Mothering Sunday. Llanelli. South Wales. Brymoor Road. 7am. Awake early. Intention? 20 miles. Feeling? Crap. Ate cornflakes, banana, yogurt, tea, wine gums. Buggered around, felt very lethargic, tired and non motivated. Come on Nick, you have to do 20. Considered all my options and then went back to bed to sleep for an hour. Not a great start to proceedings!
Woke at 8.30am, got my kit together, really didn't want to run at all. But dragged myself out of the door. Weather was sunny, damp, fresh but otherwise OK. That sodding diet coke, sweetener and high sugar week has made my Candida, or whatever it is come back strong and made me ultra lethargic. Not a great physical state to be attempting 20 miler.
Decided to aim for 14 instead, time is short. Lunch booked for 1pm sharp and visiting duties at hospital are important. Today is mothers day so i can't be late for the lunch. Besides it's a Perfect excuse to cut short Le Long One. Im such a lazy sod today.
Set out along same route as last week. Llanelli beach, coastal path to Burry Port Harbour and beyond. The sea was out, the estuary and Gower Coast looked amazing, but man did i feel like left over Turkey at Christmas. Dreadful.
The first 30 minutes were a real drag, Mental and Physical. I wanted to stop. I was slow. It was Grim. I got into my stride a little after that and i have to say ran very strong from 35 minutes onwards. I told myself i had to push hard to try and at least make today worthwhile and prepare for Marathon. i did first 7 miles in 56 minutes and returned for the last in 51 minutes.
I ran the last 10 miles on pure resentment for fake treatment centres and people charging for addicts at a low ebb and effectively taking advantage of people at their lowest ebb. I was fuming but man did it help me run strong and long.
Finished feeling pretty knackered but quite delighted i managed to pull a reasonably swift 14 miler out of the bag whilst feeling shit. I really must do two 20 milers before marathon but at least today wasn't a total write off.
I was done by 11.30am, strange to think my Uncle Ken was already at Sunday Lunch. Ordering Roast Lamb And those, on it there.
Then it was out to lunch with me Mammy and Aunt Gwynie to what if i'm being brutally honest was a traditional working class Welsh country pub. Nowt wrong with that. Packed full of families attracted by the ultra cheap and colossal lunches. It was all paper table clothes. garden chairs and Brains Bitter at 1.90 a pint. Therewarthen.
Lunch was ordered and they proceeded to bring out a table full of side dishes and Veg that would have fed the Welsh Grand Slam team. There were 3 of us. The Mashed Potato was effectively like a White Afro. Jesus i was going to require more commitment and stamina than on my 14 miles this morning, but i gave it a dam good go.
We polished off the lunch and then it was time to go an visit my Nan again, where the whole family gathered at her bedside. First time we'd all been together in ages. All the generations, nieces, grandsons, daughter. It was lovely and touching and showed out of death comes life. It was like a family fragmented and disrupted by alcoholism repairing and coming together. It was full of love and i know it made my Mum so happy on mothering Sunday. My nan was deeply touched too. It was heartwarming and beautiful.
Ward 1 was a happy place for 60 minutes. Other families were visiting the poor ladies in the ward and it made me appreciate love and time spent with people is the biggest sign of love. It made me happy and sad at the same time.
So it turned out to be a lovely little visit. Particularly as outside the hospital it showed the essence of Llanelli. Several Mobility scooters and a smattering of harsh looking old girls heavily made up and sucking furiously on endless Lambert & Butlers indulging in heavy 'Nonversation'. It made me proud to be Welsh.
Llanelli is a town crying out for a documentary. Most of the population are on one form of benefit or other.The local council are totally corrupt. It is a town where effectively nothing happens. I noticed a story in the Llanelli Star over the weekend that reported a Telegraph Pole was taken down from a Pavement in Burry Port that was obstructing Pedestrians. Yes really. It is that kind of town. Now do you understand 'nonversation'?
It is working class, but people are real. Funny. Don't get me wrong, some are total c***s. I get alot of stick from Welsh boys from the way i look. They don't like outsiders here. But that is mostly from overweight shaved haired boyos in tracksuit bottoms. Sponsored by Sports Direct. I believe Martin Amis christened it. 'Dressed for the track built for the pub'. I don't think i have anything to worry about. I'm comfortable looking a nonce.
Then it was time to leave. The long drive back to London for an uber busy week. Charity Comedy Night on Thursday and i haven't written a jot and I'm worried about getting a decent crowd. Perhaps i should try and nab a mobility scooter as a raffle prize. Then again, maybe i should have one on mile 20 of the marathon. Could be handy when i hit the wall.
A beautiful weekend. Wales won the Grand Slam. Family united. Uncle Ken 'And those'. Massive Sunday Lunch and i managed 14 miles. The only thing missing was a 12p a minute sunbed which is a little like the Japanese Nuclear plant after the Tsunami. Still ,there's always next week.
Have a tidy week people. Please click the link to check out the video from today's visit. Brought to you in live technicolour from Prince Philip Hospital. Ward 1. Oh my God, Hospital Radio/TV. I've found my level now!
xx
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