A few things are happening which I mustn't forget to tell you about. First things first, we are of course in December and this time of year is not exactly my favourite time of year for getting out there to clock up a few miles and yet there is still a certain appeal. My next couple of posts will update you on some unexpected training with Leighton Buzzard Canoe Club and coaching my friend John.
Stress busting after work
The above photo was taken in Stevenage last week while on one of my post work runs. People might knock Stevenage for having a few areas of deprivation, questionable architecture and not in-keeping with the rest of Hertfordshire. And yet for me, I earn my daily crust there and it's great for running around.
Stevenage was designed as a post-war new town and largely laid out in the 1950s with significant growth taking place for some time afterwards. In the 1950s the planners had the foresight to construct decent cycle paths and foot paths alongside the main roads which are generally dual carriage ways. Certainly they could never have foreseen modern traffic volumes and yet it seems to work okay. This means there are plenty of traffic free routes for runners and cyclists - great!
My latest run was after a particularly tough day at work and it did include a certain amount of stress for me. Being able to log off, sign out and change into my running gear is a bit of a life-saver at the end of the day.
The conditions for this run aren't very apparent in the above grainy photo. Actually it was cold, drizzly and pretty miserable. I know this might sound a bit daft, I was almost hoping the conditions would have been far worse as this would give me something to fight against. Does that make sense? Let me explain.... sometimes it's almost as if I need a run to be really hard... to hurt.... to make me suffer.... to test me. I can fight my way through horrible conditions, have snot running down my chin, my face pounded by sleet or icy rain, my hands to be bitterly cold. And yet deep inside I feel so good; I have just run five miles at a fast pace and sprinted the last 50 yards as fast as I could and arrived at my car panting and breathless.
The result? Hot inside + Body Brimming with Life + Endorphins = Feel Great!
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