Inspiration strikes!

Why bother blogging about my running adventures, you may ask.

Weeeeellll, it was Marmite Lover who exposed me to the wonderful world of blogging. She is an excellent writer, insightful and painfully funny. I realised that more and more often I was twittering on about my running experiences on the dreaded facebook. The wildlife I'd seen, the GIANT rats, the feelings of joy I was experiencing...

Then I realised that the more I looked the more wacky became the sights that I saw! London Zoo with the crazy birds, wild boar and hyenas... the spectrum of social strata using the space (which appeals to me as a Cultural Studies graduate)... but the turning point for me was when I saw the Holloways playing a barge-top gig in Camden Lock. The (always crowded on a weekend) market-side section of tow path was exceptionally packed, and there was a real buzz of excitement as they tuned up ready to blare out some tunes. I felt particularly out-of-touch as I asked trendy looking types who the new-fangled guitar combo were (my musical knowledge freezes around 2003, peaking in the mid-late 90s... I suspect this will improve when I eventually have children). I continued my run and they were in full swing as I ran (or rather squeezed) past again on the way back. It was one of life's sweet moments, like an unexpected rock festival in my daily routine.

It's not your average jogging route that gives such varied sights, so I decided that perhaps Marmite Lover had a point about me starting a blog of my running progress and canal-side observations.

I can now run 10km, and probably without stopping if it wasn't for the teenagers having raves underneath the bridges in Camden Town. To be honest, I think they have a lot to learn from the Space Hijackers about how to throw a party - it's mainly sitting across the path drinking cider and generally being in the way. The best I've seen yet had just about managed to put their mobile phone on loudspeaker or something and there was a dum-cha-dum-cha-dum-cha rattly rhythm emanating from the corner as they half-heartedly blocked the tow-path.

I know that makes me sound old, but their efforts are just not quite of the Pirate Party in Greenwich foot-tunnel calibre... perhaps helping out the Lost Camden Youth could be a new project for them, I may suggest it.... and use lots more trailing dots in my future posts, yes, that is always good for drama and suspense and sounding amateurish....

The aforementioned sport-crazed Mr Slippery Fish gave me a training plan which involves a distance lengthening run, a speed improving run, and a consistency improving run each week, always with a recovery day in-between. I'm not bad at the long, slow runs; the 'short, fast' runs tend to be 'short, slow' ones at the moment though. I don't yet have a stop watch, so consistency conschmistency. Hmmm.

I was a bit faster yesterday, however, despite running in the dark - not really advisible for a lone-lady, given the canal's gruesome reputation. Drat these dark nights. Luckily a work colleaugue is going to be my running buddy for just such situations.

Yesterday's main discovery: the youth of today have no manners (what's the point in having a blog if I cant whinge about the youth of today?!).