

Running on down a quieter lane, with wide grassy (muddy) verges I was surprised to spot a sword. A kid’s plastic sword, unbroken, abandoned and just lying flat on the grass.

I eyed it up for a few moments, just lying there, then did what any sane, normal person would do*.

I must go back that way and see if Arthur has reclaimed his sword.

* My daughter disagrees that this is the action of a sane person. But teenagers have to be contrary, it’s in their job description.

The Power of Hi-Viz

Much as I love my running gear, there’s one piece of kit that I always sneer at when I find it in my ‘lycra’ drawer whilst rummaging for something more exciting. My bright yellow safety gilet. I’ve never felt comfortable wearing it, as I dislike wearing such bright colours when running. When I run through fields, up footpaths and down bridleways I like to feel that I’m blending in, that I’m part of the environment, that I am able to get closer to wildlife than I would if I was in a car or even on a bike. Hard to do that when you look like a Health and Safety inspector. I also know (from discussions on the Run Mummy Run Facebook page) that I’m not the only runner to have discovered a huge drawback of wearing hi-viz if you’re ‘caught short’ in this season of bare branches and lack of foliage. Hem hem.

Despite all of these reasons to shun the 90’s rave style fluro, I reluctantly put on my yellow hi-viz gilet yesterday when I went running. I was all ready to set off on yet another dingy, dismal day, wearing black running tights and top. As I was planning on running on some roads (as opposed to my usual quiet lanes), I decided I’d better put on my hated hi-viz as well.

Running past one of those mirrors people put in hedges to help them pull out of their drives I was struck by how invisible I was, apart from my gilet.

Spot the Runner – that small flash in the middle

Can you see me? Or just my gilet? Seeing as this section of road is twisty and turny, has no pavements and has people driving along at high speed, perhaps I’ll wear it more often in future.