Looking at the date of my last blog I realise that it has been exactly 2 months since my last communication. It has been an empty time.
The reason for the gap has been simple: this is a running blog and I have not been running. The chest infection that caused me to abandon the Lochaber marathon lasted and lasted and lasted. It has taken me about 3 months to throw off the virus. During that time I tested my energy a few times but any exercise left my muscles feeling very watery - so I just eased up totally and just tried to get by until I felt strong again.
This has now happened. On Saturday I went back to my canal and ran to Watford. It was hot, my heart rate was way above normal and I ran very slowly. But it was great. Although my legs felt tired at the end, it was good honest muscular tiredness not an overall feeling of weakness. No longer was it a struggle and so now I can start to look forward again.
The great thing about my canal run is that, although it is familiar, there is always something new to notice. It is always fresh. It can be kids learning how to canoe, fishermen doing whatever they do (or as Steve Wright said "there is a fine line between a fisherman and an idiot standing by the water with a pole in his hand) someone repairing a barge, or just looking out for the trees and welcoming their shade.
I just like being there and we all need places we like to be.
