The long road ahead

Girls...

I can't understand them! Someone will say I'm not supposed to - but fun relationships are not supposed to involve worry and the feeling that something is not right in your mind.

I recently broke up with a girlfriend of 2 years; in the break up and well to be honest as part of the break up I met a girl - let's call her Mindy.

At first it was total attraction; she was gorgeous and as soon as we had said hi; I went back home for a week... this left us in a strange position as we had no option to meet each other; instead we texted... alot! Now I think back maybe too much; it forced us together and in a sense maybe raise our expectations of what this could be..

I've never been one for something casual; and when we are talking or hanging out together I really feel alive - but yesterday things came to a head and i'm not sure what to do really.

She was round on Wednesday night; she was tired and had a really sore back and I had just got in from parents evening... she made me watch some crap tv and then we went to bed quite early (so exciting) her back meant there was no chance of any sexy time and so we lay there together for 45 mins before drifting off... she hardly said anything to me that night; I'm not asking for her to declare her undying love for me... but I do like to feel that the compliments and the things that I say to her are returned - I'm very sensitive!

She's at her best when she's there in person - she's very tactile and loves holding you and running her hands around; she also is more likely to say what she feels after sex... so with that lacking on Wednesday I felt a bit short changed; not sexually but emotionally.

When I asked her about it yesterday and whether she was ok; she said she was; but when I asked again later; said that with me she felt like a broken record. I don't think this is how whatever this is supposed to work - but I know that stupidly I have grown feelings for this girl and it's not as simple to walk away even though it is only new.

We both have baggage; although we are both only young twenty somethings we both seem to carry hangups from previous relationships - i've told her that i want her to be more vocal in telling me how shes feeling when we're apart - but to her that reminds her of a possessive ex who totally took over her life; not the aim I had in mind; but I can understand her insecurities.

This is a ramble and not a slick put together piece - an exposition perhaps of the immaturities of a 24year old guy trying to work out what he wants whilst trying to be the nice guy

So this was the reason for writing the blog - the journey to Edinburgh and yesterday that journey began quietly and with relatively little fuss at the Lancaster Half Marathon.

Before the race

Building up to the race I wasn't very confident; I only entered on Thursday evening as only 3 weeks ago I had been suffering from Swine Flu. I didn't get it as badly as some other people have; but it made a massive difference to my lungs; to the point where I could hardly train.

I decided to give it a go after training on Thursday night and realising that I still maintained some level of fitness.

The paramaters of success were shifted in light of my sufferance and under 1:50 was the goal.

The Race Itself

The race set off at around 11:02 and had an excellent turnout; around 670 runners. I started from well back in the main group as I had to go for a lat minute toilet break. That meant being stuck behind a lot of slower runners as the pelaton hurtled towards the city centre.

For anyone who knows Lancaster; it started at Salt Ayre and made its way along the cycle paths towards the Millenium Bridge; heading over the bridge and out into the Lune estuary along the cycle paths. The route looped back towards Lancaster heading past the golf club and then rejoining the original track for the final 3 miles back to the Salt Ayre track.

Conditions

There was no rain on the day; and the temperature was just right. There had however been torrential rains in the days building up to event; so for a lot of the cycle track sections along the estuary mud was flinging from the heels of eager trainers.

There was a hill at 8 miles and as we finished the climb and quickly descended into a series of back lanes we were greeted by... A 300m flood.
I resurfaced on the other side; knowing that I would have to run the last 3.5 miles with trenchfoot.

Finishing

Although my feet were aching; I managed to keep up the same pace throughout the final section of the race and ended up blowing away my pre race predictions with a time of 1:38:26.

The aftermath

I run wearing a Garmin watch - which provides GPS tracking to see where I've ran; it will measure distances; calories and speed. When I loaded the information on the computer I was pleased to see that my average speed per mile was 7mins 30 seconds and that generally the speed of my miles never altered by more than 3 seconds. Which is a good sign of consistency and I can now start to think aobut becoming consistent at running miles slightly slower for the marathon - but having ran 13 miles; 26 seems a step too far!

Have a good day everyone; this is I'm sure my most dreadful post to date; but hey I guess it was the reason to start the blog! The fat mans struggle to beat the skinnies at their own game.

If you ask someone in the street what their favourite Christmas film is; they will no doubt reply with 'The Grinch', 'Miracle on 34th Street'... The stereotypes

I love the movie Die Hard - And what's more when you look at it from a distance; it is perhaps the most wonderful Christmas story ever told.

