Guest Post: The Christmas Post ...by Pat Walsh

 * The Christmas Post *

Greeting to all who visit my page and may you have a lovely Christmas Season.

It is indeed a time to be grateful for the privilege of being able to run. Not everyone is so lucky and when we are injured we get a glimpse of what it would be like to be denied a head clearing social run.

I have long since given up that competitive edge and quite content now to just be out there. It is a balance between keeping yourself going and not doing too much or chasing the watch too hard. Never take your eye off of your birth certificate.

It is a time to be thankful to those who work to facilitate our running. Race organisers, our own friends who organise training runs, the photographers who turn up to capture the best and worst of us. Also be thankful for everyone who shared the road with you whether in training or a race. We are a Community of our own and it is important to be respectful to all who run, regardless of pace.

Next week or 2 don’t be too hard on yourself. Get out when you can for a run but go easy and not too far. That way it is possible to get out a few times and knock off the previous day’s excesses while creating room for more. Hard to do a long run on a bellyful of chocolate and a few glasses of alcohol. 

Be kind to yourself. Walking in the fresh air is OK too.

Look back on the highs, ignore and forget the lows and know that you have added another year to your running career. What will next Year bring? 

I have no idea and we can discuss that in due course in a future post.

‘I'm not singing for the future
I'm not dreaming of the past
I'm not talking of the first times
I never think about the last….’ Shane

For various reasons it may not be the happiest season of the year for some people due to personal circumstances. We all need to mind and help these people. Be kind to all and be a positive influence on those around you. Share kindness and just be nice.

I do hope Santa will bring you the fancy Garmin, the rechargeable headlight, the Nike Zoom Flys and shorts or leggings with go faster stripes on the side of them. If he could give a present of a good set of knees or cures for a bad back they would also be most welcome.

#pwr #AndweRun #HappyChristmas