London, Lockdown, Lichfield
By Emma Claire Sweeney
London’s such an iconic race:
Cutty Sark at three miles, London Bridge
halfway, the London Eye on the way to Big Ben.
London’s best for crowds.
In London, the crowd gets you through.
‘Go Charlotte!’ They cheer. ‘Come on! You’ve got this!’
But London’s normally too hot for me.
At first, you could only take one form of exercise,
some days a run, some days a walk,
laps around the block
I continued to train.
14 weeks I couldn’t run with my guide.
But I got up to seven or eight miles on my own.
Though COVID, I’ve become more confident.
Only Lichfield Cathedral on our country loop:
But there’s The Plough at Shenstone at 6.5 miles,
The Dr Johnson at 16, The Plough at Huddlesford at 23 and a half
Pasta party before at the Green Frog Café,
Friends cheering, Round Table, Ladies’ Circle,
Drinks after at Lichfield Rugby Club in bubbles of six.
In Lichfield, everyone’s there for my team.