Plan A – Go for country park run with the running club at 8.00, home, shower, nip into town. Plan A failed.
Plan B – Go for a country park run in a different park that I’ve never been to on my own, home, shower, nip into town. Plan B failed.
Plan C – Go for a run in the village, home, shower, nip into town. Plan C failed.
And so Plan D came into action, which is how I ended up going to the bank dressed in my running kit and accessorised with my handbag. At one point I put my bag strap across my chest, until I realised that it was possible to make the running kit/handbag outfit look even more ridiculous.
After I’d been to town, I decided that as I was out in the car I may as well go somewhere interesting and ventured to a spot of the canal further down than I tend to go. Although it was generally a grey day, there were patches of blue sky visible and at one point the sun was so bright that I couldn’t see the difference between mud, puddle and edge of towpath. The sunshine didn’t last long and it felt as if the day was still trying to get going – the sun must have still been up there, but it didn’t seem to be doing a great deal.
Bleak
Still bleak
Cold and bleak
As far as the running went, it was a bit of a stop start affair. Partly to take photos, partly to negotiate the mud and partly because I felt a bit lethargic. I put this down to the previous 7 days, but on the return stretch I realised that I had developed an affliction I call “Bear-paw hands” – basically a cock up with hydration – which would explain why I felt rubbish.
Bear-paw hands!
Still, I did see a teeny tiny horse
Teeny tiny horse - side view
Teeny tiny horse - front aspect
I also ran listening to a debate on whether philosophy is dead on The Infinite Monkey Cage podcast – my brain melted at 2.68 miles, but at least I finished the run slightly more educated and with slightly muddy feet.
Apparently keys and mud are a bad combination
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Travelling Hopefully 
The keys on the laces trick is exactly why I keep reading these blogs – what a great little trick! Running in that outfit you’d have really been a toughie in a game I regularly play called “Exercising or late?”… It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the rules! Well done on getting plan d to work for you – and that’s another 5 rocher in the bank! 🙂
Ah, I think I had a round of that game on Wednesday night. Leaving for yoga at about 8.10, I spotted a bloke in shorts running at a decent pace up the end of our road…and straight into the chinese. I thought it was exercising, but Ginge pointed out that he was probably late for watching the footy.
I like the name ‘bear paw hands’. I don’t get them from running but me and a female friend often get them when we go for long walks. I thought maybe it was something to do with circulation.
Well done on getting out and running despite plans A, B and C not working. Interesting that you ran to a podcast… I’d toyed with the idea of running whilst listening to a a talking book but a podcast might be a better idea (not necessarilly having to follow what was going on would make a podcast like chewing gum for the ears whilst running).
I really like listening to spoken word stuff on longer runs, l had the whole of Dracula during Juneathon, but it is very easy to tune out if you’re not careful. The downside of listening to comedy is that I do get strange looks off people as I plod past them, cackling to myself.
I also prefer to run to a book when doing a long one, even have Enid Blyton Famous Five stories on my iPod, officially there for my daughter but I’ve listened to them not her! Makes time go better than music, I found the noise gets on my nerves after an hour. Hope weather not as bleak day 9 for you.
I think I may have to try putting an audio book or a podcast onto my mp3 player.
Love the teeny-tiny horse, so cute!