Hello blog lovers.
Well today has been another busy day for me. No time for lazing about, well, apart from first thing this morning!
After I eventually got up I got my jogging gear on, and gave myself a stern talking to, that I am going to do well today. To be honest, I really didn't fancy going, but sometimes you just have to force yourself to do things that are going to be good for you in the long run.
The sun was out this morning, and that always puts me in a good mood, so already I was feeling better about todays run. I was doing the same route again, but I am getting a little bored of this route and I shall have to sort out another 3 miler somewhere different! I'm sure that will help me stay motivated. Mind you, you should read about the bike ride today, further in the blog, and you will see that I am not good with directions! So staying pretty local is going to be the only option!
I got all the way up Hollingworth Hill today, which I was very, very pleased about, I knew I could do it, but my legs were hurting a tad, I kept going on for a little further before I stopped! One day, One day I will make it all the way. For goodness sake Old Girl, you have done it before!!!! I was quite hard on myself, telling myself what a lazy old bovine I was! Because I stopped I knew I was going to have other stops on the way, so I set myself targets as usual. No stopping until this point, not stopping until that point. Run this far before the pedestrian gets to a shop, lamppost or other mark that I notice.
This is how I do this run. This is why I think I need to change to a different route, see some other sites, landmarks and set a new challenge for myself. I began to enjoy the run, I had my tunes playing on my IPOD until I got to the walkover rail bridge, then the battery ran out! So it was just me and the road, but what a road, mostly down hill! Ok, so there is a slight incline to get to Crest View but then all the way down after that! This road has become my happy place on this jog. Oh yes, I definitely think its time for somewhere new to run! I mustn't stay in the comfort zone!
Running down to bottom Oxhawth then up towards Faringdon, a couple more walking stops (darn it Old Girl). But I made myself run all the way to the little incline to 'the road I must not stop on'. And then I take a stop! My daughter 'tooted me in her car, and I had a 30 sec chat with her, spoke to my gorgeous grandson, and then went back on my way. Non stop now to my door, turn off the Garmin and look at the time. Darn it, if I hadn't stopped to chat to daughter......tut, oh well, who knows, I may have ran slower if I didn't have that little breather!!
After I got back I had loads of stuff to do, shopping, banking, booking eye appointments and then getting back to cook up a lasagne for dinner later!
Of course when the Old Boy came home from work, we mapped out a route for a ride together. It looks quite an easy route, and was quite do-able after my run this morning, it wont be that taxing!
So we set off. I knew kind of where we were going, but you know me and directions, its like numbers, they just don't stay in my head. I need to follow twinkling lights!! We set off, down Faringdon and head towards Bromley, via Blackbrook Lane. So far, so good for me, I know this part. I know the fantastic hill that we will be flying down once through Bromley, but from the bottom of there, then I am totally reliant of following the Old Boys twinkling lights. I know that we turn left at the station, but of course I forgotten where to go after that! There was quite a bit of traffic, I rode on the pavement as I couldn't see the Old Boy anymore, and I knew he would be waiting around the corner for me (I hope) When the pavement became to narrow to ride on I got off and walked my bike passed all the cars that were stuck at the traffic lights waiting to turn left like I had just done, and carried on walking my bike as there was just too much traffic to safely get back on my bike again. And it was just as well, I hadn't a clue where the Old Boy was! Did he go straight up, I'm sure that's where we had to go, because I can kind of remember something like that. So I walked over the crossings looking and peering left and straight ahead for any sign of the Old boy. Oh well, just keep going straight I thought. Then I heard a shout "Old Girl! Oi, Old girl" I looked to my left and I saw the Old Boy with his front light raised high for me to see him, I was heading in the wrong direction!!
After regrouping and him telling me that 'He told me so' "Turn left at the station and left again" he said again. I am just no good a remembering directions or sense of direction! I just hope I am not going to be last when we do the London to Brighton bike ride this year! I shall probably end up in Torquay! We travelled straight down from here, a slight deviation from what we planned, not that I would have known anyway!, and rode on down to Hayes lane, I knew Hayes Lane, I think! That turns into Pickhurst, its all up hill but nothing to bad. I can see the Old Boys twinkly lights, so I felt ok still. Its pretty dark, and I cant remember the names of the roads that the Old Boy had mentioned!
By the time we got to Baston Road though, I had lost the Old Boy, but I knew we were heading for Keston, and then on to Locksbottom! I can remember him saying that we are not going to go down Barnet Wood lane, that is such a dark road, and he knows I don't like that road. But there was still two roads to choose from. There was the other dark, but very busy road or there was the lighted road, Baston, still busy, but I know I can see and be seen! I'm sure he would have gone this way, and I'm sure this is the way to Keston, I remember riding up here or down here before!
But I tried to check. I gave him a call, but my stupid phone just kept cutting out! I tried again to call him but no answer. Maybe he didn't take his phone! I did try going up the dark road, I tried to see what this road was called, maybe that would help me to decide. I rode up a bit, and just as I decide to ride this road, is when there was no other traffic! It was really dark! I couldn't see the road, and only the trees were lit up, maybe I need my light angled down a bit more. I just didnt like it. No, thats it, he wouldn't have go this way, he knows I don't like dark unlit roads. So decision made, I took the nice bright well lit road heading towards Keston. Then another crossroads. "Oh blimey, now where Old Girl" I asked myself. I looked ahead and I saw a sign saying Keston, well that's it then, that's where I am going!
I rode on and on until I saw a couple of pubs, the Fox on the hill and the Greyhound. But not where I thought they would be! I expected to come up a slight different road! My sense of direction is next to useless! But I pulled over to the Greyhound. At least I know my way home from here if I decide that I want to go home now. But I still wanted to catch the Old Boy up, and I feel pretty sure that he would be up the road a bit passed the Fox on the hill, but I felt it best to try and call him again.
This time he answered! I explained where I was, and he explained where he was, and where he has been looking for me! and the fact that a mini driver, who had driven passed me while I was calling the Old Boy the first time, explained where I was! He did go up that dark road, not Barnet wood land but the one next to it, and he was waiting for me at the top. In fact, if I had turned left at those cross roads we would have bumped into each then!
He explained where we should regroup, and that is not to go passed the Fox but go passed the Greyhound! Thank heavens I called really! and then turn right at the bottom of that and we should then meet at the old Keston Mark. (Where I thought I would have ended up when I took the lighted road)
After this we managed to stay together, but then I know this route, I know where we are going from here, so I wasn't too bothered if we lost each other again.
We got up a bit of speed on some of these roads, the wind trying to slow us down, and blinding me with my tears! The road through Locksbottom is a lovely road, and you can get up some good speed. Turning left into Crofton, another lovely road to ride on and through Petts wood.
Nearly home. Down Faringdon I could see the Old Boys twinkly lights turn right into our road, no doubt he will ride around the green gloating that he got there first, but when I rode up to our gate, he was off his bike and leaning on the wall as if he has been waiting hours for me. He wasn't that far in front!!
So geeky stats for jog and bike ride below
and bike ride
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