Run 1 - Complete, 364 to go

I woke this morning feeling nervous, not sure why, it's only running. As the day progressed it looked less and less likely that i was going to be doing run number 1 of 365 consecutive runs in the rain, it did look a bit windy in the forecast, i could live with that. I tried to eat something early just in case i brought it back up! why was i so nervous about it? I'd run this distance lots of times, I'd even run this actual route only a few days ago.

I arrived at the Hospice at 1.20pm, after a quick telephone interview with a reporter at The Nottingham Post i found a loo to change in. The Post photographer arrived and we both went out in to the garden for a quick photo shoot. A bit of running on the spot and staged stretching (it felt very weird being that side of the lens) and we were at the front of the building where a crowd of staff and patients had gathered waiting for the off. They were all in coats complaining about the cold whilst i was in my shorts itching to get going, if only to get warm!

2pm - One last photo and i walked to main road while a small gathering followed behind and the photographer headed down the road to get a couple of action shots. I knew from the trial i ran last week that the route would be 5.1K as long as the run started from the entrance gate side of the car park.

This was the 'best' one eh?

Phone in hand - Endomondo on and I was off. 100 yards down Woodborough Road i passed the snapper, crouched by a wall. Another 100 and a beep from the horn of my partners car as she headed off for a meeting, then a hoot from Rebecca, the PR and marketing coordinator at the hospice as she drove to The Cornerhouse which was to be the end point of run number 1. The final blast from a car horn came as the photographer past me. I settled in to the run just as the freezing rain/hail hammered down. It was the coldest rain I've run in, i guess i'll have to get used to that. I turned the corner on to Huntingdon Street, aiming for the Capital FM arena with a brain freeze from the rain hitting my head. Hat... i have a hat.... just wasn't on my head.

freebee at the slug and lettuce

As i was climbing up Maid Marion Way i passed The Nottingham Post photographer again! "It's a small world" and as rhetorical as this usually is i felt i should acknowledge him with a "It certainly is". Of course what i should have said was "Yeah well, you ought to try running it mate." Up and across to Wollaton Street and down passed the Theatre Royal, then to make sure i run over 5k i had to run passed The CornerHouse and up Kings Walk, then on to The CornerHouse.

Donald and I at the Cornerhouse

Approaching the door at the finish and it was opened for me by Donald The Cornerhouse compliance manager. inside was Rebecca with a flag and Dan from Tank PR. I was soaked due to not having a waterproof on as i was wearing a hospice Tee shirt and i didn't want to cover it, a few more photos then Donald walked me down to The Slug and Lettuce to meet Ellen who kindly poured me a large coke on the house. As i stood there getting colder i joked about swapping it for a hot chocolate. a couple more photos then back to the hospice.

Ellen 'supervising' me with my freebee

So thats run 1 complete, see the route here,  just 364 to go.