What are ya gonna do???

Rarely does a week of running go exactly as planned. So many things can pop up to alter the experience for better or worse. I suppose one might typically say that this weekend was for worse. However, it’s all part of the rich tapestry of running glow.

When the rains came on Friday arvo, they came hard. Within not too long roads were cut and backyards flooded. Kayaks and boogie boards were getting a huge run around Mordialloc.  I was up the street buying gels, Gatorades and Red Bulls for a planned 4 hour run in the hills the next morning. I had to drive through a fair bit of water just to get home and was starting to think that our plans would be snuffed out. We decided to go ahead as planned and at least meet at the 1000 steps then re-assess.

4.10am: I was driving down towards East Link and spotted a police car stopped in the middle lane, lights flashing. First incorrect thought was a booze bus. That didn’t make sense. Second incorrect thought was maybe a car had broken down. So I kept focussed on their car and lights and thought I would just drive around them. I went through the intersection that they were on the other side of and suddenly spotted a small marker in front of me blocking the lane. I pulled up and the police got out of their car and to say the least they were a bit peeved. Apparently I’d run over a 20cm tall warning light that had been on the road. I hadn’t seen it at all, didn’t feel anything when I’d hit it either. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t argue with them that they calmed down or if it was because I told them I was going for a run. I think they thought I was a bit nuts.

4.25am: I rang Seb and Gully who were at the Dandenongs to let them know I couldn’t get there due to road closures. They found much humour in my predicament and as the car park to the hills was closed anyway they decided to drive back and meet me on the streets, in the dark and the rain so that we could still get a run in. After a few kms up and down a hill the lightning started to get regular and more importantly it was getting closer as well. We decided that enough was enough and called it quits.

No matter how much you want to run sometimes, every now and then you’ve just got to say, ‘ah well, what are ya gonna do?’ Running is a selfish sport anyway but to go out and put yourself in real danger is just stupid. Especially when everything that really matters are both back at home tucked under their doonas with either Dora or Elmo.

So this weekend didn’t go to plan and I have to buy a new light for the police but the situation itself really hasn’t had a negative impact on me. I choose to laugh, move on and continue to try to run to the hills.