Rainy Days and Mondays

Eleven of us ventured out on this wet Bank Holiday Monday. A big welcome to first timer Patrick.

Today's job was fairly simple: run to Whittington Park Community Association and move a massive bench from spot A to spot B. Following a few dynamic stretches we jogged the 2.5k up there and tried to work out where to shift the bench to. Luckily Ann et al had written a massive "BENCH" on the wall in blue marker. Easy then.

We all gathered round the bench and with 22 arms getting stuck in (we think - there were surely a couple of fakers in there) we made light work of it.

Since we finished that job so quickly we grabbed a few tools and brooms from the shed and did a little bit of weeding around the grounds (and a little bit of sanding - without which no trip to WPCA is complete - of the planters).

And since it was raining - as it always does on Bank Holidays - today's topic of discussion was on what other British events rain is always expected. Everybody had to answer before they were allowed a biscuit. Some we came up with:

• Festivals
• Barbecues
• The whole of August
• Rugby Matches
• Chelsea Flower Show
• Holidays
• Long car journeys
• Horse races
• Christmas/Boxing Day (or whenever it's meant to snow)
• When you've just had your hair done

So, it pretty much never stops raining.

Once tidied up we headed over to our favourite interval spot, The Emirates Stadium, where we engaged in a bit of letter fartlek. The 641 metre loop around Emirates Stadium has several signs, each with a letter of the alphabet on (from A through to R, although for some reason there is no Q), at various points. Our job was to run fast between one set of letters, then jog between the next two, and so on. Great fun, although the distances between letters for the jogging sections were definitely shorter. It's almost as though it was planned that way ...

The rain really started coming down as we ran, so we decided to make sure we were thoroughly soaked with a few core exercises to finish off.

A jog back to the pool, with a little hill blast thrown in for good luck, a quick stretch and we were off home to get dry.

Beats visiting the in-laws

See you next week everybody

Simon