All night long the rain poured down… I heard it splashing and sloshing on the corrugated plastic roof over the little area where my washing machine lives…
A steady relentless sound, the backdrop to my night, rhythmic soothing too, water gushing from the sky…
At 6am it still came down… Anadi and I had planned to meet at 7am to train in the park together – our circuit session – but nowadays, the prospect of doing burpees and press-ups, dips and jumps, planks and pistol squats in the pouring rain doesn’t feel as much fun as in the sun…!
Suddenly I had a brain wave
The bandstand
I messaged Anadi
He liked my plan
We met at the end of the road and made our way to the bandstand right in the middle of the park; covered over head – a smooth slate grey floor to perform our exercises upon.
We were on a stage… Dog walkers and runners went by, wrapped up warm -.hoods over their heads – while we leapt and bent and twisted and lunged in the dry…
I could perhaps be described as fair weather athlete now – well as much as is possible! Back in the day my coach insisted on singlet and shorts in all weathers, and on being out in all weathers – I still have a vivid memory of a hill session one biting cold January morn -racing up and down with the hail stones hitting my bare limbs!
But now, all has changed!
I bought a super duper ultra protective rain suit when I returned to the UK in the middle of last year..
I joined a gym – and after missing five winters- I steeled myself for the novelty of UK weather, thinking that maybe the following year, I could be sunning in Espana por favor once more!
But for now I am staying here – this I have decided – I will winter once more in this beautiful land.
Already I am loving the shifting changing landscape
The seasons moving along – as they do – with their different characters, their beauty colour expansive swathes of grey black/ blue white clouds – and atmospheric airs and smells – the feel of the damp air, sunny glint through trees changing colour, rain and more rain washing the land and filling the river Thames – it is already looking higher than before…
And so I am ever inventive…
How to be an outdoor person for an hour or so each day, when I am not really an outdoor type!
I’m an indoors or in a coffee shop with a coffee and cake type person, who just happens to love to run – and become – and so the land in all its ever changing beauty calls me forth to know her better….To appreciate her and love her in all her glory.
I remember the many summer autumn winter and springs I have run through…
And I am glad to be here once more to appreciate and be in this bounteous ever changing land…
We so enjoyed our new outdoor gym under the bandstand in the middle of the park
Dry while the rain teemed down.
Our indoor/outdoor gym to jump and squat and dance about in the early morning light.
A perfect start to another perfect day…