I went for a run today. Any run that I do that is between 5-6 miles long I normally do along the canal, complete the Mile End Parkrun route, back along the canal, and then I make up whatever is left by running around Vicky Park.

As I started my journey along the canal I noticed a group of four people walking towards me fanned out in a straight line. This left me with a predicament because with a wall on the left and a canal to the right there was nowhere for me to pass them.

I slowed my pace right down thinking as they were looking straight at me then they would make some sort of move, either one would move behind one of them or two of them would move behind the other two and allow me, and a few others behind me, an opportunity to pass.

Well they didn’t, they merely carried on their conversation and staring at me as they got closer and closer.

I decided that the best solution was to be rather British about the whole thing, so I turned to my side and said “excuse me” as I carried on towards them. This elicited a response from one of them, she threw her arm out and hit me in the chest with an open palm, the force of her doing this made her stumble back into the wall (which felt like it hurt) and then she shouted at me.

I’m not quite sure what she was shouting because her entire face with covered with a scarf as thick as a blanket, I was annoyed at them thinking they owned the tow path and her striking me for not being able to jump over them or refusing to jump into the canal, so I shouted over my shoulder “how much of the towpath do you fucking need?” as everyone within earshot craned their necks to see the drama.

I’m sure there were some more insults thrown at the back of me, but I decided to turn my music up and not let these selfish pricks ruin my run and I had a mountain of turkey to get through.

Turkey and pickle sandwiches are by far my favourite part about Christmas.

Image by Maciej Cieslak from Pixabay