I needed some inspiration for the early morning Clap’ham Common run. The South Lambeth Road daffodils provided it. I wandered lonely, etc. Which is a suitable description for my Thursday morning running effort.
The daffs are a lame yellow. They are complimented by a strong green from some bulbs that I planted and have long since forgotten what they are.
It took less than five minutes for the first cargo bike to pass me along the Clap’ham Road. I’ve now clocked the mystery behind this fleet that I see most mornings. Freddie’s Flowers was stamped on the boxes that almost engulfed the poor chap riding the cargo bike. I don’t know who Freddie is, but he likes to stack ’em up.
On the AirPods this morning was Athlete’s Vehicles and Animals album. This was WEIRD. I woke up at 3am actually singing this song. No idea why. It seemed the right choice for the run four hours later.
I love that album. It kinda fits the location. I listened to little else during the summer of 2002 during the early days at South Lambeth Road.
“It’s the simple things like the robots Stevie G draws”
This was when Steven Gerrard was first starting to break through. I always thought it odd that Athlete would be singing a song about a lanky Scouser who may - or may not - have a future in the game.
It was a beautiful blue sky morning, if a little chilled. The blue bounced back down on the Ponds around the Common. We’re back at the lovely lido on Monday morning…
Long shadows were cast around The Avenue end of the Common. I picked up the pace with the OCD slabs giving me the perfect running rhythm as I avoided the cracks. The laces on my crappy running shoes remained tight. Small wins.
Some people dodging took place as a train pulled into Clap’ham North as I was passing. I looked up and was surprised at the pace of the changing landscape. Luxury apartments appear overnight around Wankerville.
I kept the AirPods in back at base. I managed to beat the Athlete album which still had one track remaining. Once you start an album, you need to play it through to its conclusion, right?
I had my perfect morning moment. Hot tea, an Oooohhhhh keyboard break and the appearance of my lockdown running HERO putting in her up and down circuits in the alleyway behind the flat.
“When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;”
BALLS to your poetry ponce.
My lockdown HERO does it for me every time.
Keep running, Madam.