Running in Cold February Rain

It poured down rain all day today. Not just a light misting, but pouring. But because it was Tuesday, it was time to go running.

I got there, still with jeans and normal clothes to wear, imagining that I might actually skip the run. But who actually goes to the pub, with all of their running kit, and then faces down the crowds, deciding not to run? Yeah, so I caved to the peer pressure, but at least had the good sense to wear my rain jacket!

I got reasonably far around the course without losing the group, although finally somewhere around the midpoint, I realised we'd made it to Arsenal Stadium, and the hare had warned us well in advance that there would be a pancake stop at Princess's house. (It's Shrove Tuesday, after all, time for pancakes!)

Grabbing two other lost hashers, we made our way around Arsenal stadium, wandered until we made our way to the Arsenal tube station, and then made our way down to the other end to Princess' house. Knocked and were invited in, where a few other people had beat us there, but mostly it was just wonderfully warm and smelled of pancakes. (Well, for the Americans out there, they were what we'd call "crepes". But in the UK they're pancakes). Filled on with nutella and chowed down, it was absolutely delicious. Yet as all of the wet and soaking people came into the warm, the place absolutely filled with steam!

So as more people came in, I went out, and made my way back to the pub. Once there, Matt and Mo had shown up, and were polishing off a plate of nachos whilst watching the Man United vs AC Milan game. Beckham once again missed the penalty kick, meaning that every single time I've watched Beckham make a penalty kick, he's missed it (as I also saw him lose the World Cup qualifier against Portugal a few years ago). Not such an impressive player, really!

Had a lovely time though talking to Matt and Mo, and Nat and Cookie too. Cookie offered to buy me a drink, but I remembered that I owed her one from Sunday, so raced to the bar to get her one before she could protest. Then of course Mo wanted to buy me a drink too, which makes me laugh at our funny group of friends, where everybody always seems to owe everybody else a drink! I still feel like I'm further behind everybody else, but hopefully as nobody thinks I'm shirking my fair share...

Finally, we all dried out to a degree, and it was time to head home. (Although putting on my rain jacket again, it was soaking wet!) It was hysterical, because Matt and Mo first started making motions to leave at 10 PM, but got so sucked into conversations that it was nearly 11 PM before they escaped with the rest of us. Staying until nearly 11 PM, it's finally like I've returned to normal hashing!