Benefits of running partners Pt.2 and other boring guff

A good weekend, albeit tough today, highlighting another benefit of a running partner but also what could be viewed as a drawback. A slightly dicky tummy threatened to derail yesterdays planned 11 mile run but luckily my running partner had a couple of spare Imodium which spared any potential blushes or detours into bushes. Now don’t get me wrong I don’t mind squatting down in a bush but it wouldn’t have been pretty yesterday. So thanks Stu. Turned out the run was in beautiful autumn sunshine again despite a horrific hail storm minutes before departure. Plan for this morning was 20 miles on Veera in about an hour and a half with an hour run as the meat in the sandwich. Best laid plans do not work out though. Despite bonus points for the Imodium yesterday my running partner also suggested a route for me to try sometime so I thought I’d try it out today. So off me and Veera set on a windy Llanelli day and I was well aware it would be a testing route but not quite as testing as it was, eminently doable but is probably about 5 miles of uphill from mile 3 to 11. http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/105041743?country=gb&lang=en&measure=imperial By the time I hit the major downhill back into Llanelli, and bearing in mind will be doing an extra run tomorrow as have been persuaded to join local club at long last, I decided to scrap the run and carry on with Veera round the cycle path and home. Was tough into a strong headwind blowing in from the east and then at mile 23 a puncture. A quick phonecall home to let them know I was running late I manned up and declined the offer to be picked up and got to work on changing the inner tube. Was going swimmingly until frozen fingers made getting the tyre back on a struggle, luckily a kind man with hid chocolate lab stopped to give me a hand. People are nice. Home in 2 hours 18 mins excluding pitstop time and with 26.2 miles on the clock. Can’t say I enjoyed it really but was a tidy workout and took me and Veera to 2022 miles for the year. Have given her a good clean now so hopefully she will behave herself for a while. So with all that, a day sending money to Santa yesterday and a lovely roast cooked by my beautiful wife this afternoon am another weekend closer to IAPL, Born to Run 2013, Christmas and my 40th birthday celebrations. Tidy!