Running: a wonderful de-stressing exercise

Here's just the quickest of updates and for myself, a reminder of how valuable running is.

Yesterday I woke up at about 4.30am.  Dosed a little and decided to just get going before my family's routine kicks in.  I left the house just after it was getting light but still gloomy with low cloud, damp and a cold chill in the air.  Initially it was pretty hard going and tempting to go back and have that extra mug of tea.

I ran my regular circular route but in reverse as it then takes me longer to get to the hills.

By the time I'd got back, I felt pretty good mentally, more ready for the day ahead.  A subtle kind of high, certainly not that "rush" from a sprint finish but still a pleasant dose of endorphins.  A gradual "it'll be OK today Doug" and I felt a real calmness.

All just as well really, quite a tough day in SW1 again.  Same project as mentioned before but picking up in it's pace and gravity, also involving some more people.  In fact when I arrived, most of my colleagues were already sitting down so I was a little taken aback when I heard a voice saying, "Hello it's Doug isn't it?  I saw your name on the list and now I bet you're wondering who I am?"

I was completely foxed.  She seemed friendly and pleasant but clearly playing with me in front of everyone else.  A smiling grey haired lady, confident and business-like; but I was still puzzled.  She then introduced herself as Jeanette Whitford and instantly I knew.  Well, she'd certainly changed but then I haven't seen her since 1995 when, to be honest, I didn't know her terribly well but well enough as a colleague.  So at coffee break time, it was an opportunity to briefly catch up and unfortunately she had to leave early at lunch time.

Perhaps I might have a chance to have a run tomorrow morning, again at dawn.  Quite a few tricky things going on at work that I need to be mindful of, so a nice run in the quiet stillness will help.