Month: March 2018

31 Mar – It’s A Numbers Game

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The end of the first quarter of the year, JCR it’s time for a reckoning on the Alzheimer’s Challenge and here are the numbers:-

1 – friends Gerben and Jeanne who started my sponsorship rolling, with the very first donation

2 – hot on their heels, Neil and Angela who kept the impetus going

3, 4 and 5 – lovely Couch to 5K members who also sponsored me

6 – the daily average kms covered since the beginning of the year

7 –  days’ running  – my longest ‘running streak’ in February

8 – days running in Spain, five in Malaga covering 44km, three in Granada covering 31km

12 – individual sponsors so far – the last one being Rosalie from Mr JCR’s cycling club

14 – the first Monopoly run – 14km collecting Old Kent Road, Whitechapel, Bank, Jail & two train stations and funnily enough also my last collecting the ‘coloured’ squares of Mayfair & Park Lane

16 – my longest recorded run on 25 January

25 – Couch To 5K, the whole reason I am doing this challenge. It encouraged me to start running again and now look where I am

25 – yes again – we are 25% of the way through the year

27 – percentage kms run, therefore  I am 2% points ahead

36 – percentage of my fundraising target met to date

43 – kilometres in the bank/ahead of schedule as of today

59 – the numbers of runs I’ve completed

90 – days gone in this running year

168 – the average monthly kilometres, I must run

275  – running days to go

504 – my target kilometres for end of March

547 – my actual kilometres run to the end of March

741 –  £ in sponsorship received

846 – £ in sponsorship received with tax aid

1470 – the kilometres still to run

2018 – the target kilometres for the year and the money raised for Alzheimer’s Research

∞ Infinity and Beyond – the support from Mr JCR for me doing this

and finally, the immeasurable goodwill messages, support, encouragement and general cheering on from all friends and family based here, Holland, Italy, C25Kland, Facebook, USA, New Zealand

 

 

 

 

30 Mar – Another Day In Paradise

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Grey, rainy, empty Holborn
Crossrail continues apace

It’s a UK Bank Holiday, Good Friday – or more to the point, Grey Friday and London seems empty, except for the locals and brave tourists who may have hoped for a pleasant Easter break in the capital.

No such luck for them, but the upside for me is the streets are empty, so no swerving, swearing or switching routes to avoid people traffic. During the holiday breaks in the capital, a lot of construction work continues – hence all the train line closures. I was just out of my door when I saw the Crossrail monster crane being manoeuvred towards the Moorgate site. From all the hi-vis men taking pics of this too, I am guessing this is not a usual occurrence.

I do however have an unusual occurrence of my own – I have a twinge –  not the usual WMAS , but I think it may be a proper problem. I’ve  Dr Googled which is always a bad thing, as invariably the worst possible diagnosis and prognosis  comes up. Sore leg = instant death, that kind of thing. Then I found a site that promised to diagnose more accurately your knee pain – but out of the 5 conditions they mention, mine doesn’t seem to fit any of them.

Using Idris Elba’s recent advert strap-line ‘carry on’, I gave it a go and ran this morning. Upshot just over 6km done – bizarrely the twinge doesn’t seem to happen as often when I’m running, but it does when I’m walking. I am still yelping/swearing from time to time, but not as much as last night. Therefore I am a bit perplexed, The NHS site says something along the lines of – don’t go to a GP, don’t go to hospital, don’t take painkillers, just wait and see.

So that is what I am going to do, I am going to wait and see what happens and not put in such long runs. My own strap-line is Carry On Running, But Not Yelping. Not awfully catchy – I sincerely doubt Elstree Studios will be re-launching the famous comedy series any day soon.

Playlist

Darling Nikki – His Purple Highness and The Revolution

Chelsea Dagger – The Fratellis

Born In The USA – The Boss

Enola Gay – OMD

Somebody Told Me – The Killers

Maid Of Orleans – OMD

This Girl – Kungs

Mercy – Duffy

Live and Die – OMD

Two Tribes – Frankie Goes To Hollywood

Girls On Film – Duran Duran

Planet Earth – Ditto

Boombastic – Shaggy

Statistics

Distance 6.65km

Time 43:51

Average Pace 6:35

Elevation Gain 18 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms Run to Date 547.6

Kms to Run 1470.4

29 Mar – Idris Says Carry On

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IMG_1631
This was before I knew I was injured….

in another room – according to his latest advert – which to be honest is rubbish, but it is Idris, so he is forgiven.

