Another 5k

Well, get me very much. Although I haven’t quite achieved the 3x5k a week I thought I was going to aim for. But I indeed ran further than 5km (not much over but there you go)

33m27s
5.18km, 6m27s per km - so ever so slightly faster  than the last one - and faster than the park run at Eastville park - which shows how bad I am on hills

I listened to a BBC podcast about Thomas Middleton who was a playwright contemporary of Shakespeare but wrote far darker plays and better parts for women - good on him. And then I listened to a Radio 1 workout playlist which was OK - listening to music is a different experience, more contemplative than speech. Not sure how I liked it - perhaps getting the perfect track is hard to find.

Rugly: a portmanteau of running + ugly. About 1/2 way round I realised my hoodie had come unzipped and I know that meant my belly was being framed and not in a flattering way. I know these kinds of things shouldn't concern me - but they do. As does how my face looks: I have to accept the redness (in a way it is OK as it just means I'm exerting myself) but it's the rest of my face which is troubling. I'm getting old and my jowls are becoming increasingly prominent and ageing. And I'm thick around the middle - a symptom of middle-age spread as well as being overweight again. And just everything really. I see other people out running and they are young and slim and tall and fast; I'm not one of them, I'm a slowcoach. Philosophically I have to accept the body I have and be grateful I can still run even if it's a bit crap.

It’s the Queen’s speech this evening. It’s an odd feeling - nice to know she’s there but she’s hardly in the same situation as the rest of us, but I guess she’s quite good at saying the right thing in the circumstances.

I’m writing this on my iPad with the fancy keyboard cover which I splashed out on for my travels. That’s not going to happen now. I 'm even thinking about taking some unpaid leave next year and try again. I think even if travel is allowed this June/July there will be nothing to travel to. Or perhaps they will all be so desperate for people to spend money I'd be welcomed with open arms.

But no that’s not how this is going to pan out is it.