Monday 16 April 2007

Mr Consistency

Sorry to leave it so long since the last post but decorating (and running) calls unfortunately.

I hate to tempt fate but things seem to be running smoothly (pun intended) now. I managed to get 40km in for each of the last two weeks. Last week I finally (thanks to light evenings) got around to running to work. Not all the way as that would be a 60 mile round trip. (I know, I’m mixing up my measurement systems but the car uses miles and my Polar HRM records in kilometres. Being a child of the great metrication conversion in the 70's I can handle these things. Apologies to you oldies or newies brought up on one system!). I park up and run 11km into work along the Grand Union Canal then 7 miles back again in the evening. My times for both ways were within seconds of each other. Just call me Mr Consistency. It gave me great satisfaction to run underneath a couple of roads on which I’m normally sat in traffic jams.

Another thing it did give me was an appreciation of how monotonous canal running is. I was going stir crazy after six miles. I soon abandoned any (albeit remote) plans of ever running the Tring2Town (30 something miles along the GUC) not to mention the Birmingham to London ultra race (a mere 145 miles of the same canal). I would need institutionalising after either of those. Some would say I’d need institutionalising for even considering them as a sane thing to do. I love running but I need variety to break things up. That’s why I love the hills. No two miles are the same.

Hopefully tomorrow’s run in will seem shorter now I’m a little used to the route.

Saw a lovely temperature inversion yesterday. Left home in the fog, ran up the Chiltern escarpment into bright sunshine. The valley below was full of cloud and the hills beyond were poking up into the sunshine. Thought this might happen so I took my camera.

The cardiologists are back on the scene. I received an appointment for the 23rd to have the monitor fitted for a seven day recording. Time to shave my chest again. Watch this space on that one. In the meantime I’ll be looking for a second opinion from a sports cardiologist.

Until the next time……

2 comments:

aquaasho said...

Coincidence: I've been busy decorating too! What a right pain it is but I suppose some little feeling of accomplishement when it's done!

I also run/cycle to work which in Dublin is faster than a car.(Cycle in, run home, next day run in, cycle home). I'm only 7 miles from work though.

Your description there is lovely, going from fog to sunshine! Those types of runs are what it's all about.

Good luck with the cardiologist!

Mick said...

Tis that time of year (for decorating that is). It is a good feeling of accomplishment when things look so much better.

I might cycle to work the odd day. I actually work 30 miles along the same canal that my office is next to so I can towpath it all the way. Hope I won't go canal crazy doing it though. My youngest daughter once rode off the towpath into the canal!

Thanks for the best wishes with the cardiologists.