After the 27th’s run, in which I actually failed to do my target kms, I thought I should carry on with another run and try and make up the mini deficit of half a km. As Mr JCR points out, I am actually ahead of target, so my reasoning has gone a little awry.

Nonetheless, the beastette from the East, is due back again, so it’s a good idea to clock the kms whilst I can. Today’s plan is another 10km – well perhaps a bit more if I can power my old lady legs on. Actually they are not old lady legs – officially according to The United Nations – ‘The United Nations uses 60 years to refer to older people’. This is a demographic line – apparently I am still young (actually the site doesn’t strictly speaking say that). So me and my young legs should be able to knock out the 10km no sweat. Here’s hoping.

Mmm well I have good news and bad news. Good news I did my second-ever fastest 5km – well fast for a geriatric in 29 minutes and 32 seconds – although with my geriatric fumbling it took about 30 seconds to stop the clock on my run to prove it was sub 30 minutes.

Second half of the run, I started a new run-on the MMR app and managed to do a further 6+km in an average of 5 minutes 56 seconds. That most definitely is my fastest 10 km+ ever.

Bad News – I have a twinge, one that makes me yelp and swear in equal measure when I put my right foot down – it shoots up near my knee. I have no obvious cause of an injury I was running fine and all of a sudden got the twinge, it felt fine so I continued running. Rested a while, de-sausaged, showered and went for a walk, still no problem. 3 hours later walking to a local restaurant the yelping/swearing started. A further 3 hours on, walking back from the restaurant, things weren’t much better.

Quick Dr Googling tells me it could be any number of things – not so helpful. I am thinking it might be tendonitis as I didn’t fall or twist or anything. Ho hum you win some, and then you lose some. I’d been building up a small surplus of kms in case of need. Looks like the need may have just arrived.

Idris says carry on – all the medical advice I am reading says don’t…, so I’m going to follow Idris’s advice and see if I can actually run at all. If I can with no twinges, I’ll do a little one, if I can’t, then I won’t.

Playlist 

Metal Guru – T Rex

Shang -A – Lang – Bay City Rollers

Sugar Baby Love – The Rubettes

Waterloo – Abba

I Feel Love – Donna Summer

Blame It On The Boogie – The Jacksons

Boogie Shoes – KC And The Sunshine Band

Killer Queen – Queen

Boogie Oogie Oogie – A Taste Of Honey

Night Fever – Bee Gees

Girls and Boys – Blur

Chelsea Dagger – The Fratellis

True Faith- 94 – New Order

Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine – The Killers

Maid Of Orleans (twice) – OMD

It’s Called A Heart – Depeche Mode

Let’s Go Crazy – His Purple Highness

Down In The Tube Station At Midnight – The Jam

 

Stats

Distance 11.98km

Time 1:10:59

Average Pace 5.55

Elevation Gain 59 metres

Face Colour – Monarch Red

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms To Date 541.09

Kms to Do 1476.91

27 Mar – London Fashion Week Arrives

jancanrun
Sexy Legs
Capacious Jacket
Max Wall Headband

Nicolas Ghesquiere is the new Designer in Chief at Louis Vuitton and he is heralding his new collection in the latest British Vogue issue. His ‘woman’ is in motion, and she is on the go, according to his interview with the mag.

This ‘on the go’ look involves gorgeous brocade coats, waistcoats and ruffled blouses, over ruffled trousers mixed with bulbous trainers. A mere snip at more or less £15,000. In truth I love the clothes – the trainers not quite so much.

I, as you know, am also on the go, however my running budget doesn’t quite match the aesthete of Vuitton. Think bag lady mixed with Max Wall.

Today’s run down the catwalk of Islington and what is wistfully known as East Clerkenwell, saw me sporting the following adornment.

