I spent a good few years learning Capoeira with James. He has probably kicked me in the face more times than I care to remember yet, somehow, we remain friends. Injuries and changes in priorities have led us both away from capoeira and the joys of the game, but, we have both ended up in the world of running/cycling/trekking/hiking. So it’s not all bad.
Heading out to meet James in Putney for a run along the river, I decided to run to meet him. I had recently signed up to run the SVP100 ultra next weekend and felt I could do with some long miles. Instantly when we met I clocked his Paris Marathon shirt – James did this race in 2016 – so we swapped stories and experiences of this race and the joys that Paris brings. We also spent a lot of time talking about all James’ travels and treks, recently he’d spent a fair bit of time in Wales walking the spine to the north. I was a little jealous hearing his tales I must admit.
It was a smashing day as we ran along the riverside, past Barnes and across and along the other side, past Chiswick and Hammersmith back towards Putney. It really is a glorious run shared by so many enthusiasts. As we went our separate ways I continued home, shortly realising I hadn’t prepared for such a long run but suddenly being focused on popping out a 30 miler. I stopped in Vauxhall for a refuel, necking a litre of coconut water (mistake) and popping some dried fruit before plodding on. As I neared home, I still needed to find another 2 miles to complete the task. I stopped at a shop and bough a few bottles of various drinks for when I’d finished (I had the sugar craving by then) and ended up doing laps in a field near the house. This was tough, the weight and movement of all the drinks and the repetition of running circles so close to home made the last few miles feel like a total age. I was so glad to finish and get stuck into the Pineapple & Passion Fruit Ribena. 30 miles done. Not a bad Saturday! Bring on the Trails next week
James works in the world of IT and websites and was probably the first person to sow the seed in my mind about recording my stories, my journey and sharing them in a form of a blog of all sorts. James, if you’re reading this, here’s to you and your support, the writing has begun…..
Run With Dai 