Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it infamy...

[hirez]

This is the day I finally got meself into the centre of Bristol while the shops were open and the pubs were shut. (Well, obviously the boozers were open too, but I have a hangover from last night and a poetic license and I'm not afraid to use either of them.)

The object of my mission? Something I'd been putting off for months: The purchase of a pair of Proper Running Shoes.

So I wander into the Fine Shop to discover it's about the size of our front room, yet packed with people and stuff. Anyway, I gain the attention of an assistant who has me remove my footwear (splendidly cybery Salomon hiking boots. Ideal should a mountain suddenly spring up in the machine room, as the Hacker's Dictionary puts it) and jog across a plate strategically placed in the middle of the shop. Which is still full of people and stuff. I duck and weave my way across the place while giving thanks for the practice gained in avoiding lurching into people while dancing drunkenly on the goth floor at Slimelight. Then I get to do it all again for the other foot. The magic bit of kit which manages to image where all the weight's going as I jog across it looks remarkably like a Musgrave Footprint, only with better tech and code that runs on an iMac. If you've never heard of a(n) M-F, don't worry - you're not alone.

It's quickly apparent that I'm going to need something from the 'Old gimmer, bit dodgy on 'is plates' range. Shoes are found, and assistant and I thread our way to the (steep) road outside the shop, where I am asked to jog 'reasonably quickly' back and forth up the (steep) pavement so my running action can be viewed with a critical eye.

"Hmm" she says "I think you're going to need something with a little more support..."

Six pairs later, I am close to expiry. But I have some shoes which at least make a valiant attempt at keeping my bizarre gait in some sort of reasonable order.

My next trick - making it round the course that surrounds the grounds at work without needing oxygen or the NHS...

Comments

[evilmandykins.livejournal.com]

so my usual tactic of ducking in and buying a pair of trainers isn't how i am supposed to do this shopping thing.... *g*
remind me that i must come see you in bristol *g* i went mad and listed all the things wrong with this flat and now katina is thinking of selling it LOL

[boglin.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember there's a half marathon coming up in Gloucester in the near future. That's not too far from you... ;)

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Werl, bearing in mind I was studiously avoiding the nasty high-street sporty-shops (the ones filled with the globular spotty youth who seem to have mobile phones glued to their heads) and went to a place that was filled with frighteningly fit young women ("Hel-lo...") and scary people going 'I've had to ease up on the 20-mile competitions since moving here and turning 45...'

Things wrong with the flat = not had any proper money spent on it since 1975, surely? She'll make a mint on the bloody thing whatever, mind.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

[FX: Sudden packing and driving away]

I managed to fail dismally (again) to take part in the Bristol Bike Ride this weekend.

(So how do you work out if you're in any sort of state for that sort of thing anyway? Just get on and do it, I guess?)

[boglin.livejournal.com]

Just a matter of building up to it. If you are interested I'm considering running it myself, and I can let you have a training plan.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

That may well be a terrifying yet useful document. Ta.

[quercus.livejournal.com]

I did a half marathon once - never again !

It was the training. For far too long beforehand, I spent far too much of each evening out running. One night I just thought, "Why the hell am I doing this ? It's dull"

[aidan-skinner.livejournal.com]

You start out gently, and then build yourself up. And remember, if your muscles are aching it's doing you good, but sharp stabbing pain means *stop* *now*.

- Aidan (this experience brought to you by torn ligaments)

Musgrave Footprint

[quercus.livejournal.com]

Surely showing you a Musgrave Footprint would cause you to set a new speed record for the hundred metres ?

[boglin.livejournal.com]

You got a postal address I can send it too? Too complicated to type out, to big to scan. I can just whack it into the 'post' tray tomorrow at work. Lmk at boglin@boglinscage.freeserve.co.uk.

There's also some 10Ks in Bristol - Friday 19th July @ 7.30 PM,
Friday 9th August @ 7.30 PM, Friday 23rd August @ 7.30 PM. Have a look at http://www.greatwesternrunners.org.uk