Hair – scraped back a la Max Wall, complete with Sweaty Betty Black headband

Face Colour – Dulux’s Salsa Red

Running Base Layer – neon purple and orange ‘athleisure’ base top – brand unknown

Running Sleeveless Jacket – black and neon orange netting lining – brand Pro Touch – no I’ve never heard of them either

Running tights – Black – by Pro Touch – still no idea where or when I picked these up

Running socks – Falke – yes I’m worth Falke socks, they protect my tootsies…

Running Trainers – Sexy Saucony Echelons

Fish – by Moxons of Islington (the brill, crab and clams only accompanied me for half the run)

Total expense for this running outfit unknown, but am happy to run in one of Mr Ghesquiere’s outfits, if he donates some dosh to Alzheimer’s Research. I am guessing I don’t really match his idea of his woman on the go though.

In summary my look today – I  love the Saucony trainers – the rest of the outfit not so much!

But despite the fashion embarrassment, I went out and on the go managed just over 9km.

Playlist

Strong – London Grammar

True Faith 94 – New Order

Smile Like You Mean It – The Killers

Tokyo Joe – Bryan Ferry

Change – Lightning Seeds

Sign Of The Times  – Harry Styles

Let’s Spend The Night Together – David Bowie

Dance Away – Roxy Music

Doginabag – The Fratellis

Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode

Dreaming Of Me (twice) – Ditto

Avalon – Roxy Music

Born To Run – The Boss

Rumour Has It – Adele

I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me – Nik Kershaw

Is Vic There – Department S

Don’t Look Back In Anger – Oasis

Stats

Distance 9.49km

Time 1:01:55

Average Pace 6:31 (mins/km)

Elevation Gain 53 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms To Date 529.03

Kms to Do 1488.97

 

 

 

 

25 Mar – Stealing Thunder

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Today is the London landmarks half-marathon, and I wasn’t registered, indeed didn’t even know it was happening, until way after I had decided on my 2018 challenge and by then the race registration was closed.

So to show some solidarity I ran this morning with my Alzheimer’s Fundraising tee-shirt on. Great plan JCR, except for the fact that (as can be seen) I actually crossed the race route and was mistaken for a legitimate runner by one of the race Marshalls, who said when I approached the junction – ‘ Miss you go left here’ – to my embarrassment I had to admit to not being in the race and merely out for a run.

Oops talk about stealing thunder. I headed towards Covent Garden in the hope of keeping away from the runners, but creating some awareness of Alzheimer’s Research in my bright orange tee-shirt.

Not much to say – the run needed doing and I did it. But many congratulations to the real runners and heroes of the day who ran 21km, whilst I wimped out at 7.

Playlist

Have A Nice Day – Stereophonics

Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve

So Why So Sad – The Manics

Freedom! 90 – George Michael

Let Me Entertain You – Robbie Williams

Disco 2000 – Pulp

Gett Off – His Purple Highness

Come As You Are – Nirvana

Cherub Rock – Smashing Pumpkins

Justified And Ancient – People of ‘K’ Feat. Crystal

Killer – Adamski and Seal

If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next – The Manics

Millennium – Robbie Williams

Creep – Radiohead

Animal Nitrate – Suede

Hope – Shaggy, Prince Mydas

Stats

Distance 7:56km

Time 50:58

Average Pace 6:44 (mins/km)

Elevation Gain 39 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Run To Date 519.5km

To Run 1498.5 – below the 1500s now – fantastic!

Team Rhomboid Torture

Yesterday I managed 3 x 10 reps of squats and same of wall press-ups

(I can’t do proper press-ups, because of  ‘frozen shoulder’ – another crappy bit of middle aged bod falling off)

I couldn’t do the hollow rocks as I fell asleep…:)

Today squats, press-ups and kettlebell lifting and I may try the hollow rock thing again…

 

24 Mar – Sniffing, Stopping & Snapping

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One of the ‘difficulties’ in doing the Run the Year Challenge, is finding a purpose to the run. Sometimes I am happy meandering like a toddler, not really knowing where I will end up, just being happy getting there. Sometimes it’s nice to have structure like my Monopoly Board runs or even my errand running.

On others like today, I started running and then wondered what could I do to give me a focus. After due consideration – well about 10 seconds worth I decided within today’s run that I’d stop and take a photo of every statue I saw.

