Integrated lyrics quiz

Ok, perhaps it hasn't been as bad as some people are having it but the weather has been quite appalling this last few days. On Thursday at the track it gusted so hard that I was forced across into lane 2 where, if were not for his being forced into lane 3 I would have knocked into Darren. Such awful conditions as these meant our times for reps would be much slower than normal so to avoid being discouraged I didn't even bother to time them. We ran a 2 miler, then a mile then a 2 miler. Then I stood in the shower for a very long time indeed.

The sky fell over cheap Korean monster movie scenery

Wednesday was my midweek long(ish) run which last year had been 9-13 miles at 7 pace. Without Milly I may as well save myself an hour or so by jogging this with Scamp around the fields, parks and riverside trail. The pace is certainly slower - possibly just 8 minute miling, and we stop from time to time so I am doing this 'session' on a time basis- 80 minutes this week.

...and spilled into the mezzanine of the crushed capsule hotel


On Tuesday I ran 6 miles fast. Not steady fast, very fast. I managed 6:06 pace which, considering I had ran 5:58 pace a couple of weeks ago with Milly (and THAT felt as hard as a race) I guess is quite a good result on my own. I cant remember what I did on Monday - (oh, I've just remembered but am going to leave my previous typing undeleted as fill, in case I run short of things to say later) - I ran for a while with Gareth and Pipesy (not to be confused with Popsy), maybe six miles or so - very easy. Friday was horrible weather too, so I did nowt. Saw no real point in doing owt with a tough 13 miler due on Saturday. And anyway, running 7 days a week isn't really necessary.



......between the Disney abattoir and the chemical refinery


Saturday morning dawned as I was sitting having a spot of breakfast. The wind had abated and the rain was light. Not bad conditions for a flat, fast marathon pace run. I set out at 0830 - a bit too soon really as I had eaten only one hour prior. After 5 minutes of running I was stopped by the police! I wasn't in trouble for speeding (although they did remark that I looked like I was running very fast). The park was flooded and they were preventing people entering until the council arrived with barriers to close the road off. If they hadn't been there I would have carried on regardless but not wishing to breach the peace I turned round and jogged back to where I had started.


...and I knew I was in trouble but I thought I was in hell

So I started again, this time running the opposite way around the same circuit. I didn't know what would happen when I reached the flooded area again 12 miles later, but that wasn't of concern to me at this point.

There was no way to know what pace I was achieving so I just concentrated on running at a decent effort. Once or twice there would be a landmark that I might use as a checkpoint when I run the 'normal' way round and by adding the time I often take to there to the time I had on my watch I was assured I would finish 'well inside' 1:30.

When I got to the flood I stopped my watch and waded through the water (which was about halfway up to my knees). Unsurprisingly for floodwater in Cumbria in February it was a tad chilly!!!! I was intent on running again for the last few minutes after the flood but my feet had gone numb with cold and my troublesome achilles had tightened up so I just jogged to the finish. Next time its dry I will run this section and time it to give me a time for the 13 miles, but I am already certain that it was about 6 minutes worth, which added to my time up to the flood would give 1hr 22 or 23 minutes.

Following training I quickly gathered my photography gear together and drove out to west Cumbria to cover Jarrets Jaunt fellrace. Only now as I sit here have I thought that I probably didn't really try hard enough today as my legs aren't complaining the way they usually do after 13miles hard. I think I ran much too soon after eating which possibly forced me to hold back the input effort a little. It's important that I don't let photography interfere with training in this way again (I only covered the fellrace 'cos I was running less distance than I usually do, and I rushed out to train so I had plenty of time to get to the race)

Q. What do they carry in the main streets of Montgomery?