Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Hotfoot From Shipley

by Russell Turner - 16:44 on 19 October 2017

If the gear delivered by sportsshoes.com gets me moving as fast as its delivery service then the marathon future looks zippy. Just two days after I clicked the mouse, a package filled with goodies was handed over by a cheery representative of Royal Mail. That’s what comes of dealing with a Yorkshire firm (from Shipley) – no faffing about and no daftness about courier firms and exorbitant Highland delivery charges.

My athletic apparel appeared as I was preparing for today’s training run, hampered by the disappearance of The Bumper Book of Stretches. Matchgirl must be playing a joke. I did what stretches I could remember then left clad in my usual garb apart from swapping the Karrimor outer for the Ronhill one I’d purchased. It was a still, sunny afternoon so a jacket that weighs about two ounces seemed like a good idea, even if it looks and feels like a fluorescent polythene bag with a zip.

Following Coach Matchgirl’s advice, I varied my route and returned to the one I’d found testing at the end of last week. It was still a test, but I completed the 3R+3Wx4 demanded by Runners’ World without deviation and with the Ronhill tied around my waist. The effort might have been less if I’d not failed to practise efficient hydration, as the running community might have it. Or remembered to have a drink of water, as the rest of us would say.

The next run is a 5R+3Wx3, which seems a big step up. We’ll see. This should take place on Sunday, after two days’ rest, followed (gulp) by a 7R+2Wx3 on Tuesday, but Tuesday and Wednesday I’m away in Durham, stalking Mr Wakeman, so I’ll have to bring them forward to Saturday and Monday.

By then I’ll have tried on the new gear, all of which will have received the Matchgirl yay or nay, although whatever I wear won’t change the expression of incredulity that flits across her face every time I set out on a run. (OK, a run-walk.) Some people could find that hurtful.

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