Homeless Lollipop Man

With the Wokingham Half only 3 and a half weeks away, I had to get out tonight so I could stretch my legs and therefore be able to go for a longer run at the weekend. As I mentioned in my last post, Grim was the longest I'd run in 5 months and as the cold wet clothing doesn't promote sitting in a field and stretching, my knees have been feeling tight on the stairs and also my ankle was sore from rolling it slightly in the mud.

I put on the usual array of running clothes (shorts, long top and buff) and then my bright yellow gilet, my dark woolly hat and my flashing armband then looked in a mirror. Oh dear. I really need to shave. The big beard and woolly hat combo screams homeless and the fluorescent gear shouts lollipop man. It's a combo I'm ashamed of and proud of in equal measure.

Today was also the first run in my New Balance MR1064CU's which so far, so good but that's all the review you're going to get until I start seeing some freebies! At least they're cleaner than the 1063's  right now.

Grim Beast in the East has also been booked and put in the diary but it's looking like it could be a costly weekend considering it's the weekend closest to Mrs HMC's birthday and I'll be dragging her to a muddy motocross circuit in Kent on a Saturday morning! I guess I better start saving...

Nur nur nur nur nur nur nur nur BAT RUN!

Thought it best to stretch the legs prior to Saturday's Grim so I planned a little route during the day and headed out for a run while leaving Mrs HMC to put George to bed.

I pried open my trainers and broke off the mud holding them together and slipped my feet into them. Toasty warm due to leaving them on a radiator! A head torch was donned and a little flashy red light arm band type thingy was attached to my arm. It was quite a mild night in Surrey so no hat was needed and after 5 minutes, I was wishing I'd chosen a short sleeve instead of a long sleeve top!

I'd planned a little loop I hadn't done before which had been checked for paths on Google Streetview. Quite a nice run actually that included a great little section with very little street lighting and lots and lots of bats for company and then another part with a view where the sky had some quite cool effects going on. 6.22km was completed in 33:33 which is back to my normal pace as I'd removed the 2 BIG hills from my route.

I have also bitten the bullet and ordered the New Balance 1064 which should arrive soon and it also means that Saturday's Grim Challenge with eatingtrees and fitartist could be the final send off for my last ever pair of 1063's! They've done every race bar my very first half marathon. It'll be a sad day.

Oh and I forgot, this years Half Marathon European adventure has been planned. This year.... The City Pier City Loop on the 13th March. Myself, eatingtrees and Mrs HMC are going on a road trip!