London Baby!

am: 40 mins easy + strides
5.5mi

I slept like a log last night even though I was on a very suspect matress. I got up around 0930, had some cereal and then took the dog over to Deptford Park for an easy run. I tried to see this morning's run in a positive manner as it is good that there is a grass park less than 200m from my Grandparents house - the fact the perimeter is probably only 800m is the drawback. It was a beautiful day but roasting hot! Luckily I was in the shade of trees for almost all my run so I barely sweated despite the temperature. I felt fresh and bouncy today; a nice change from yesterday. Still, I felt tired when I stopped despite running at such an easy pace although I think the heat had a lot to do with that. Running with Molly the Labrador was an experience as she is no Wilson, that’s for sure; I think she hit the wall after 2mi or so! Both Achilles were really stiff when I started jogging but ok after a couple of minutes. I didn’t take an anti-histamine pre-run out of forgetfulness which was a bit silly as I was sneezing like buggery last night when I took the dog to the park. I did a few strides just to stretch my legs. My Grandad had been at work this morning so he had a nap until about 1300 and I just watched some TV. After lunch we went to visit my Gran in hospital and it took us forever to get there. Thanks to some protestors in Trafalgar Square some of the roads were closed but on the upside I got to see the sites as we had to cross the bridge and go around Parliament Square before doubling back. After finally getting to St Thomas Hospital I was astonished at what I saw. It was like bloody Meadowhall on the ground floor! An M&S, a splattering of restaurants and a souvenir shop. The latter really takes the biscuit. Come on now, who buys a souvenir at the hospital? Every time you glance at the mantel piece to see a hand-held replica of Westminster Abbey there is the reminder of when you tried in vain to shit those kidney stones out, culminating in the Doctor having to getting them out for you. Anyway, rant over. Back on topic. I wasn't at the hospital to buy Percy Pigs, some of you will know that my Gran isn't very well. I didn't think I'd be hugely affected but when I saw her sat in her ward I found it quite distressing. She looked incredibly frail and as awful as it sounds part of me thought she'd be better off passing away. She was jsut staring at the wall when we got there but came around a lot and was chatty enough. I think when it gets to the point of just sitting in a ward all day, medicated up to your eye balls then it is not really living. We left about 90 mins later as she had to go for a scan; I won't bore you with the details of the conversations in this hour and a half. Seeing what my Grandad was like in the hospital makes me glad that I happened to be down on a weekend where he would otherwise have been lonely in the house as he was so drained after we left. We got back to the house and listened to the end of the play-off final astonished that Blackpool are going to be in the Premier League next year; hats off. I made some dinner when my Grandad and Aunt went to Church and then headed off to get the tube to St Pancras International. People were passing out in the Underground due to the heat! I was mightily impressed by the new EuroStar terminal and killed time by looking around it and its various shops. I bought 'The Winning Mind' by Seb Coe and read the first 30 or so pages on the train to Loughborough. Despite being in First Class there was no wi-fi so I missed the Champions League Final! Strangely Lewis and Peersy rocked up at Loughborough Station in a posh Passat Saloon; it turns out it was Lewis' girlfriend's company car. It was gone 10pm when I got to their house - an incredibly nice one for students! I slept in Singhy's room - a Burnley fanatic - in a comfortable bed that I was grateful for.