As I started running in the City, it became apparent I’d be dong more stopping and snapping than running; as the reclining couple, the glass feature and William Shakespeare were all within feet of each other. This made me change my route – the Square Mile is one of the richest places in the UK, therefore it would also be likely to have more statues than elsewhere. I headed out to Holborn and whilst the water fountain doesn’t count as a statue, I loved the fact it asked you to replace the water cups after use. The cups still work if it wasn’t for the fact that there is no running water there.  I continued on and over the Holborn Viaduct passed Science and Art on the bridge and aimed towards Hatton Garden and Bloomsbury.

Needless to say there were no more statues on my route – which half scuppered my run plan. Then I got to Bedford Square in Bloomsbury and came across this figure of Charles James Fox. Given he is depicted classically in robes, my first thought was another pompous twit with pretentions of grandeur and too much money. Appearances can however be deceptive, as I found out when I googled him

Charles James Fox

This is an extract of the entry about his commemorative statue:

Fox had been a consistent opponent of the slave trade, ‘a practice so enormous, so savage, and so repugnant to all laws human and divine’, that he said he ‘should prefer the abolition of it to any political good that can be gained or even wished, for the Party or the country’. One of his last political acts was to move a resolution for the general abolition of the slave trade, asserting on 10 June 1806 that, ‘this House, conceiving the African slave trade to be contrary to the principles of justice, humanity, and sound policy, will, with all practicable expedition, proceed to take effectual measures for abolishing the said trade’. The House of Commons voted overwhelmingly in favour of the resolution, and the Lords assented on 25 June. For his political supporters, the abolition of the slave trade came to be emblematic of the liberty so dear to Fox. Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford, built a temple of liberty at Woburn Abbey dedicated to Fox; the first pediment proposed for the unfinished temple after Russell’s death in 1802 showed a slave being crowned with the cap of liberty. Fox’s memorial in Westminster Abbey, erected in 1822, shows the politician on his deathbed, supported by Liberty, to whom he appeals on behalf of the slave kneeling at his feet.

Just shows  how first impressions can often be wrong. So Mr Fox, I apologise for my unkind thoughts – evidently you were a man of principles and action.

I continued my run towards home and had errands to do – the library and the deli. The first one was a quick pit stop, the second took a little longer, not helped by a permanently running nose – the joys of being middle-aged. The assistant at the deli asked if I’d been running – I am guessing the red face, sniffing, and runner’s kit gave it away. When I answered yes, she asked was I in training  – I explained the challenge and she was saying that she is running half marathons for charity too and is not far away now from completing her first HM of the year at Hackney. She was very nice and helpful and added in lots of paper napkins in case my nose was running too much. Lovely but how embarrassing.

My Saturday run was a series of statues, stops, snaps and sniffs. Oh and one stereotypical thought changed – I must not assume that classical statues are of dilettante rich plonkers. I was the plonker for assuming it, whereas he fully deserves his classical pose and robes.

Playlist

Champagne SuperNova – Oasis

Have A Nice Day – Stereophonics

Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve

So Why So Sad – The Manics

Crazy – Seal

Freedom!90 – George Michael

Let Me Entertain You – Robbie Williams

Gett Off – His Purple Highness

Stay Away – Nirvana

Sleepy Maggie – Ashley MacIsaac

U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer

What Time Is Love? – People of ‘K’

Listen To Your Heart – Roxette

Common People – Pulp

If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next – The Manics

Millennium – Robbie Williams

Creep – Radiohead

Stats

Distance 9.72km

Time 1:08:07

Average Pace  (mins/km) 7:00

Elevation Gain  27 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms done 511.98

Kms to do 1506.02 (hopefully, down to the 1400s tomorrow)

Team Rhomboid Torture

He isn’t actually posting any more challenges, but today I will do some squats, wall press-ups and try the pesky body rocking again!

23 Mar – When 13 Is a Lucky Number

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A week of birthday celebrations, culminating in a rather lovely dinner with great friends N&A at The Fox & Anchor last night. Today however, is back to running and diet reality. No sneaky chocolate, although I have about 2 kilos of birthday chocolate to demolish. No lunchtime tapas accompanied by wine. No evening meal habitually accompanied by wine and an after dinner snifter. Still it was fun whilst it lasted. and now it is less than 2 weeks ’til we return to Italy. So some pounds and kilometres to shift.

