It's been a strange week. I don't really know what that means, but there's been ups and downs - again, not a witty running reference, and plenty of lefts and rights, which in fact is. James - 'I'm not doing London again' asked if I wanted to navigate on Sunday mornings run, a curious question as it was out to pick up his car from the previous night out...but I'd stayed in. I'd no idea where his car was obviously, so declined, but there was a point on that run where I'd absolutely wished I had navigated.
I guess there came a point when you thought 'will it ever end'. Rapidly heading towards the centre of Stockport, stopping occasionally to view some hand written notes, knowing full well we were lost. Or so I thought. Then he made a couple of left turns and we ended up in the most picturesque path I've seen in ages, yet somehow in the literal shadow of the M60 motorway. Along the river Mersey for a bit, then some fun paths and more lefts and rights, until we arrived at the car...and a porky breakfast.
I expressed genuine and audible delight at the scenery and the weirdness of it being underneath a motorway I use almost everyday with no idea of what beauty lies below. I think it fell on deaf ears after my earlier protestations! I've not run since then, until this evening. A busy week at work and a retirement do for a very dear colleague of mine. A mentor, an icon and a thoroughly decent bloke, Paul's leaving again adds a sense of loss and vulnerability to our team. It's a perculiar emotion, but it's having an effect on me.
It's a time for reflection on the past and to stand tall, take a deep breath and deal with the future. However, a consequence of our night out with Paul has left me with terrible eyes. I'm borderline needing glasses at the best if times, but this week, I can't focus for toffee. Everything is blurry! But it doesn't stop me gazing out of the train window this week, watching scenic sunset over bright yellow fields of oil seed rape. It's impressive. As were the views of the Herons Lake this evening, down by the Mill.
I scared the heron off, but watched it fly off like a lumbering pterodactyl, albeit a slightly irritated one. It was good just to sit there a while, watch it pretending not to notice me with that 'you can't see me because I'm not looking at you' look. I'm not sure who was fooling who, but I was denied a photo. I'm off for an eye test this weekend. Either that, or I again have to increase the text size on my phone...and I simply refuse to do that!
