Beggars cannot be choosers especially triathlete beggars!
For the past 10 days I have been staying in Hampshire, England. Just on the outskirts of the famed New Forest in a little town called Barton-on-sea. Yes, this means it is by the seaside.
I spent countless school holidays in the New Forest with my family. Every year it was the same, fun was always had but it got to a stage where as a kid you take this beautiful part of the world for granted.
Looking at the area now, I view it all with a different perspective.
Things I took for granted back then, greenery, the English Countryside, the pebble stone beaches…it was just England.
Now, somewhat older, albeit probably not much more mature, I view the landscape through an athletes eyes.
I see open roads winding through the forest and wish I had my tri bike.
I haven’t had my tri bike here sadly, but I have been fortunate to loan a couple of bikes from very generous people. Rather oversize – beggars cannot be choosers and it’s been great to ride a bike in this neck of the woods.
Running, we can do it anywhere – that’s the great things about running you just need a pair of shoes. Here it has been a combination of roads and through the trails, the quiet residential streets, and avenues and roads with storybook million pound houses on every corner.
I may have experienced every conceivable ‘summer’ weather imaginable in the past 10 days but it has not once stopped me venturing out for my exercise.
I admit there have been times I would rather hibernate and curl up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate and box of chocolates (ok I did that once).
I have never trained in this climate before and have been wowed and amazed at what these cold and achy legs have produced. Would love to take the speed back to the Philippines in a couple of weeks but I have a feeling the heat will put a halt to the pace I am enjoying here.
So tomorrow morning up to Bolton, 5 hours on the train (that’s if I make the connection). Just checked and I have 6minutes to make it.
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