Skip to main content

The Beast from the East Run Commute


Unless you're living under a rock, you'll have heard that the UK is having some horribly cold weather, snow, etc. It's basically like the apocalypse. It chaos everywhere. Ironically the busses seem to run just fine, yet the trains have major problems.


Today is especially cold. It's below freezing, but what made it particularly awful is the gale force winds.


Check out those wind chills! And while you're at it, look at the direction of the wind; it's coming from the ENE. That's right in my face for the entire run. This sucked!


The alarm went off at 5:35AM, I caught the bus to Richmond Station, did my warm up, and off I went on my 12 mile commute to work. As soon as I got around the corner from the train station...BAM! The winds, RIGHT...IN...MY...FACE! Like brutal winds where you feel like your pushing up against a wall.

For two miles, I pushed against the wind with tiny snowflakes seemingly piercing my eyes. It was painful to look up. Really, my only goal today was to make sure I didn't fall on my ass given the sidewalks were as icy as they were. 

After about mile 2, I decided to get off the streets and follow the Thames Path. Unfortunately it was also completely exposed for another mile. Once I found the trails, I was surrounded by trees that helped cut the wind and snow ever so slightly. At this point, I would have taken any reprieve I could get. 

Normally I cross Hammersmith Bridge and run a straight line to work. Fearing the icy sidewalks, I decided to continue on the trail until Putney Bridge, crossing there and heading towards Buckingham Palace for what seemed like an eternity. I just wanted this run to be over!

The sidewalks were so slippery that I was forced to slow down. I had no idea what my pace was anyway. Finally having reached Liz's crib, I knew I didn't have much farther to go. 


In the end, I got my workout in and I'm pleased with that. I didn't hit my pace goals, but given the wind and the icy conditions, I really don't care. I did the best I could.


17 days until race day. My hamstring is feeling much better after taking two days off and getting a massage. Now if only the weather would turn half decent.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No more trips to Vietnam

Well, last week was a big week for me. I decided to leave FCG and return to work for Coca-Cola Enterprises. I had been talking with the people I know at CCE since late last year about working with them and they finally had a position open up a couple of weeks ago. I'm excited to go back there and work on the business side of the company versus the IT side. I start on Apri l16. I will be working in the Revenue Management Department as the Forecasting & Planning Manager. Essentially I will be the business process owner, facilitator, and coordinator of all forecasting and planning activities within the company. That involves working with all of the regional and corporate business units to ensure that the tools and related processes are thoroughly integrated across finance, revenue management, supply chain, logistics and sales. I will also be responsible for managing all of the support tools and solutions, so I still get to be a Project Manager. This is a big job with lo
6 comments
Read more

Another School Year Has Begun

September marked the fifth year of schooling in the UK for the Kriebel kids. Five years already. They went back to school a couple weeks ago and while I'm always excited to see what a new year bring to them, it makes me a bit sad to see them growing so quickly and beginning to leave the nest. HENRY Believe it or not, Henry has started year 7 (or middle school for my American friends). Seriously! WTF! How is he already so grown up? He's moved to a new school, which means making new friends, finding his way around what must look a massive place. He has settled in well. He meets a friend everyone morning (at the wine shop because that's how his friends identify where they live) and they walk to school together. Henry attends the same school as Elizabeth, so they see each other several times a day and often walk home together. Having her there has surely helped him settle in. Each school has new rules. It takes adjustment. It takes learning. It takes courage. And He
Post a Comment
Read more

Saigon Walking Tour

I was going to put the picture of me with the two Thai twins here, but I thought that'd probably not be the best idea. David, Jeff, Scott & I went on a walking tour of Saigon Saturday. Our goal was to hit as many of the historical places as possible. This will probably come as no shock to most of you, but I was the tour organizer. The pictures from our tour can be see here . - Hotel Continental: Built in the French colonial days, this was a common meeting place for journals and diplomats during the Vietnam War. - Nha Hat Thanh Pho (Municipal Theatre): Built in 1899 as Saigon's Opera House, it later served as the National Assembly (Congress) of South Vietnam until 1975 when it became a theatre again. - Nha Tho Duc Ba (Notre Dame Cathedral): Built in 1880 by the French on the site of an old fort, this is still an active Catholic church. - The Virgin Mary: This is the statue of that was reportedly seen crying. - Buu Dien Trung Tam (Central Post Office): Built by the F
4 comments
Read more