I spent a fair bit of time planning a route for my Christmas morning run. You tell people you intend to, or in fact did run on Christmas day and they raise their eyes at you, like you're some kind of idiot. Being out on Christmas morning is a special thing, it's uniquely quiet, no trains, no cars, not just driving around, but also off the roads, empty carparks and side roads...they've somehow all found a place, tidied away. Maybe this is how Sundays always used to be, but now it has an almost apocalyptic feel to it.
I felt a bit like Robert Neville in 'I Am Legend' running down the middle of a deserted high street...Tesco was open, obviously. The early morning trail was another matter altogether. I bumped into so many people who had the same idea, but because it was early and Christmas morning and therefore 'special', it warranted stopping, shaking hands and hugs and lots of chat. The day before was similar, our usual run up Shuttlingsloe, though this time not to watch the sun rise as tradition dictates.
Pete brought his harmonica though, and we briefly listened to him breath through it in the name of making music as we sat huddled out of a what Sharon described as the 'bastard wind' and away from a group of ramblers. Our later start meant we caught lots of other people out. Vast groups of walkers, families, friends, walking 6 abreast making it awkward for us to pass, but giving us chance to eavesdrop on uncomfortable family chit chat. The Christmas Club handicap on Tuesday raised the bar to another level...the trails were positively congested.
The popular masses in big coats and brightly coloured hats littered the paths as we tried to speed by. There was much tutting and harrumphing despite us being tripped up by dogs, elbowed off the paths and being in receipt of a fair bit of verbal. A cheery 'morning' failed to diffuse any inconvenience we were clearly causing. There was some chat in the clubhouse bar after about how to avoid this in the future...but then someone brought in the mince pies and that was the end of that! Back to normal this morning. All quiet. Good Christmas running around.
