Got out of bed at 8am and went for a run this morning – just 3 miles steady pace. Very cold, windy and driving icy rain but loved every minute of it. Saw other runners out battling the elements and that always makes it so much easier. Great way to start the day – lifted my mood sky high! And gave me the energy I need to fully indulge in tonight’s episode of Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. I know I shouldn’t watch it.  I know it’s trash TV. I know I love it every year. The mood has turned nasty in the camp and Im ready for it – glass of wine in hand and a Frys Chocolate Cream as a chaser. Bring it on!!!

Oh boy – she tried SO hard but I just had the edge that day…

This morning’s run was horrid. No – actually it was horrific. OK – to be absolutely frank it was stupendously awful. If it was always like that I’d certainly never run. It was one those runs which, after you’ve been on your feet for just a few minutes, you know it’s going to be one of THOSE runs. Legs like lead, lungs removed from body over night during an alien abduction and any co-ordination out of the window. It was supposed to be a pleasant 9 miler ready for the GSR next Sunday but pleasant it was not. Very early on my leg muscles were not happy and as for my breathing – well I wasn’t. And yet it should have been so good. Yesterday I read an entire book on running called What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami – a great Japanese novelist with a passion for long distance running. Surely having read this I should be able to run well the following day ? Seemingly not. I did start to think about what I think about when I run; top themes are:

What I will eat when I get back ( Theme of Nutrition )

What bubble bath to use when I get home ( Theme of Lethargy )

People at work; particulary any I have had ‘issues’ with ( Theme of Bitchiness )

People at work and how I will triumph over any existing disputes with great wit and intelligent insight ( Theme of Meglamanic )

Whether Ian finds me attractive when I run ( Combined Theme of High Maintenance and Cloud Cookoo Land )

What I will eat for tea ( Theme of Greed )

Murakami seemingly ponders life, philosophy and inspiration for his next novel.

Anyway I decided to take a different route to usual and run up Hill Lane via the back streets and turn down Lordshill Road and have a trot around that part of town. Thinking that when I got to the usual 2.8 mile mark I would remember how to run again, my lungs would open up and my muscles would rediscover themselves – I kept plodding. But it just didnt happen and I ended up running a horrible trek up and down hills ( LordsHILL ). Weather ok – overcast and threatening to rain but never manging to do so – that was annoying as well. I took a meandering route which always seem to end up with an incline in front of me. Even the music didnt move my lumbering frame any faster. I had the soundtrack from Ashes to Ashes for my birthday and had loaded this up the night before but despite back to back early 80’s sounds ( think Human League, Ten Pole Tudor, Visage, Depeche Mode, Dexys Midnight Runners etc ) no luck there. Still a carthorse. There really wasnt anything positive to take out of the run at this stage. For the record, as I ran through and round and up and down Lordshill I spotted:

Empty purple condom wrapper ( exquisite )

Two discarded socks with The Simpsons on them

A large lady in shorts ( why ? ) and pink flip flops smoking what looked like a cheroot on her way to the paper shop.

Dead pidgeon with his head buried in the ground – must have landed head first. Must have hurt

Eventually I got to the common. It must have been Border Collie Day as I spotted 5 fine specimens but apart from that temporary lift I was glad to get home and into a bath. Even my post run poached eggs tasted foul – pun intended. Lets just hope next Sunday brings out a fitter, brighter, faster me!! Dont hold your breath though…

Ran a short 3.5 miles tonight through the common and down Hill Lane, turning off to run down Bellemour Road pulling out by St James’ church. A lovely evening for running – still light but wore the trusty flourescent vest. Lots of runners out on the common. For the first time in ages I ran without my garmin and most importantly without the ipod. Just listened to the sounds of the birds and the evening around me. Also had a chance to listen to my footfall and also breathing which I dont normally get to hear ( ok thats pretty boring to most people but to me its helpful to see how Im running ). Came home to discover courtesty of Mum that Paula Radcliffe is to run the Great South Run !!! Great excitement – for the first time I’ll be running with Paula Radcliffe. Jo Pavey is also racing fresh from her success at the Great North Run last Sunday – can’t wait to get out there and take those girls on…careful Jo and Paula theres a big lumbering girl right behind you !

It would have been SSOO easy to have stayed in bed this morning and hide away from the task in hand. Gusting winds up to 32mph ( according to BBC Weather ), driving rain and cold. But no – there was no escaping it; there was a job to be done. It was a 10 miler this morning in prep for the GSR at the end of the month. 7.30am and I’m out of the door – incidentally first run with the flourescent jacket which was a necessity with the conditions. Ran the 10 mile Chilworth route past the golf course and then back again. The road run with the fields on either side was particularly challenging – the wind picked up into huge gusts, the rain hammered in my face and I began to wonder if the Almighty could possibly send any more. Then a van flew by and soaked me and I realised – yes – He certainly could. Face was dripping and I had to put my glasses in my pocket and keep wiping the rain from my eyes and off my nose and chin. Pace was slow – breathing not good and for some reason I had Margerie Dawes legs – they sure didn’t want to move. Last 2 miles I was cursing the weather which deteriorated and as I didn’t have my glasses on I couldn’t judge where the puddles were – hence the soaking wet feet. Anyway arrived home happy, cold, wet and tired and jumped into a shower ( see pic below on arrival pre shower – not attractive ). And now I’m warm, fed and happy watching the Great North Run – tens of thousands of runners. And it’s when you watch all the competitors, the blind runners with their guides ( unbelievable how they run without sight ), people running against the odds and of course all those runners competing to raise money for charity or to mark the loss of a loved one you realise you just CANNOT lie in bed at 7am and give up to the easy life. Have decided that next year I’m going for both a Great North Run place as well as a Great South Run place. Never been to Newcastle but it’s certainly nice and sunny there to day !!! Run Girls Run!!!