The Great British Summer

As a nation we’re known for the fact that we like to queue and we talk a lot about the weather. Neither of which are strictly true, we don’t like to queue, in fact we hate it, but we do have this genuine feeling that if everybody takes their turn things will be more efficient and everyone will ultimately benefit, rather than the opposite of a free for all where the loudest, strongest or biggest suppress the quiet, weak or small and take all the goodies. We don’t talk about the weather we moan about it, how damp, cold or windy it is. We’re blasé about our summers, believing we’ve had it after one sunny day. But no one can deny that summer has finally arrived in Britain, it may have taken a few years but it’s well and truly here and what fabulous sunny warm days we’re having, could almost take me back to 1976.

Not only are we having a great summer for weather but we’re not doing too bad on the sporting front; Andy Murray wins Wimbledon, Chris Froome leads the Tour de France, The British Lions win in Australia and England currently hold the upper edge in the Ashes. Lots of other stuff too, including some great performances from British athletes, most notably for me the running of Mo Farah.

Whilst the hot weather gives us a great opportunity to get out and fill up with vitamin D it also encourages us to get out and enjoy team sport; rounders, football, Frisbee, anything that gets us out there and active. At the same time it does stop a few people from getting out there and running; yes it’s harder running in the heat, but if running’s easy it’s not sport, it’s sightseeing. To run successfully through hot weather you can do a number of things; ensure you keep hydrated, use suncream and upf clothing, I use a hat all the time, and hold back a little in your efforts, if they’re long, or make your runs shorter. You don’t need to run long runs all the year round, four weeks of shorter long runs won’t hurt anyone, unless you’re in the middle of marathon training.

I’ve had a busy time of it lately, hence the lack of a blog for a while, but I have managed a couple of parkruns, at Delamere. Last week I finished in 3^rd place and today I was 1^st, with a new pb around the course. I’m still finding it tough on the rough ground at Delamere and this afternoon my ankle is still throbbing, time for a few days of sightseeing.

Finally, for those who have read through Runner’s World and are confused as to what I look like, here’s one of the pictures taken by Tom Miles (www.tmphoto.co.uk). The shoes they promised me arrived on Thursday, they’re a little bright at the moment but a few runs will sort them out.

Written by Roger Alsop

www.rogeralsop.co.uk