Since the sad demise of my good friend, Peter Dibb, the world is an emptier place. He was a big part of my running life for 30 years. We'd travelled hundreds of miles together to train and race. He'd visit me each Thursday for a cup of tea and a chat about all things running After his stroke and a spell in hospital he'd phone regularly with updates on his health and to ask what I was doing. He left an awful big hole which can never be filled.
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| Old Runningfox - plodding on (Click to enlarge) |
Many of our contemporaries we raced, ran and bantered with have also died or fallen by the wayside. A tiny handful are still active, albeit very slowly. Surprisingly, I'm one of them.
It's not hard getting out of bed when mornings are so light, though sunrise is a little too early for me now.
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| Frost |
The weather changed remarkably in a fortnight. One morning I was muffled up running through fields thick with frost. In yesterday's morning temperature I was happy in shorts and a thin top, and the wee foal I passed was too comfortable to get up.
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| Horse & foal |
May blossom is is at its best just now and its smell can be a little over powering on narrow lanes. Two houses on Castle Hill Side are surrounded by it together with rampant gorse and wild crab apple blossom.
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| Castle Hill Side |
There are so many things to see, smell and listen to - and photograph - it's a wonder I manage to do any running at all!
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| Still plodding on. |
But it's nice to take it easy in my dotage, long may it continue. Not that I aren't thinking about the after life.
Ewan MacColl's lovely song
'The Joy of Living' has been buzzing around my head a little too often lately. It's worth a listen even if you aren't ready to have your ashes scattered just yet...
Although I am sorry for your dear friend Peter has passed away , I am happy to see you in short and in good shape Old Runningfox . I like the new post and the pics too especially the one with the red short and with the aggressive stride of yours . I agree with you Gordon that it is far too early to think about where to have your ashes scattered .
ReplyDeleteIt is sad when a good friend dies but I'm sure he'd be happy to know that you are still out there running. You are an inspiration to many!!
ReplyDeleteI know I am a lot younger than you, but I also feel I have been missing the guys I was racing against 20-30 years ago.
ReplyDeleteNo they haven't been dying just moving in in their lives. I after a number of years of running almost no races was planning on running a lot more this year (now there aren't any races).
Sorry for your loss and it makes me feel I really need to reach out to a couple of running friends from years back.
PS enjoy the summer days as winter in headed to Cape Town!
Good to see you getting despite the horrid position we are in with the virus! inspiring as always. Keep on running !!!
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