A Grand Day Out
No not the one Wallace and Gromit had.
I myself had a fantastic day out in London yesterday. I go up there a lot - when I was on shifts I used to go up there quite a bit on my days off because very often I was bored - I mean what is there to do in Swindon on a Tuesday?
A couple of weeks ago I received an offer to see a play called "Honour" starring Diana Rigg (who I remember most fondly for being the Bond girl in my favourite Bond film, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"), Martin Jarvis and the lovely Natasha McElhone. £25 is cheap for a ticket to see a West End play on a Saturday so I thought, why not.
My train ticket was also good value - just £19 for an apex return! I can think of a lot worse ways to spend £44. A night out in Swindon is one!!
The day had a slightly sad feel to it in the morning. Alex Garrett, a freelance instructor who teaches Body Pump and an excellent spinning class was teaching there for the last time on a Saturday. He leaves this week to take up a position as a manager at a health club in Newbury. I've attended his classes for a couple of years now but recently have been going less frequently to concentrate on my running.
It was at least fitting that I got to sit next to my friend Nicole during spinning and catch up. We used to go to Alex’s daytime classes when I was on shifts and she was at college. Despite the age gap (she is 19) we seem to get on very well and these friendships are something I’ve gained from Alex’s classes.
We are all very sad to lose him but I'm sure everyone understands he has to think of his long-term future. Knowing him as I do I know he has been thinking about this for some time, and I am delighted that he is moving on to bigger and better things and am sure he will excel in his new role.
Anyway, refreshed after 2 hours of exercise I grabbed a sandwich and headed for the station. I decided to go first class (on a weekend you can upgrade for £10 each way and occasionally I like to treat myself). On the way up no one came to check my ticket so the upgrade was free! Result!
First port of call on any other day would have been a public house to quench my thirst. Yesterday it was the Nike store on Oxford circus to buy some running gear. How times have changed. I got myself a couple of tops, running socks, some new trainers and went on a gait analysis machine. More good news: it transpires I am a "neutral" runner i.e. I don't over- or under pronate, which apparently is quite rare, and means I can wear any trainers I like.
I also got some stuff for Anthony who, true to form, gave me some advice over the phone on picking my trainers. There can be very few personal trainers who take such a keen interest in their clients. I just hope word doesn't spread at the gym that I've been doing his shopping or people will start to think I'm his bitch!! :)
That over with, I was glad to repair to one of my favourite haunts, "The Lord Moon of The Mall", a Wetherspoons pub on Whitehall. Not the most salubrious of places perhaps, and not somewhere I would take Jessica Alba for a drink, but I like it. I sat down with a beer and read my book, "Tales From A Long Room" by Peter Tinniswood. (Anyone think I might be planning to write a book about cricket??!!).
When I'm in London on my own it's always a bonus when I get chatting to someone. Yesterday I met a nice German couple who briefly shared a table with me. It was a welcome opportunity to practise some German. I'm starting to forget my German and must make some efforts to practise more often.
It was then time for a bite to eat so I headed to another of my favourite places, Wong Kei on Wardour Street. Wong Kei is basically a Chinese version of Macdonalds. Again, not somewhere I would take a girl on a date but excellent portions, very tasty and cheap to boot.
I then had time for a glass of wine before the play so went to another Wetherspoons pub on Leicester Square, The Moon Under Water. I like to think it says a lot that I manage to befriend some of the staff in these places and yesterday got to know one of the barmaids working there, even though it was very busy. It always makes my day when a pretty girl flirts with me - you could say she is just doing her job, but I didn't see her paying the same attention to anyone else in a pub full of blokes on a Saturday night. Hopefully I'll see her again, but if that was just a one-off, so be it.
I like to think that now I'm a runner, I'm a lot happier and more positive than I used to be, and give off better vibes, which people respond to. I don't know. Maybe I'm thinking too deeply, as usual.
The play was excellent. I love dramas that make me think. This was about a middle-aged man leaving his wife (the eponymous Honour, played by Rigg) for a younger woman (McElhone). The performances were flawless (no less than I expected) and the dialogue was cracking. As a writer, I learn from these plays.
The play was 1hr 40mins with no interval so I had time for another drink and to see my girlfriend before heading to Paddington.
It was a bus service from Reading and I duly fell asleep but managed to stagger up the hill before collapsing in bed. It had been a long day, but one I'll remember for some time yet.
And in case you're wondering, yes I did do my long run today (3-4 miles outside, 5k on the treadmill, another 3-4 miles outside) and yes I did suffer, being slightly tired and dehydrated from the day before. But I think it was worth it.
Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, February 2006.
