Finally! Santas!

Although this was only meant to be a 2K fun-run, actually getting to the start line felt more like a marathon. But finally, after finding a suit that actually fit me, and after the first attempt was called off due to ice, the Bristol Santas on the Run race for Children’s Hospice South West went ahead on Sunday.

It would have been a fairly surreal sight in December, with hundreds of Santas (and their little helpers) jogging around the harbourside — the route went through Millennium Square, across Pero’s Bridge and around the bit of harbour between the bridge and the Centre a couple of times, then back to the Lloyds Amphitheatre — but in late January it seemed extra-weird.

Still, plenty of the original entrants turned up to this re-arranged event, and paraded around to confused looks from passers-by. And lots of money will hopefully be raised for a worthy cause…

Here’s a picture of the start line, which gives you some idea of the spectacle 🙂

Santas on the Run 2010, Bristol (as run in January 2011!)
Santa Start Line

That was the only running I did over the weekend, and it was at least 3K shorter than a normal weekend run for me. But it was also my birthday weekend, and I was away from home for most of it, so I don’t feel too guilty. Having said that, I feel like I may have gone down with a cold now, so maybe I should have what opportunities I had to get out running.

Oh well. Hopefully I’ll be better by next weekend, and I can try a longer run to practice for the Bath Half…

Arcade Fire

Things I found out on my run last night: 1) It was cold. 2) My hip aches. 3) I was tired. 4) I don’t much care for Arcade Fire.

Still, I think it was probably important to drag myself out, reluctantly, for my first mid-week run of the year. I’ve got to build some momentum back up somehow. I got out on Sunday, too, but I didn’t have time to blog about it, being mostly knee-deep in books all weekend as I did some early spring cleaning.

And so I slogged through 5K, despite wanting to stop a few times and walk for a while. I also had to shut off the aforementioned universally acclaimed album, because it was so bloody dreary I started considering throwing myself in the river. The Suburbs just sounds like a dull version of OMD crossed with the Human League to me.

Instead of chucking myself in the Avon I switched to Medollic’s new album, which was far better jogging material. Not entirely my cup of tea — they’re rather too perfect for my shambolically-attuned ears, and tracks like Dollhouse, the title track, are far too straight-up rock for me — but Fable, a list-song in a very American/Canadian-Female-Singer-Songwriter-stylee, if you know what I mean, hit the spot, among others.

Anyway. First cold, dark mid-week jog of the year under my belt, and hopefully I’ll be heading on in the right direction and building back up my distance for the Bath Half. Which is in about five and a half weeks’ time now. Gah!

January Sunshine

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Today I went out for my first jog of the year — my first jog in more than a month, in fact, having taken December off! It wasn’t as difficult as I feared it might have been. Helping with that was the weather — sunny, cool but not freezing, just right for jogging. I felt good enough not to bother starting back too gingerly and gently, so I did a full 5K starting with Bridge Valley Road. I was slow, but not much slower than normal, really, so I’m pretty happy with that.

Which is just as well, really, as it’s just under two months to the Bath Half Marathon. Hmm. Might have left building up my training a little late. Still, if I get back to my usual routine fairly quickly it shouldn’t be impossible. I guess we’ll have to see!

Happy new year, everyone 🙂