Heading East and I came across Frying Pan Alley and the interesting yellow building nearby – still no idea what it was. Today was all about getting to a number, a very specific number – 500 to be precise. I wanted to run 13km, so I could reach the 500km mark by end March, which would put me dead on target to meet the 2018 km in 2018.

Having tried and failed miserably to hit an 18km run during my Alhambra/Granada stay, I thought 13km would be more manageable and I can now start working my way up to half-marathon distance, gradually.  After my East London mooch around, I headed out West and passed through the back of Tate Modern, where they still have adult sized swings – there are times when I wish I had company on a run – because it would have been fun to have had a go on the swing in tandem.

I continued on past the London Eye and headed northwards at Westminster. Full of crowds, so I turned off at the Embankment and headed towards home, where I came across another weirdly named alley – Tweezers Alley. Nearing St Pauls I’d hit the 13km mark – very luckily for me that signified the ‘beating’ of the 500km YTD target, I had set myself.

Run done – a shade over 15km. Fingers crossed that this run of good health and no injury continues. Oh and I have achieved the Under Armour Pavement Pounder Award for the 500km.

Next milestone – getting under 1500 kms to run for the rest of the year – I hope to do that before the end of March.

Playlist

Common People – Pulp

Rehab – Amy Winehouse

Breaking Us In Two – Joe Jackson

Get Dancin’ – Disco Tex and His Sex-O-Lettes

People Are People – Depeche Mode

I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (twice) – Nik Kershaw

Dreaming – OMD

The Look Of Love – ABC

Our House – Madness

Two Tribes (twice) – Frankie Goes To Hollywood

I Can’t Stand Up – Elvis Costello & The Attractions

Night Boat To Cairo – Madness

No More I Love Yous – The Lover Speaks

Love’s Unkind (twice) – Donna Summer

Gold – Spandau Ballet

I Am The Law – Human League

Temptation – Heaven 17

Enola Gay – Love’s Unkind

Oliver’s Army – Elvis Costello

Hungry Like The Wolf (twice) – Duran Duran

Night Fever – Bee Gees

The Sound Of The Crowd – Human League

New Moon On Monday – Duran Duran

Beat Crazy – Joe Jackson

Do You Really Want To Hurt Me – Culture Club

Stats

Distance 15.11km

Time 1:39:22

Average Pace  (mins/km) 6:34

Elevation Gain  97 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms done 502.2

Kms to do 1515.8

21 Mar – Happy Idris To Me

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Spanish Post Office Logo
Statue looks like the logo next door

It’s my birthday and so far I’ve been gifted Idris Elba, a dog, chocolate, more chocolate, a prison break tag, and a gait analysis.

Idris is by far the best gift of the day, even if only imaginary, although our friends G and J sent me a pic saying he’d see me soon.I wonder if he is in Granada and if his fiancée knows?

I had planned two x 18km runs whilst here – I blew out on the first one, and as a consequence my run plans are somewhat shot. I made up the first 18k yesteday  by doing another 7k, but that meant today  I wouldn’t be rested enough to try an 18km.

So I popped out with Idris to The Proclaimers singing I’m Gonna Be 500 Miles and almost got bundled over by 6 or 7 fellow runners, wearing leggings and carrying very heavy backpacks. They were almost dwarfed by the backpacks and they were all trying to beat a deadline – the 9am bell for infant’s school.

I continued on my way again for the delights of Lidl, roadworks, the post office, a slightly derelict industrial estate type place, the back end of the railway lines and similar. Most people come to Granada for the sights, whereas I have been running the shites.

With slightly aching hips, I managed just over 12km and then to my horror Map My Run lost the internet connection and my run was lost. I was almost in tears of frustration as my efforts had got lost somewhere in the inter web. Luckily it seems to have re-appeared, and I no longer have the dilemma of you all having to trust me when I say  I did actually run more than 12km.

