The man who cuts my hair, being careful not to describe him as my hairdresser/stylist and therefore infer some kind of unnecessary 'lifestyle' imagery, likes to chat to me about home DIY. I'm ok with this. He, like Physio Wayne, is also quite expressive with his arms and hands, so there's a fair bit of interruption which leaves me in a kind of 'treatment no-mans-land'. There was discussion in the car on the way back from parkrun yesterday about the perils of chit-chat.
The default seems to be football, something I know nothing about, so I guess DIY is ok. At least I can both listen and respond. One thing I don't like to launch in to, is the subject of my running. Very few people get it, and you seem to prostitute something that is precious to you for the sake of cheap conversation. It is, however, a rare treat to find someone who not only understands you and your stuff, but also has a hobby, a passion if you will, and is as engaged and enthused as you!
Especially if it's not immediately obvious and little digging around reveals the secret. Of all the people I run with, I'm not entirely sure many of them actually enjoy running. Steve does; "fucking great that, Rich", his almost solitary comment at the end of this mornings 14 miler. He, like me, is a man of few words, but makes them count when he chooses to. I missed a couple of days running this week, time and priorities have been a little displaced, preferring to stay in for a couple of early evenings.
The usual Monday night monochrome pre-circuits run and Tuesday speed session were joined by taking a long run on Friday, my usual rest day. Many photos taken to share an otherwise isolated, wet, cold and muddy day and leave a feeling of warm fulfilment. Yesterday's parkrun was fun, a beautiful sunny, but freezing morning and astonishingly wet underfoot. Pleased with my course PB, but the bacon buttie was better. It was an early start this morning, though not as early as some!
Pretty quiet down the back roads at that time and little fuss or drama, other than Steve preferring to run in the road and take his chances with the traffic on the main road down by Monks Heath. These long Sunday runs are starting to loose their fun factor. Pete was certainly engaging a plan this morning. He's doing London, so this could be last time we see him out like this. I need a bit of structure and pace as we build up to Wilmslow in March. XC final next weekend!
