Road wars!

Let the battles begin! I took to the road this morning I upped my running input for this grading training. I hate running, but that's probably because I run on a tread mill in the gym. Nothing passes you buy on a tread mill, only time.

Running on the road is so much more interesting. I set out down the canal this morning, the air was sharp as it cleared my head and all inhibitions about running passed and the heart woke up.

I was met on the first quarter by two huge swans, these guys were incredible to see and not a bother on them as chuffed passed. They looked at me with passive interest as if to say - "another dumb humanoid". It's times like this I wish I had my camera. But onward I slogged.

Down as far as Campbells bridge and into Cabra. Hard to believe it's 2009, nearly 2010 and we still have 19th century level crossings. Of course the country is broke so there'll be no investment here. Maybe if we call the level crossing AIB Bank the government will throw money at it. Who knows.

On into Cabra and around the estates. This is what makes running on the road more interesting than the boring tread mill. Passing known faces, friends and past students. How big some of these guys are now! They were in the club as kiddies, now it looks like they're giants. Good to see them.

Back around by Broombridge and an upward challenge, time to sprint up that hill and back down onto the canal. The canal is great. Plenty of wildlife and water. I have fond memories of fishing that canal as a young lad with my brother. I never caught much, he caught everything. He was a master fisherman, he could pull fish from a puddle. Everything went back into the water. He was a real angler, and I guess these early days on the canal cultivated a love of wildlife in me. I've always said I'll go back and do a bit of fishing some day. Nothing like it.

The last stretch back up the canal was tough, it's all up hill so I picked up the pace. The brisk air was now stinging the back of my nose. It's fresh though and clean. The heart is well up and the sweat is starting to flow. Your man kept telling me to stop, you've done enough. Your man got told where to go, it's so easy to give in, I was finishing this stretch, and I did.

My inspiration for running is Wayne McCullough. If you keep up to speed with him on his website http://www.pocketrocketbox.com/ you'll see he makes running sound old school, rockyesque!

Anytime you head out for a run you can't help but hum the Rocky tune as you head off, as you finish your humming is more like gasping, and the tune is incomprehensible!

Anyway the road wars have begun and I'm happy.