The Plot
John McClane and his wife Holly have seperated. John comes over to Nakatomi Plaza to see her (Her works Christmas party). They begin to argue straight away and at this point Holly is asked to make a speech to her fellow co-workers. John has a wash in the bathroom to recover from his flight and at this point terrorists come in and seize everyone in the main lobby area.
John is a cop; a hardworking loyal American - though he does love a drink!

The development
John doesn't just sit around; he tries to get help; but as he does this, it attracts the attention of the terrorists and their leader Hans Gruber.
John manages to get the police involved by pushing a chair out of the window along with the body of a terrorist that he shoots. They however don't take it very seriously and don't listen to what John tells them (through the CB radio communication that he manages to establish) so he has to kill them one by one to save his wife.

The blossoming friendship
When John is talking to the police on the radio, he communicates with Al, a regular patrol officer who was about to head off duty when the call came through about the disturbance at Nakatomi Plaza. They share stories of family and of the future as John contemplates the task ahead and his love for Holly; that he has been hiding from.

The resolution
I won't ruin the ending - but needless to say John has the last laugh!

Why it's the greatest Christmas film of all time
John is the ultimate working class hero; he doesn't do anything to please people; he does it because he believes in it and he always delivers. When I was asked as a student to draw the ultimate teacher; I drew John McClane because he never gives up and would take a bullet for any member of his class - the way that I feel now.
The love interest in the story also reminds us of Christmas; as Holly and John forget the animosity between them when they are put in this terrifying situation.

So whatever you do with the holidays approaching - watch Die Hard

Yippee Kayae Motherfuckers

I love strippers; well what guy doesn't and let me tell you why...

Confidence
Strippers ooze sex appeal because of their confidence - it's that eat you alive and make the boys kiss your feet swagger they possess that makes them so appealing.

They could be anybody
The next time you walk past an attractive girl in the street just think; is she a stripper?

The conversation
The moment you get into the club; you've paid your money and you're relaxing with a beer when suddenly you get challenged by an attractive girl.. wow... she's cracking onto you! You're in! No... She wants that rolled up 20 out of the back of your jeans!

The challenge
It's that split second decision you have to make - does she warrant the £20; are there better options? You have to think fast because if she's not worth it, you don't want to offend her; but you don't want her to stick around hustling you for money either!

Befriending a stripper
I got it right one time; managed to hit it off with a stripper - we're still friends now. Things weren't going right in our relationships at home and we talked about it! She dropped the guard but only slightly. I'm trying to convince her to paint a commision for me as part of her day job.

And in general news; today I had a mare... It was PE and I said to the kids ''Hurry up getting ready and when you are changed come and sit on the toilet''

I think I meant carpet

Well if it doesn’t become apparent quickly - I am very much new to this. I have facebook (who doesn’t?!) and pride myself on witty statuses; but how do you engage other people with tales from your actual real life?

My life could be interesting I guess - I’m a primary teacher so weird shit happens every day; it’s just not quite right to disclose it so quickly on here I guess. I have one from the other year; a real corker… had been out on a school trip and returned to my classroom to find a huge turd on the carpet; basically a child who it turned out had a phobia of unclean things (the toilet in this case) couldn’t go and so went in my classroom. At least I had the seal of approval that my classroom was tidy!

Well main news in my life is that I’m recently single; taking on the rented place by myself so a winter of discontent is no doubt around the corner! I also used to be around 22 stone - I’m around 15 1/2 now and taking up a mid 20’s calling of becoming a long distance runner - that’s where Edinburgh bound comes in. I guess I want to use this to keep a record of how things get on as I make my way towarss running my first ever marathon in Edinburgh in May.

I find girls hard work; aren’t feelings a bitch! I can never distinguish love and lust and how it all fits together… I think my mates think I’m too impulsive when it comes to girls - but I think it stems from the fact that I’m one of the only ones that lives properly alone and therefore you find company in girls.

So what does everyone else do on here then?

I went running with my club tonight; luckily the rain held off although that was a bit annoying as the girl I was going along with was only wearing a white t-shirt and I wanted to see her pay!

I’m not sure I know job satisfaction; I forever feeling like I’m being shat on for being a guy in a womans world (the primary school) that may just be me; but I just find that guys arent always as well liked.

I think I suffer from that SAD syndrome; but I’m sure everyone does! with being away from work until today it only hit me how dark the nights were; I don’t like! Reminds me of bad times in the past.

But positives to think of for now is that the flu seems to have left my lungs judging by the run tonight; am tempted by doing a half marathon at the weekend but will have to wait and see how everything feels!

Hopefully speak to some of you soon and maybe who knows with a bit of direction I may be able to write a half entertaining blog; I feel I am in need of some direction

Simon