Friday 29 June 2012

More Running. Well, limping.

Whatever the muscles in my legs between the knee and the hip are, I have somehow managed 37 years without them. I thought my main problem was going to be breathing, passing out from lack of oxygen in the blood and so on. Not so, though the breathing part was not without challenges. It's all about the legs. Jeez did they hurt on Wednesday. And on Thursday. And this morning. But I could delay no longer, I knew I had to get out there, so I was up nice and early and forced myself to do it. Despite the internet sniggering, the snide comments about tights and ankles, references to aged aunts, Sloths and search parties, I dragged my poor legs out there and repeated the routine from the other day. Nothing too strenuous, ten minutes of jogging interspersed with fifteen minutes of brisk walking.



On about my second minute in, I heard Lesser Whitethroat (see - this is a bird blog) in Long Wood. I didn't hear it on the way back, about minute eight. All I could hear by that point were my lungs attempting to exit my chest. I took my bins in one hand, and used them just once, to ensure that a Cormorant was just a Cormorant. It was. They have an open bridge design, and are pretty easy to grip whilst running, though the strap and rainguard were a pain. Many joggers have a little doughnut of water, I have Swarovskis ELs.The highlight of my run was probably a coconut on the main path. Swallows, no doubt. My legs don't know quite what to think at this point. They were kind of getting better, and I have gone and shafted them again. They must hate me. I came home, excellently timed as I hit my front door at about 9m 45s, had a shower and started work. The shoes now cost only £4.75 a minute; I am living the dream.

I'm not sure what the weekend holds. A monster bird hopefully, but please God, not on Blakeney.

For all the ankle admirers out there. Please let me know if you still find the socks troubling. Also please note I do not have clown feet, it's just the perspective of a wide angle lens up close.

3 comments:

  1. Keep up de good work! Presume you is stretching de legs before & after? Shurely your time would come way down if you weren't pissing about checking cormorants & photographing coconuts?

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  2. Socks are a big improvement Jono. You'll probably find it happens naturally, but aligning your breathing with your stride pattern helps immensely. Breathe in, four strides, out, four strides and keep the breathing constant - don't gulp it in. And 'roll' your foot as it lands to spring into the next stride. Get on the beach early on your next Norfolk trip: no-one around, clean, fresh sea air, easy on the knees.

    Pasta salads with tuna or beans, bananas, porridge all fantastic for running. No processed crap. And you can still enjoy a drink at the weekend. Might come in handy one day - the mile run over the dunes to the Black Lark patch square tick wasn't a problem...

    Keep at it!

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  3. Hi Jono,
    Just a point of clarification: "They have an open bridge design, and are pretty easy to grip whilst running". That's cormorants, yes?
    BTW, when I met you at the Mistle Thrush twitch at Stockers a couple of weeks ago you did look slimmer than I imagined you would, so clearly the running was working before you even started it!

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