Wednesday, 5 January 2011

So who be this grey stranger?

The first thing I noticed as I exited down the steps and onto - again - Brighton front this morning was the cold. This was rapidly followed by hugging my top around me in response to the wind. And then some awe-inspired moments spent looking out at the waves and spray (while still huddling into my running gear in a hopeless attempt to create warmth out of hope and optimism). All of this while doing my "walk to warm up" (I jest not) which was trained into me back when I first discovered if one builds it up slowly enough, yes even people like me can eventually manage a mile or two.

However, then suddenly my attention was grabbed by another person stretched out in front of me along the promenade, attached to my feet. This stranger, grey and elongated, moved with me, with synchronised gait and mysterious loyalty.

Hooray! For despite the wind, despite the cold, I also, amazingly, had found the sun. Oh how glorious be the sun.

And thus did I find a little shelter from the worst of the wind, and started to jog (however slowly and tiredly on this my fifth day) and watched as my shadow inexorably pulled me along behind. With the support and help of this wondrous sun, and the inspiration derived from the crashing waves, I managed all the way along to the beach hut colour-chart in Hove and all the way back as well.

Tomorrow no doubt my calves will again wish to have their say. But today it appeared they too were silenced by the glories of a truly fabulous winter morn.

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