01/10/21 – Running Thru’ a Crime Scene

October 1, 2021 Neil_Spoons

On Wednesday, we attended the London Marathon Expo at the Excel Centre in East London to collect our numbers. As usual, we also ended up buying something, despite saying we would keep our money in our pockets. This time it was a pair of bone-conducting headphones each. Oh, and some overpriced drinks and a flapjack, which cost almost as much as the headphones.

Whilst there, we saw the colour of this year’s finishers T-Shirt. After our first LM, which was a lovely red and blue adidas number, it’s fair to say we haven’t had much luck since with the designs. York was hot pink, last year’s Virtual was a weird neon red with gold lettering and a sandpaper fabric. This year it’s orange, but not just any orange, this is fluorescent, luminescent, hi-vis orange of the kind that road workers and event stewards wear. Hey, at least we won’t have trouble sneaking into any gigs or footie matches now.

I also met up with my charity – Alzheimer’s Research UK, who had a stand there – and we had a good chat with Kelly and the team about the forthcoming race.

Back home the next day, it was time to try out my new headphones on my penultimate run before the big day. The classic course was the route of choice, but as I left the house I realised that there was a Police Helicopter hovering right overhead, really low. Well, that’ll be a good test for the headphones.

Worringly, as I set off the helicopter appeared to follow me for a minute or so. Even the new headphones were no match for that clatter. The helicopter was joined on the ground by several Police cars and vans: blues and two’s going ten to the dozen, along the main road, thankfully ignoring me… As I headed into the back streets, I encountered most of those Police vehicles stationary across the road and pavement surrounding an abandoned black Audi with doors and boot flung open.

There has been a recent spate of burglaries from local sheds, vans and garages and the back and boot of the car was packed with several power tools. No sight of the driver though and the coppers were stood around on their radios. One even apologised to me for blocking the pavement.

Around the next corner were a couple more ‘plain-clothes‘ Police cars in the middle of the road. This time the officers has apprehended a suspect, who was looking extremely sorry for himself. Not least because he was practically naked from the waist down, his trackies hanging in rags. It looked like he tried to scale a fence whilst making his escape and come off second best. The Police officers were trying to contain their mirth as they interrogated and cuffed him. A little further along, on the main road, more Police cars were on the pavement with a second, long-faced suspect sitting in one car. I couldn’t help but cheer as I ran past, the suspect scowled, prevented from flicking me the viccy by handcuffs.

Back home after the slow and steady run, my final Marathon prep task was at hand: the LM21 playlist. I don’t often run with music, but I always take headphones for Marathons for those harder yards towards the end of the race.

This year’s songs are:

Promised you a Miracle – Simple Minds
All These Things that I’ve Done – The Killers
Goody Two Shoes – Adam Ant
Evan Knows the Sirens – Jim Bob & The Hoodrats (especially for today’s events)
We take Mystery to Bed – Gary Numan
Someone’s Looking at You – Boomtown Rats
The English Earth – Chris T-T
Knockbacks in Halifax – The Dust Rhinos
London Calling – The Clash
Up the Junction – Squeeze
Michiko – Sultans of Ping
Heart of Glass – Blondie
After All – The Frank & Walters
Silly Thing – Sex Pistols
Don’t Go – Yazoo
It’s a Sin – Pet Shop Boys
Away, Away – Weddings Parties Anything
Right by your Side – Eurythmics
You to Me are Everything – The Real Thing
London Still – The Waifs
London Still Exists – The Aerial Maps
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley & The Wailers
The Only Living Boys in New Cross – Carter USM

So all that’s left is a nice slow parkrun tomorrow (Sue’s 200th!), followed by a good night’s sleep (fat chance!) and we’ll be ready to for the off.