Quayside: two views.

Tuesday.
My left arm is throbbing painfully (I love you too BCG) and all the muscle of my upper back till the neck feel sore and contracted, when I walk out of the last lecture at 5 p.m.longing for a cup of tea and my warm room. It has been a fairly long day, from 8 to 5 straight with 45 minutes break and I feel so so tired.
But, strangely, in the short time it takes to get home, my attitude change radically and all my muscle quimper with impatience: let's go out, let's go for a run.

I change quickly from my formal clothes to my kit, grab my iPod, jump in my shoes and I am out before I can change my mind.
As it's already dark I head down to Quayside.
It's a stunning view, I have already been there at night but tonight it seems much more special: all the building lit up and the river glowing in reflection.
The air is warm on my face and smell almost of spring as I jog along and up the Millenium Bridge.
I run past the Sage shiny and peaceful in its own halo: I still can't believe I am singing there in a couple of months time...it is so..scary and exciting at the same time.
I do 3 laps of the mile course we used for the relays against Northumbria (bad memories) and everytime I meet this lady in a high vis jacket on the Swing Bridge and at the beginning of the Millenium Bridge. At some point we smile to each ther, but we continue our route: it is nice to run in company but some runs must be lonely. Like tonight.
I head back, up the hill and my calves scream in protest: I remember this summer my friends making fun of how I would be ridiculously unfit on hills by Christmas break as I was going to flat England...we have never been so wrong!
I get in and rush in my room to shower quickly and get ready for pancake night....after all I have some extra calories left ;)

Thursday.
I actually had some university work to do. And to clean my room, given that my sister is coming. But I don't care: it won't happen soon again to get a 3 o'clock finish on such a nice day. It really looks like spring with fluffy white clouds scattered loosely in the light blue sky.
Again, I get changed in my kit and head down to Quayside. 
It's like the perfect day: it's sunny and brigt, and air smells even more like spring, tonight I am going on a date with my boyfriend and tomorrow my little sister is coming up to visit me. I feel so so happy and am somewhat aware of a stupidly wide grin on my face while running.
I don't know if it's me or it's the day but the Quayside seems packed with couples of all ages who walk hand in hand or with arms passed around each other's shoulder. We might have come here for a walk together but I had some very old friends to take out that would definitely not accept to be ditched, not even if it was Valentine's day. As soon as I stepped into my room, my muddy worn out shoes seemed to give me an expectant yet disapproving stare : "We are going for a run, aren't we?" Of course we are, what a question.
The Millenium Bridge is suspended in the sky today and running over it feels like flying.
The Sage does not appear as magical as Tuesday night without all the lights on but it still is a pretty building. 

One, two and three laps of the mile course (still bad memories of the relays against Northumbria) and then back up on the hill again. The streets are pretty crowded now and I slip through people and cars, trying to keep up a good pace, feeling full of energy and joy and extremely grateful for what I have been given so far.