Training, movie-style

The big freeze continues in west London and the pavements are still iced up. Central London thankfully laughs in the face of snow and is just damp from the big melt.

So today's four miler was a circuitous route from the office to Bond Street tube station, to take me nearer to home while getting in the training miles. It's been a series of firsts for me: the first time I have run with a backpack, the first time I have run past Buckingham Palace, the first time I have travelled to work dressed like Melanie Griffith in Working Girl (trainers and tights - yuck). 

It was fun, overall, but some key running lessons learnt.

Lesson 1 - always make sure you've zipped your backpack properly. Unbelievably, I made it 4 miles without losing anything out of a wide open backpack - the gods are being kind today.
Lesson 2 - there are too many tourists on Bond Street to run properly
Lesson 3 - there are too many posh blonde birds standing outside pubs in Mayfair having a fag to run properly
Lesson 4 - the Mall to Piccadilly - it's all uphill

So as long as I remember that I shouldn't run through posh areas, running back to the Tube from the office could be a fun way to get some miles in. I can take in the scenery (moonlit Houses of Parliament from Lambeth Bridge anyone?) without having to use the cold shower in the office. A few weird looks on the Tube are a small price to pay.

There is one final lesson I've learnt this week and that is running in central London  involves a lot of steps. A lot of running up steps. Basically I feel like Rocky - surely the next training modes for me must be catching loose chickens and boxing with sides of meat?

LON