Happy Idris to me, I think his silent company smiled on my run, and persuaded Doctor Google to fix my Map My Run. We are nowhere near 500 Miles but getting close to 500 kms now.

Playlist

I’m Gonna Be 500 Miles – The Proclaimers

Modern Love – David Bowie

Mr Brightside – The Killers

Enola Gay – OMD

It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls

Disco 2000 – Pulp

Every Day I Love You Less And Less – Kaiser Chiefs

Somebody Told Me – The Killers

Let’s Stick Together – Bryan Ferry

She’s Electric – Oasis

Sign Of The Times – Harry Styles

Lucky You – The Lightning Seeds

Get Dancin’ – Disco Tex & His Sex-O-Lettes (twice)

Love In Itself – Dépêche Mode

Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine – The Killers

World In Motion – New Order

Sunny Afternoon – The Kinks

Susannah’s Still Alive – Ditto

See You – Dépêche Mode

Planet Earth – Duran Duran

I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me – Nik Kershaw (twice)

Vienna – Ultravox

Beat Crazy – Joe Jackson

New Life – Dépêche Mode

Rio – Duran Duran

Stats

Distance 12.42

Time 1:31:14

Average Pace 7:20 (mins/km)

Elevation Gain 85 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms done 487.1

Kms  to do 1530.9

 

 

20 Mar – Groaning in Granada

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Pretty
Pretty
Effing Stupid

Alarm goes off early, grunt, groan and finally get up so we can be at the Alhambra early to get in on our timed ticket.

Breakfast early, very nice, stomachs groaning we make our way up the hill to the Alhambra.

Going green and groaning up the hill  via our own feet, we arrive at the imposing gates and enter. This palace/fortress was especially designed to conceal its access points and beauty from marauding hordes.

X hundred years later, it has done the same to us, we are in the wrong effing gate. Signs would have been useful, we thought, as we had to navigate our way out to the real entrance gate which was nowhere near or frankly nowhere near as imposing. Didn’t the internet ticket count? Apparently not, you had to exchange it for one that does. Where is the ticket place? – aha behind the cordoned off area, guarded by heavies. You have to ask the heavies to move to get in to swap your tickets. Aarrgghh, then you’re advised to make your way quickly to the Palace as you haven’t got much time….

The Alhambra is beautiful, but today was really really cold, and after an hour all four of us had lost feeling in our hands, so we duly retired to a nearby hotel lobby for a warming drink.

This was the Fawlty Towers of modern times. On one of the coldest days of the year the front door was wide open to attract Alhambran refugees, like us. The back door was also open to ensure you could enjoy the Moor inspired courtyard. You could also endure, sorry, enjoy the Arctic winds rushing through. We made a beeline for the cosy corner, the one with the radiator in it – plugged in at the wall. This however, like the intricacies of the Moorish design in the Alhambra palace, was just an optical illusion. The radiator was cold, the thermostat didn’t work, and heaven help the staff, who were bundled up against the cold, the whole place was as warm as your average salad crisping drawer in the fridge.

Undeterred, we ordered coffees and hot chocolate. We were told the chocolate had run out so would cocoa be okay. At this stage hypothermia was a distinct danger, so we said yes cocoa would be fine. It was a diy affair, the waiter who I shall refrain from calling Manuel, brought in the coffees and  jug of hot milk with two sachets of cocoa.

At this juncture the four of us were giggling away, as Mr JCR and I tried to froth up our cocoas. And every new order from a guest for a cocoa caused us to giggle more. We needed to use the bathrooms, which were, you’ve guessed it, outside in the Artic courtyard, without heating, hot water or heated hand blowers. After that visit we were back to being as cold as we were when we first arrived. My recommendation, visit the Alhambra in summer, or wear thermals and carry a flask of coffee and a hand towel…

After that interval the visit to the palace continued, pretty much without incident, but we were very cold. So a return visit to the tapas bar called. We took the edge off the day and meandered home merrily, no grunting or groaning this time.

This however, is not exactly pre -running preparation at its best. So a prevaricating snooze later I eventually got out to run, having missed the snow flurries. It was cold and slippy underfoot, I had in mind to run just 5k, in and around the town. My GPS kept falling out, so my tracking wasn’t great, but I did realise I had been running downhill way too much and that an uphill return would be necessary. In the end a sneaky 7km, and whilst I started off groaning at the thought of going out, it was lovely when I was out there.

