A Solo Run!

Hi bloggers.

Yes I nice sedate calm, slippery solo jog for this old girl today. All my parcels have been delivered so no excuse to sit in and wait! New running buddy I think is doing her own thing, maybe the gentle walk she had with me a couple of weeks ago was just not enough to get the blood pumping through her veins.

I was going to do my usual run of about 3.4 miles, but the pavements are just still at least two to three inch thick packed ice and snow. I managed to run on the roads around my estate, but when it came to the main road of course I had to use the pavements, car drivers seem to tolerate old girls running and walking on the little side roads, but I don't think they will be quite as tolerant if I were to run up the main roads!

I set the stop watch that the old boy had given me and set off. Do you know, it don't feel as cold as it looks at there. All that snow and ice, you would think it would feel like the inside of your freezer wouldn't you! I thought I would do a good time. And I really did think the the pavements on the main roads would be clear!

On the roads then, they are not to bad, no ice, just snow drifts that had fallen in the road and had gotten squished by the cars, so I had to detour around them. My calve still aching from the Tuesday run with the PWR, and all that snow running! But once I had warmed up I didn't notice it at all.

Its amazing how long it takes and how hard it is to be able to run a certain distance, and how quickly it is to lose some of your fitness if you don't continue to run! Just looking at my run or training, on Tuesday. The distance wasn't a great distance, but the fact that I had maybe just once run in two weeks it really did show! But today, I had that in mind. I thought "Old girl, you are not going to break any records today, and hopefully you wont break any bones out here on the ice, so just be thankful that you're out here doing this and just running for a short while"........ I really do think these things! I didn't bring my ipod with me, I needed to concentrate on traffic behind me as I was running in the middle of the road.

I get to the main road, and so therefore had to use the pavements. Now some parts of the pavements were clear, (Kind conscientious householders keeping them clear) and some were like I had said, two or three inch packed ice and snow! So I was running then walking, then running then walking. I ran a little two fast at one point and ran on to the ice and slid across for about a foot! It was probably the fast I had traveled today!

I managed to get as far as the pub using this walking on the ice and running on the clear, but I looked ahead where I need to run and I just knew that it was just impossible to run in these conditions. I chose to run down through the park, at least I can run on the grass, crunch my way through the snow, reminiscence of Tuesdays paarluufs relay. Then I remembered how my calves were aching after running in the snow. But, strangely I was looking forward to more aches as then I know that I have worked out!.

Turn down Parkfield Way and trying to find a clear bit of path down here is impossible. So back on to the road! But this is a very quite road. The gritter ignores places like this, not many travel down here so the ice is packed on the road as well. I gingerly picked my way around the ice, 'Ooops-ing' with each slip I had. I finally made it to the park and crunchy 'safer' snow. It was going to be a slow time, but who worries about that in conditions like this. The fact that I am out should be reward enough.

Finally through the park and back on to the clear road. Thank goodness I live on a bus route! Only then do I check the stop watch. ARRGGHH!! Stupid stopwatch. I was concentrating so much on staying up right and not landing flat on my backside that at some point I had pushed the set and reset buttons. ARRRGGGHH But, like I said, just being out running is reward enough.

So on down the road. Parallel to 'The road that I don't stop on' so this too has be the same. On and on. I am feeling good, well I should do really, well rested legs, and less that a two mile run, I should get back and look like all those girls that go running in full makeup!!

Turning down my road now, hello to the neighbours as I run past, they are looking at me as if I am totally crazy to be out running, and then crunch my way up the path to my house. Of course I don't look like those made up ladies, I look a complete mess again, sweaty, but not as bad as some days, and my hair still stuck to my forehead! But a huge smile on my face.

Oh yes, this girl is a proper runner!! Slow, yes, I will give you that, but no other hobby runner goes out in ice and snow just to run!!