A Kind of Normality

                   This photo of two running club mates is a few years old 

                             when there was no need for social distancing.

The last seven months has been spent trying to keep our ‘World within virus madness’, under firm control.

We have tried to the best of our ability, to keep our heads on straight.

To carry on our lives as triathletes as near to the normal level as possible.

We have tried to avoid feeling sorry for ourselves.

To keep working hard at the things we care about in life.

No matter what other people say, or think is the way to go.

As this disease has changed so much in everybody’s life styles, we have worked to stay strong.

To stay focused on that distant light at the end of the tunnel.

It has affected of business enormously as it has for many.

So, striving to concentrate on what we know.

Things that we know we can do.

Trying to do them better than we did before.

 

So today was a special day because it was the first time since February,

that we have taken our Sunday run with our old club mate.

We have only met her at a good distance a couple of times during this period.

We have stayed in touch by email Facebook and text though.

Recently I sent her a message to tell her that we had a very pretty new run route.

I asked her if she would like to test it out sometime.

What I did point out was that the run was a bit longer that our old Sunday run of 10km

Her running is a little faster than ours though not that much difference.

On our, at least fifteen years of running together,

she would start a little later than us and pass us somewhere on the route most times.

So if she wanted to try this route, she would have to run with us at our pace to avoid getting lost.

This morning we met at the old usual parking spot and started off spaced a little apart.

Sometimes a little behind but mostly a bit ahead of us.

At junctions of the myriad of tracks in the woods she would turn to see the right direction.

We thought she would enjoy the new run and not be too phased by the increased distance.

It would be possible to get a little lost if one was not sure of the way.

It won’t take long until she learns the new route though.

 

One day we hope to recommence another old custom of going to a tea shop after our runs.

May the day come soon when we all feel safe to do things like that again.

I don’t see that happening for a while yet, so that pleasure is still on hold.

Fingers crossed.

The time will come when we can chat and put the world to rights over coffee and cake once more.