The link between these three things is probably a bit tenuous, but hey-ho. Sometimes random is as good as patterns...
I blogged about mood/music last week - but today, I had a bit of a music-related epiphany.
Music whilst running. I don't know why I hadn't thought about this before (well, I suppose strictly speaking I have always listened to music in the gym, but I've never thought about running outside whilst ipod'd up. duhhh) - but hell, it made a cracking difference. Continuing my week long "Scissor Sisters" fixation, I'm pleased to report that the first album makes for a great pace-setter. I find it really hard to pace myself when running outside. So far, I've always found the treadmill easier because it sorts that bit out for me - but it's profoundly less fulfilling running on the spot - bugger all sense of achievement. But "take your mama" et al kept me on track and pumped up. I made 4K without a breaking into a walk. Which might not seem a lot, but this lady ain't exactly a natural athlete.
As well as being a personal best in terms of distance covered, running today was oddly magical. The weather wasn't that great (we got rained on) but all the signs of spring and new beginnings were there - the Gingko Biloba tree outside our house has got fresh green leaves; the street trees of Ealing are in blossom; the woods on the way down to the canal tow-path are peppered with the blue haze of bluebells. Simply glorious.
The plants aren't the only new things springing up though. Now the paper work is done, I'm really excited to announce that I'm off to a new job. I've had three and half great years at Notting Hill, it's been a ball, we've achieved loads, but time for a new challenge.
I'm off to be Chief Operating Officer at JGP. JGP is probably best known for http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ - the UK's biggest public-sector specialist jobsboard. But there's lots more besides (oh yes, I'll be blogging about it all very soon). I've been using JGP products for the last few years - and I think they're great (if I didn't, I wouldn't be taking the job!). So it feels like a bit of a Victor Kiam moment. All that lovely technology to get to grips with, and new people to meet.... it's fair put a spring in my step.
J
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Running. Show all posts
What a glorious day
It started gently enough, with a cup of coffee in bed, a few chapters of my current book (The Islamist - Ed Hussein) and listening to the Archers. Then it dawned on me that I had no excuses - it was one of those gloriously bright sunny winter days - it's time for the training programme to start.
Together with a couple of friends, I've signed up for a charity 5 kilometre run, race for life, on 18th May. So, contrary to my usual habit of leaving things to the last minute, I figured I'd try to get with the programme early doors. It was a surprisingly pleasant experience. Sid and I walked up the road (warm up, warm up) to the entrance to the park that borders onto the canal. Once through the stile and into the park, we ran (OK, jogged) down to the canal and along the tow-path to Brentford. We estimate it's about 5km in total, and made to the destination with a couple of breathers at about 3km and 4km. The tow-path is lively place on a Sunday morning : the good burghers of Ealing go out jogging and cycling with their children and dogs. And there's a great cafe when you reach Brentford lock. By 18th May I need to do it in one stretch, and I guess I better set a target time to aim for.
After the exertions of the run, I was planning a quiet hour on the allotment, doing a bit of tidying up, then back to the homestead for quality time on the sofa with the Sunday papers. However, we had such fun on the allotment we didn't stop till it got dark. There was lots of dried up vegetation, hedge-clippings and chopped up hazel-nut tree to dispose of. One incinator, one match and a pile of cardboard later, we had a roaring fire going. I'd forgotten just how hypnotic a bonfire can be. I popped out to get coffee and cake from the cafe near the allotments. It's a lovely example of demographic change in london - it's now a polish-food cafe - and I can vouch for the traditional polish apple pie being fabulous.
Perfect Sunday methinks.
J
Together with a couple of friends, I've signed up for a charity 5 kilometre run, race for life, on 18th May. So, contrary to my usual habit of leaving things to the last minute, I figured I'd try to get with the programme early doors. It was a surprisingly pleasant experience. Sid and I walked up the road (warm up, warm up) to the entrance to the park that borders onto the canal. Once through the stile and into the park, we ran (OK, jogged) down to the canal and along the tow-path to Brentford. We estimate it's about 5km in total, and made to the destination with a couple of breathers at about 3km and 4km. The tow-path is lively place on a Sunday morning : the good burghers of Ealing go out jogging and cycling with their children and dogs. And there's a great cafe when you reach Brentford lock. By 18th May I need to do it in one stretch, and I guess I better set a target time to aim for.
After the exertions of the run, I was planning a quiet hour on the allotment, doing a bit of tidying up, then back to the homestead for quality time on the sofa with the Sunday papers. However, we had such fun on the allotment we didn't stop till it got dark. There was lots of dried up vegetation, hedge-clippings and chopped up hazel-nut tree to dispose of. One incinator, one match and a pile of cardboard later, we had a roaring fire going. I'd forgotten just how hypnotic a bonfire can be. I popped out to get coffee and cake from the cafe near the allotments. It's a lovely example of demographic change in london - it's now a polish-food cafe - and I can vouch for the traditional polish apple pie being fabulous.
Perfect Sunday methinks.
J
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