The Ordinary And The Common

It's still dark. Mid September. It's going to be like this for a while. I put my shoes on and drained the last of my coffee. Creak open the front door as quietly as possible...stash my keys in the old boot in the porch and quietly close the door. iPod on.

Cold air on my face and neck.

I am free.

A few strides to the corner.

I'm gliding.

What day is this?

Fifth day running in a row.

Yesterday hurt but today feels good.

I know how it's going to go in the first three strides.

I hit the mini roundabout.

Down the path next to the track.

Past the track.

Up over the road.

On to...

Tooting Common.

Turn right.

Cinder path.

I can hear it crunch under my feet and it sounds different.
I felt that big cinder through my shoe.

Leaves are on the ground.

Not many.

People at the bus stop.

Must be working.

Poor fuckers.

Working on a Saturday.

They are looking at me.

"Poor fucker..."

The corner by the Lido.

Left turn and on to pavement bracing for the prevailing wind...

Right in the chest.

Five days in a row.

I'm in the lane now.

Back on song.

If I ever stop it won't be today.
This much I know.
I'm out now.
I won't stop until I'm done.

Fog on the grass.

Runner going the other way.

Heart rate is good.
I can feel it working
Trying to establish a rhythm.
Cruising speed in T minus 10 minutes.

It feels good to know this.

How long has it been?

August...13 months.

It feels good to know this.

I've made a year and more.

I'd call it a lifestyle change.
I can't really remember what lifestyle I had before August last year.
Turn on Bedford corner.
Towards the cafe
Wind at my back.
It's carrying me.

Last year and more...
Put my running shoes on.
I was gone.

I got talked in to doing a 69 mile bike ride.
 Last August.

Shitting myself.

I'd ridden longer ones.
I rode to work every day.
It's not like I didn't know how.
For some reason.
I was really scared.

I had a month of running under me.

I lost some weight.

I might be ok.

I struggled.

Keep right.

Man with two dogs not on leashes.

Watch the legs.

If I fall now I'm screwed for the running.

What would I do every morning if I couldn't run?

Horror.

It feels good to know this.

Who cares if that happens.

I'm here right now.
Doing exactly what I should be doing.

15 minutes.

Heart is whirring like a motor on it's mount.

I shouldn't have had the coffee though.

Last year...

I completed the ride.

I didn't know what I was doing.

I didn't stop...

I got lost and took in an extra climb...

4hr32 minutes.

Running and riding a bike.

One year and more.

It feels good to know this.

Back on the cinder path wind hitting me from the left.

Will I be doing this next year?

Running around the park.

How many more Autumns do I have in my legs?

I've left the park.

I am climbing through the woods towards Chalet Reynard.

How the fuck did I climb Mont Ventoux on a bike?

How did I want to climb Mont Ventoux on a bike?

Why am I out here running?

Why not?

What else am I going to do?

Why slide into oblivion...

When I can run towards it?

The wind jumps on me again...

Club mix of Say It Again by Jestofunk banging in my ears urging me to go faster.

I can't.

Head down.

Get more aero.

Shorten the strides...

Better.

Still climbing.

The Ventoux.

Tour of Wessex next June...

Yes.

I can improve on that.

Etape...

Yes.

I can improve on that.

Please let it be the Alps.

Gotta see the Alps one day damn it.

Why do I need to see the Alps?

Don't care now.

Just go with it.

Another runner.

Odd.

Why do people run on Ventoux?

My heart is working like it's a climb.

I'll need to push pedals tomorrow.

Don't go too hard.

Stay in the cut.

That's good.

All day with this shit.
 All godamn day.

I'm not pushing hard enough.

I'll never be able to go 100 miles in zone four.

Pussy.

Who cares if I can go 100 miles in zone four?

You do pussy.

Keep going.

Last weekend.

My race of the falling leaves.

The same 69 miler that started this bike madness again for me.

I was fast.

I was untouchable.

I was Eddy Merckx.

     

I was brave.

I was standing by the road...
 For 6 minutes
With my seat in my hands.

I was the first to cross the line
By at least 30 minutes.

I ended up in third.

Not top third...

THIRD.

Bonkers.

2 minutes and 34 seconds away from being first.

Third.

I was brave
I was fast.

You are a pussy.
Shut up.

I'm a champion.

You were third.
You're just going through the motions.
I'm out here working.

It feels good to know this.

I will improve.

Bravery more than training.

It feels good to know this.

I know how it feels now.

Relax and be brave.

There's the old man and the fat black lab.

Poor dog.

The man is teasing the dog like he will throw her the ball.

The dog is huge.

She can only sit back and raise her paws off the ground a little.

She's trying her hardest to show the man she's happy and wants to play.

Every Saturday for a year.

I've never seen him throw the ball.

I don't know if she could run after it.

Poor creature.

Why does he feed it so much.

It's abuse.

It's probably his only friend.

He loves her.

Perhaps too much.

How many more Autumns does that dog have?

How many does the man have?

What will he do when she goes.

His wife must be dead.

Fed to death like the dog.

Pretending to throw her the ball.

Never throwing it.

Fed to death.

Starved for love.

They are almost next to me.

My eyes try to take in the big black dog in the gloom.

I trace over it's belly...

Around it's hind quarters...

Over it's back

Up to the wiggling ball in the mans hand

Up his arm to his face...

Staring right at me with fierce eyes.

He is not happy.

He glares at me like I was looking in his window.

I've just witnessed a murder and the dog doesn't know it yet.

Keep running.

When I was born the doctor witnessed my murder.

So what.

The great race.

The one
No one
Wants to win.

 

Head down.

Last lap.

Back to the cinders.

Back over the road.

Along the path by the running track.

House.