Playlist

Lost in France – Bonnie Tyler

Une Nuit A Paris – 10cc

Penny Lane – The Beatles

Vienna – Ultravox

Going Down To Liverpool – The Bangles

Massachussetts – Bee Gees

Boston Tea Party – Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Solsbury Hill – Peter Gabriel

Africa – Toto

Wonderful World – Sam Cooke

San Francisco – Scott Mackenzie

Go Wild In The Country – Bow Wow Wow

Stats

Distance 7.05km

Duration 54:18

Average Pace 7:42 (mins/km)

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms to date 474.7

Kms to run 1543.43

 

 

 

 

 

19 Mar – Planning vs. Reality

jancanrun
Some statue of significance
Circus of interest
Blossom in bloom

In my head I was running 18km today. In my stomach were the dregs of yesterday’s commute from London to Granada. Namely, red wine, gin and tonic, and a late night gin fizz cocktail, from an un-named bar, where collectively Mr JCR, our friends N&A, and me raised the average age from about 25 to around 60.

In this bar, we also reduced the average tattoo and piercing count, and noticed that most of the punters started paying their bills when we arrived. Clearly we were not their normal clientele. But it was very friendly including the wolf dog on a steel and leather lead – a bit like the circus poster…

I was out at 8.30 am to do the 18km, I quickly realised that it wasn’t going to happen when my first km split was over 8 minutes. Maybe the post dinner gin fizz wasn’t the best prep?

In the distance I could see a couple of runners, so I thought it might be a good idea to follow them. I have no idea if they were warming or cooling down or doing some weird shit exercise routine, but every 10/15 paces they stopped to lunge and stretch various body parts. I do my stretching in the privacy of my own home, no one needs to see my lycra groaning, nor me for that matter. I overtook them and continued to see the world famous sights and sites of Granada. Bus station, Repsol petrol station, Lidl, road closure, primary school, tram lanes.

A quick detour back to the Airbnb to divest hat, gloves and running jacket and I was on my way. Tragically, not to the 18km though. I just wasn’t feeling quite right, coupled with the fact that I seemed to have run most of Granada – bar the hill and that famous palace.

Tomorrow is tourist stuff, visiting the Alhambra and so on. The weather is supposed to be turning a little more beastly, so today with fairly mild weather to take advantage of, we enjoyed very nice free tapas which is a thing in Granada, an interesting afternoon lunch/drink and  lovely evening meal. The red wine Munana is delicious and La Tana wine bar particularly grand.

This may not be the best preparation for serious running, but it’s a lot of fun.

Playlist

Get Dancin’ – Disco Tex and His Sex-O-Lettes

Girls on Film – Duran Duran

Hungry Like The Wolf – Ditto

New Moon On Monday – Ditto

Notorious – Ditto

Planet Earth – Ditto

Go Wild In The Country – Bow Wow Wow

Gold – Spandau Ballet

House Of Fun – Madness

Night Boat To Cairo – Ditto

Our House – Ditto

I Am The Law – Human League

I Can’t Stand Up – Elvis Costello

Oliver’s Army – Ditto

I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me – Nik Kershaw

Is Vic There? – Department S

It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls

Joan of Arc – OMD

Maid of Orleans – Ditto

The Look Of Love – ABC

Love’s Unkind -Donna Summer

New Life – Dépêche Mode

People are People – Ditto

Personal Jesus – Ditto

Night Fever – Bee Gees

No More I Love Yous – The Lover Speaks

Doesnt Make It Alright – Stiff Little Fingers

Can’t Stop The Feeling – Justin Timberlake

Temptation – Heaven 17

Every Day I Love You Less and Less – Kaiser Chiefs

I Predict A Riot – Ditto

Modern Way – Ditto

Na Na Na Na Naa – Ditto

China Girl – David Bowie

Statistics

Distance 12.71 km

Time 1:38:19

Average Pace 7:44 (mins/km)

Elevation Gain 106 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms done 467.6

Kms to do 1550.4