Adam in Runderland

Today I had planned to go for a run at lunchtime but as I sat and drank my morning coffee I didn't want to wait. On the spur of the moment I rang the office and told them I would be in late. My wife agreed to drop me in Brixworth on her way to work and, after a quick change and a banana, I was all set. I arrived in Brixworth at 8:45 and headed straight through the village to Pitsford reservoir about a mile away. It was a chilly morning with occasional rain, however breaks in the cloud revealed a cool blue winter sky above. Once I had left the main road and entered Brixworth Country Park I had to decide whether to take the clockwise loop starting at the sailing club or head anti-clockwise across the dam. I chose the later which would put the gusty wind at my back on the outward section. There weren't many people around due to the inclement conditions but those I saw smiled and shared a greeting, they were mostly dog walkers forced out by their K9 companions. I felt comf...

Do you have to let it linger? Having dispatched the head cold that had lingered like the last fudge in a box of Roses for the previous three weeks I was looking forward to plenty of running over the holiday period. Sadly it wasn’t to be as another bug attacked on Christmas Eve this time targeting the chest as well as the sinuses. On Christmas day I coughed and sniffed around Parkrun course. Despite my ailments it was a highly enjoyable. The clear blue sky and winter sunshine was the perfect backdrop to the 308 runners, many sporting Santa hats, who managed to complete the 3 miles before heading home for a well earned dinner. Two days later it was Parkrun time again and I was feeling even worse. Still I crawled out of bed and dragged myself round over six minutes slower than my usual pace. One Parkrun closer to the 100 target. Christmas Morning By the following Tuesday I was desperate to go for a long run. The weather was perfect, the temperature hovering around...