For the first time in 86 days we woke up to No Rain. So overcome with this unexpected turn of events, we decided to forgo our usual lazy morning reading of several papers, interrupted only by rock/paper/scissoring for the next round of coffee, and wandered through the sunny park in search of breakfast.
Post-breaky, we took care of some Grown Up Business at the bank like Proper Grown Ups. After the revelations we decided to close our joint bank accounts with HSBC. It feels so good to vote with our feet! I have also moved my personal banking to the Co-op (my account was opened by a woman called Beryl, whose dulcet Midland tones suggested I was speaking with a woman who would make a fine victoria sponge).
The afternoon was spent climbing Mount Laundry (sigh), and then I went for a run in my new magic running pants. I managed to NOT STOP for 30 whole entire minutes! Which I have never done before. I never thought I could learn to run let alone learn to LOVE to run. Yay for bodies. And afterwards, through the magic of twitter I met Eileen Valazza who’s blog is all kinds of lovely. I want to join her Secret Army of Wildly Enthusiastic But Super-slow Runners.
And in case by some miracle, this little update has left you hungry for more, I am chuffed to bits to be over at Weekends Collected today, with a new poem and some pics from a weekend we spent in an ancient English forest. The site is beautifully curated by Mrs Wise – check it out!
Yay for no rain! Cool magic running pants. And your post at Weekends Collected is lovely.
You are such a hero in your Magic Pants. True facts.
PS. Please initiate me into the Slow Runners’ Secret Army. I am training for a 10K, but honestly, I’m sure I’ll finish it more quickly if I just give up and walk the bloody thing. T-shirt definitely needed! With red racing stripes.
But then again, it isn’t really about speed at all, in the end:
“Begin with the body. The body mirrors the soul and the mind, and is much more accessible than either. Become proficient at listening to your body and you will eventually hear from your totality—the complex unique person you are.
I did it that way. I stepped off that train and began to run. And in that hour a day of perfecting my body, I began to find out who I was. I discovered that my body was a marvelous thing, and learned that any ordinary human can move in ways that have excited painters and sculptors since time began. I didn’t need the scientists to tell me that man is a microcosm of the universe, that he contains the 92 elements of the cosmos in his body. In the creative action of running, I became convinced of my own importance, certain that my life had significance.” — Dr George Sheehan
That’s why I’m out there.
WOW that is such an apt quote! love it.
Oh, what a gorgeous-sounding day! I’m so happy to have found you through the magic of discussing magic pants on twitter :)
dude, same :)
so happy you had your sunshine!!!
and running. this is an idea i’ve been toying with. i’ve gone so far as to let the mr. know i need to buy running shoes…slowly working up my nerve,
top tip i wish i had known: go slow, even if its just minutely faster than actually walking.
you’ll be able to build up your time of actual running way easy. and it won’t hurt.
you will rock it!
Loved the poem – really, properly loved it. And the photos made me happy but jealous, so then full of planning for a forest-y trip of my own. Thank you.
Thank you so much! that makes ME happy.
yay for trees!
x
Argh, somehow I missed this post before we spoke. I love your poem so very much, you are one very talented lady. xxx
so good you’ve enjoyed some sunshine.
and i love the sound of magic running pants. maybe they would help me…?!
and boy do i love bea’s quote above…
i have now worn them twice and they seem to regulate my body temp really well. also no signs of the usual slight stiffness on the days in between runs. but if i actually stretched then this may result in the same effect!
I absolutely LOVED your weekends collected post this morning! loved! thank you so much for sharing it– xoox,e
oh thank you sweetie – that mrs wise has created something lovely there, no?