The morning started a little earlier when Mr JCR got up at 5am to do a cycle trip around our Region today. By 6am I was wide awake and instead of waiting for Mr Smooth’s invitation to get my trainers on, I was ready and out the door and it was already 25 degrees!
My route means I meet the same people most times – the couple where the lady has had some kind of operation and is on crutches – helped by her husband on what I think is probably gentle physio, there’s an old chap wearing 118 ad style running shorts doing a light jog, and a young guy taking a Heinz 57 dog for a walk. Being in Italy, it would be rude not to acknowledge them, so we all do a variation on buongiorno. It does however get difficult because my route is circular and I tend to meet up with them all a second time, so we all do a second acknowledgment – a weird grunt noise – a short version of buongiorno, which ends up sounding like no. In fairness to me, on the last part of the run a grunt is about all I can manage anyway. In Italian – I am known as a straniera (stranger), but it seems odd now – I don’t know these guys, they don’t know me – but surely we’re not strangers any more?
An occupation hazard of living in the country, is no pavements and very windy narrow lanes – think Devon and Cornwall type, coupled with the famed Italian Ferrari driving style and just sometimes you can come a cropper. So this morning’s adventure on a blind bend was an unscheduled brush with stinging nettles – oh joy – I am adding that to the already itching mosquito bites from Sunday.
The great bit about this forum, is you learn stuff all the while, so I have been utterly perplexed at a ringing noise going off on my phone during my sessions. I had exhausted all my ideas – mail alerts, WhatsApp alerts, calendar alerts etc – you get the picture, then in one of our recent posts, someone ‘WB’ mentioned the half time alarm bell. Thank you for saving my sanity. 
Finally, yesterday amongst my usual pile of junk mail – I received an e magazine telling me that anyone wanted to sell their house this Autumn would be advised to redecorate and a coat of paint is just the ticket. Deep rich colours are the in thing, so I checked out Dulux’s colour chart and my face post run is either Salsa Red or Monarch. As I get fitter I am aiming for either Sorbet or Raspberry Diva
According to Mr Smooth, my stamina should be increasing – he just doesn’t seem to mention face colour though….
Playlist
Marvin Gaye – Puth and Trainor
Secret & Talking Loud and Clear – OMD
Lucky You – Lightning Seeds
Strong – London Grammar
Maid of Orleans (twice in succession) – OMD
She’s Electric – Oasis
Save a Prayer – Duran Duran
Glory Days – The Boss
F..K You – Cee Lo Green
Perfect – Lightning Seeds
The Reflex – Duran Duran
By the Way – Red Hot Chillis
Wishing Well – Terence Trent D’Arby
Common People – Pulp
Stats
Distance 4.77Km
Time 47.12 mins
Average Pace 9.53
Originally posted 11 July on Health Unlocked
Looking back now, this was when I first started enjoying the running and was noticing a bit more of my surroundings and the folk I saw. Oh and yes the colour chart makes its first appearance…
