Running Blog - 23rd September

September is one of those kindly, transitional, months.

From summer to autumn, from scorching hot sun still, to a chill in the air and early morning dew, from green leaves to fewer leaves, from long to short days, from summer holidays to trudging back to school.

 Thursday 8th September: Queen Elizabeth II dies and King Charles III succeeds her with immediate effect. And on Monday 19th the nation stopped to watch the State Funeral.

It is now Thursday 22nd and the deep impression left by the State funeral hasn’t quite repaired itself. It’s not easy to blog away about running/walking, to be intentionally trivial at such a time. Not easy but the show must go on.

‘Oh, before I sign off; the stair-walking. I should explain. Snowdon before Paris’

 Preparation for Paris ’24 apace. Apace meaning at a slow, slow slug-like pace. At walking pace. At least 5K per day has been the September plan, and often 10K. Also arm lifting 5kg weights (surprisingly heavy), walking up and down the stairs for 20 minutes, soon to be 30’, stretching, and some home-made Pilates.

 September acting again as a transition from ‘crippled with Achilles pain’ through walking to October and a gentle ‘Return to The Jog’.

 Much of the above accompanied by podcasts: Rob Bell, More or Less, The Curious Case of Rutherford and Fry, Bryony Gordon’s MadWorld, and others rather than endless music.

 Oh, before I sign off; the stair-walking. I should explain. Snowdon before Paris.

 Snowdon is approximately equivalent to up and down my stairs four hundred times. Everest is…no I haven’t calculated that. But I’m hoping to reach base camp for Snowdon for a winter assault before Christmas. There will be rucksacks, stops for Mars Bars, tea from a flask, scenic photos, and a flag.

The 400