Lionel Guilt

There will be no more 'It's raining, no training' entries in my blog.

I read Lionel Shiver's article on her nocturnal runs and was wracked with guilt. How can I wimp out and not go for a run because it's raining, when I live by the sea and have the day time to run in?

I did actually end up doing some training yesterday as I remembered that there was a circuit training/keep fit class going on so I ran across the green, so as to keep dry - not for the health benefits, and joined Mark and the team. It was a good way to get back into the swing after a particularly food and drink filled weekend.

This morning I set off, with Lionel's word's ringing in my ears "The round trip is roughly nine miles and how I'd like to claim that over the years that distance has started to seem shorter. That it's got easier. But then exercise being hard is, you know, the point." And so now I have even more of an incentive than: the Dog's Trust, my health, my good and generous friends, who have sponsored me and the fact that I am going to be leaving for the Arctic in roughly 14 weeks, thanks Lionel.

Running on a good day here is a privilege. My route through the lanes, onto the common and down the river tow path onto the beach is remarkable and this morning it seemed to offer me more that the usual beauty, I'd like to think this was the result of my Lionel epiphany, and Mother Nature giving me one more reason to get out there.

The sky was clear, blue and the full moon hung low over the fields, the dogs were completely energised from an early night and the change in the weather, and of course Luna always responds to the moon. As I ran along the tow path the sun was blinding from the sky and from its reflection in the puddles that regularly span the whole path. We must look slightly batty from the other side of the river, running along a seemingly flat path but every 3 strides jumping a meter, one after each other; small dog, larger dog, human. It certainly upset the local white Ibis, who flew straight over our heads as we dropped down to the lower section of the path and squelched through the mud. The sand was hard work as usual but we kept going and took the longer circuit, increasing the time to 45 minutes. Tomorrow an hour.

My hard work was rewarded on my return when logged on to my sponsorship site at justgiving.com to find that I'd hit the £1000 mark, so THANK YOU ALL! Just another £2500 to go now...