Another lesson learnt

Bar six years living on the west coast of Scotland, all of my growing up was done in West Sussex. Despite speaking with an accent that can only be described as 'hybrid' I would class myself as south coast through and through.  And I'm proud of it.  I love the county of my birth (it is truly beautiful and I would recommend it to anyone), however these days I feel that after 15+ years of living there I've seen most of what it has to offer.  There are plenty of other areas within the UK that command my attention now.

In fact there are only two real reasons that I continue to visit Sussex:

1. The fact that a number of friends and family live there
2. Harvey's Best Bitter

At about twenty past nine last Saturday morning I was cursing the latter, as I lumbered round Bognor Regis parkrun.  

The night before whilst making a trip back home, I had been delighted to see it on tap in the local, planning to have just two or three with a mind to getting an early night and giving my all at the run. But like a hoppy, yeasty Siren it lured me onto the proverbial rocks.

To continue the Homeric references, in this case (as with so many other times in my life), poor preparation was my Achilles heel.  Was it just my imagination or were people giving my a wide berth as they overtook me?

By Road to Sub 20 standards my time was little more than pedestrian, and certainly not likely to worry my competitors.  But perhaps I should consider it as a lesson learnt and move on.

Adrian also slowed down, not through alcohol, but instead because of his most recent investment: a running buggy enabling his daughter to join him while he runs.

Tommy didn't run, mainly I suspect, as I was not around to give him a lift to the parkrun.  It strikes me that I may be shooting myself in the foot with my generosity here.

All in all, a slow week for the Road to Sub 20 gang, or perhaps putting a positive spin on it: a week of consolidation, before mounting a big push?