A River Runout with M

Friday 16th January
Run #16
6k Riverside Run with M

Knowing I was spending the weekend away but determined to fit a Friday night run in before the long drive to the West Country M asked if I wanted us to run together. We rarely do this. I'm something of a wheezy plodder and M has evolved his running to the level of some kind of phoenix-risen speedy iguana. Or something. And it's only on the slowest of his recovery runs that we are even close in pace. I also find it hard not to curse at his well-meaning encouragement as he skips along, breathing as easy as if he's sat on the sofa, while I gasp and flap like a fairground goldfish on the pavement. Funnily enough M doesn't take me swearing at him that well.

But this evening's run was entirely enjoyable. Viciously cold and clear, we headed out along the riverside run towards Twickenham. For once, knowing that M's natural pace is so much faster was a motivator to push my pace, rather than a de-motivator. An easy conversation flowed, that I managed to hold up my end of (well, sort of. My contribution did diminish as the Ks increased!)

The river run was dark quiet and with only the moon reflection on the Thames and the 'eco-lighting' that glows brighter as you pass under it. This being a Friday night, near the end of January and with the murcury hovering near zero, the usual plethora of dog walkers and January runners were conspicuously absent and we ran mostly in a bubble of rhythmical solitude.

Funnily enough, for some reason I never got warm on this run. Usually once I get going the blood gets flowing and the chill goes. Wearing long sleeves and long legs seemed to make no difference today and the cold sweat and brought to mind school cross country and the bitter 'slapped legs' sting of icy playing fields. But in this context was nowhere near as uncomfortable. It was almost enjoyable (though not enough to stop me seriously planning to buy some thermal base-layers in the near future!)

School demons exorcised.