How to stick to your training schedule #1

Today’s training schedule called for 50 minutes cross-training. So, did I diligently trot off to the gym for 50 minutes cross-training? Na, I decided to go out running for 5 miles instead.

Took my usual route round the marshes, then decided to head off in what I thought was the direction of the marina, only it wasn’t. It was in the direction of some crusties in a park in Hackney who were sitting on a bench drinking at 9:30 in the morning. Luckily they were too bemused by the sight of a bedraggled jogger looking less like a finely tuned athlete and more like a badly tuned piano to notice the iPod strapped to my arm and left me to jog off past them, leaving them to continue enjoying their apple based breakfast, i.e. rocket-fuel-strength cider.

I took my camera out with me this morning as I thought today’s run should be a more leisurely affair after yesterday’s disaster. OK, I thought today’s run should be a more leisurely affair after drinking for 12 hours yesterday and shoving three bars of chocolate, three burgers and two hot dogs down my throat.

But before I bore everyone with today’s pics, here’s an aerial photo of the scene of the aforementioned disaster. The purple bit is, obviously, where I was supposed to go. The blue bit that tails off on its own is, obviously, where I wasn’t supposed to go. That signals the bit where I turned my Garmin off in disgust, ripped my number off my shirt, threw it in the bin and stomped off to the toilet to cry. Waaaaaaaa, right at the f*****g end. No, I haven’t got over it yet.

And today’s pics:

Cows! Yah! I like cows. Cows are cool. I was thinking today, maybe they’ve always been there and I just hadn’t noticed before and in five years, I’m still going to be saying “cows, yah, I like cows”. There are still four cows, one’s just a bit further away. As usual. I don’t think the other three like that cow.

And a closer up pic of a cow.

This sign confused me. What if the dogs are wild? Are they allowed in the pond? Although they’d have to get through the barbed wire first. Maybe my cat would be allowed in there, she’s wild. Actually, my cat would be allowed in there, as it doesn’t say keep your cats out of the pond, just dogs. So people could give their hamsters a little swim in there too.

And here’s a squirrel. Aah, innit cute?

Watch out for the next instalment of how to stick to a training schedule where I, instead of going out for a 2.5 mile run, go to the running club and do speedwork instead.

Stats:
Miles: 4.82
Total time: 1:00:23
Average pace: 12:31 minute/mile
Average speed: 4.8mph
Max speed: 7.3mph
Total calories: 448
Weather:71F
Cows: 4
Squirrels: 1
Crusties on benches drinking early in the morning: 4
Music:
The Damned – Eloise
Bikini Kill – For Only
Sex Pistols – Lonely Boy
The Police – Next to You
Boomtown Rats
Blur – 1992
Arctic Monkeys – Dancing Shoes
The Crescent – Streets of Tide
Supergrass – Your Love
Primal Scream – Some Velvet Morning
Gary Numan – Remember, I Was Vapour
Manic Street Preachers – Dead Martyrs
The Arcade Fire – Yeah Toast!
Simian – When I Go
The Futureheads – A to B
Scissor Sisters – Electrobix