25 Oct – There’s No Flies On Me

This is a saying originating in Australia which means you are quick witted and alert. I wish in my case this was true –  when running I regularly attract my own posse of flies looking just like Pig Pen in the Snoopy cartoons. (Although he was carrying the dust and dirt of ancient civilisations)

Today I needed to do 8km but didn’t necessarily need to be quick, although it would have helped avoid the flies. I hadn’t really planned my day well and was running in the afternoon, after cauliflower and truffle soup and some chapatis. This is not the balanced, light meal you should have before running, but it is very helpful at emptying the cupboards before an imminent departure back to the UK.

Mr JCR pointed out that the house stank of cabbage a bit like an old NHS institution, so maybe that was why the flies were following me around. Eau de brassica, clinging to my clothes…

With the institutional aroma accompanying me, I set off on my run – the usual route beckoned; Mill Lane, Lover’s Lane etc., but this time back to Argo’s Loop to include a there and back run on Laundry Lane. This I reckoned would get me just over the 8km mark. Blimey, well I can confirm that cauliflower and truffle soup sloshing about in your stomach is not conducive to creating record breaking runs.

The olive harvest is in full swing, and the fields are full of folk, nets, tractors, noise, and olive wobblers. I ran past one field and one of the pickers in our neighbour’s field shouted Brava Signora. I continued my run and met up with Argo (our dog share) on Laundry Lane –  he gave me a baleful look and carried on his own way towards home.

I then passed one of the small, local wineries where the owner and his dog were outside, watching the world go by. In truth the dog was peeing rather than people watching, but I did get a ‘Salve’ greeting from the winery owner, I waved and continued on, did a u-turn and came back – the dog was still peeing and that was 3kms later. He was tiny – a small Jack Russell, I don’t where he got the bladder capacity from. At this stage I was about 1km from doing my planned 8km, and was congratulating myself on not giving up, despite the gallons of soup making themselves felt. The light was fading somewhat and the flies were gathering, giving me nasty nips, reminding me that short sleeves are not a good idea at dusk.

I finished my run at just over the 8km and made my way home, where more flies awaited when I opened our bedroom window. At this time of year they seem to have a death wish and 20 or so committed hari-kiri on the bedroom floor.

Oh joy, I’d been stalked by flies on my run and now I had to clean them up too. However, there are no flies on Mr JCR when it comes to action – he swept into the room with his James Dyson mean machine and left no traces of the fly invasion.

It wasn’t a flying run – sorry – but it’s in the bag  and tomorrow I will not:-

• have cauliflower and truffle soup for lunch
• run after lunch
• wear short sleeves

Playlist

Two Tone and Ska

Liquidator – Harry J Allstars

Ghost Town – The Specials

It Mek, 007, Israelites – Desmond Dekker

Police On My Back – Eddie Grant and The Equals

Carry Go Bring Come – Justin Hinds and the Dominoes

54-56 Was My Number, Monkey Man – Toots and The Maytals

Skinhead Moonstomp – Symarip

Housewive’s Choice – Derrick and Patsy

Rudi Got Married – Laurel Aitken

One Step Beyond, Al Capone – Prince Buster

The Tide is High – Blondie

House of Fun – Madness

Monkey Man – Amy Winehouse

My Boy Lollipop – Millie Small

Red Red Wine – Tony Tribe

Lip Up Fatty – Bad Manners

Let’s Do Rock Steady – The Bodysnatchers

Free Nelson Mandela – The Starlite Singers

Stats

Distance 8.41km

Time 1:02:02

Average Pace 7:22

Elevation Gain 78 metres

Alzheimer’s Challenge

Kms Done 1728.03

Kms to Run 289.97