NOT IN THE GROOVE

 The frequent choice for the Monday recovery run last year was an easy run on the hallowed turf down by the River Wharfe at the local hockey club and grammar school playing fields.  Keeping well to the edge and well clear of the playing surfaces it's possible to do a loop of nearly a mile.  Usually 3 or 4 loops prove enough.  Not any more!  Just before Christmas I was stopped by one of their officers who pointed out that I , and other runners, are making a groove around the perimeter which makes grass cutting more difficult.  Those that know me well know that my bathroom scales don't even record above 10 stone which I tried to suggest was hardly having an impact. 
    Anyway, rather than risk arrest for trespass,  I give it a miss in future.  So today after the tempo run on Saturday and yesterday's 13 I opted for a flat "easy" 6 on the road .  Target time 54.........ran 53.59.   So another change to last year's routine.  Next task  a  decent runnable hill for tomorrow's session ...offroad.
   Going back to Saturday at Witton Park.......inevitably a large part of the visit is spent catching up with old friends in the sport........the coach of a 2:26 female marathoner now coaching sprinters......a 13:35  5K runner from the '70s taking up coaching at the age of 64..........a 2:15 best marathon man who ran 2:19 last year but tragically forced to quit racing because of ill health at the age of 34.  Sad indeed.
  But the smile returned to the face when I had a conversation with a fellow vet from Bolton (think Tommy Ball of Cannon & Ball!!) who I've raced against since the '70s.  The chat turned to the matter of sleep.  I asked did he have any problems ......he said

             
                                         "No, not after 4 or 5 pints!"    
                                I said,  "Yes, but what about in the week?"
                    He said,     " That is in the week..........at weekends I have 6 or 7!!!"

                                            I'll drink to that!