I myself had a fantastic day out in London yesterday. I go up there a lot - when I was on shifts I used to go up there quite a bit on my days off because very often I was bored - I mean what is there to do in Swindon on a Tuesday?
A couple of weeks ago I received an offer to see a play called "Honour" starring Diana Rigg (who I remember most fondly for being the Bond girl in my favourite Bond film, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"), Martin Jarvis and the lovely Natasha McElhone. £25 is cheap for a ticket to see a West End play on a Saturday so I thought, why not.
My train ticket was also good value - just £19 for an apex return! I can think of a lot worse ways to spend £44. A night out in Swindon is one!!
The day had a slightly sad feel to it in the morning. Alex Garrett, a freelance instructor who teaches Body Pump and an excellent spinning class was teaching there for the last time on a Saturday. He leaves this week to take up a position as a manager at a health club in Newbury. I've attended his classes for a couple of years now but recently have been going less frequently to concentrate on my running.
It was at least fitting that I got to sit next to my friend Nicole during spinning and catch up. We used to go to Alex’s daytime classes when I was on shifts and she was at college. Despite the age gap (she is 19) we seem to get on very well and these friendships are something I’ve gained from Alex’s classes.
We are all very sad to lose him but I'm sure everyone understands he has to think of his long-term future. Knowing him as I do I know he has been thinking about this for some time, and I am delighted that he is moving on to bigger and better things and am sure he will excel in his new role.
Anyway, refreshed after 2 hours of exercise I grabbed a sandwich and headed for the station. I decided to go first class (on a weekend you can upgrade for £10 each way and occasionally I like to treat myself). On the way up no one came to check my ticket so the upgrade was free! Result!
First port of call on any other day would have been a public house to quench my thirst. Yesterday it was the Nike store on Oxford circus to buy some running gear. How times have changed. I got myself a couple of tops, running socks, some new trainers and went on a gait analysis machine. More good news: it transpires I am a "neutral" runner i.e. I don't over- or under pronate, which apparently is quite rare, and means I can wear any trainers I like.
I also got some stuff for Anthony who, true to form, gave me some advice over the phone on picking my trainers. There can be very few personal trainers who take such a keen interest in their clients. I just hope word doesn't spread at the gym that I've been doing his shopping or people will start to think I'm his bitch!! :)
That over with, I was glad to repair to one of my favourite haunts, "The Lord Moon of The Mall", a Wetherspoons pub on Whitehall. Not the most salubrious of places perhaps, and not somewhere I would take Jessica Alba for a drink, but I like it. I sat down with a beer and read my book, "Tales From A Long Room" by Peter Tinniswood. (Anyone think I might be planning to write a book about cricket??!!).
When I'm in London on my own it's always a bonus when I get chatting to someone. Yesterday I met a nice German couple who briefly shared a table with me. It was a welcome opportunity to practise some German. I'm starting to forget my German and must make some efforts to practise more often.
It was then time for a bite to eat so I headed to another of my favourite places, Wong Kei on Wardour Street. Wong Kei is basically a Chinese version of Macdonalds. Again, not somewhere I would take a girl on a date but excellent portions, very tasty and cheap to boot.
I then had time for a glass of wine before the play so went to another Wetherspoons pub on Leicester Square, The Moon Under Water. I like to think it says a lot that I manage to befriend some of the staff in these places and yesterday got to know one of the barmaids working there, even though it was very busy. It always makes my day when a pretty girl flirts with me - you could say she is just doing her job, but I didn't see her paying the same attention to anyone else in a pub full of blokes on a Saturday night. Hopefully I'll see her again, but if that was just a one-off, so be it.
I like to think that now I'm a runner, I'm a lot happier and more positive than I used to be, and give off better vibes, which people respond to. I don't know. Maybe I'm thinking too deeply, as usual.
The play was excellent. I love dramas that make me think. This was about a middle-aged man leaving his wife (the eponymous Honour, played by Rigg) for a younger woman (McElhone). The performances were flawless (no less than I expected) and the dialogue was cracking. As a writer, I learn from these plays.
The play was 1hr 40mins with no interval so I had time for another drink and to see my girlfriend before heading to Paddington.
It was a bus service from Reading and I duly fell asleep but managed to stagger up the hill before collapsing in bed. It had been a long day, but one I'll remember for some time yet.
And in case you're wondering, yes I did do my long run today (3-4 miles outside, 5k on the treadmill, another 3-4 miles outside) and yes I did suffer, being slightly tired and dehydrated from the day before. But I think it was worth it.
Copyright © Jonathan Weedon, February 2006.
posted by Jon | 8:21 pm
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