Things I see when I go running

2010-05-04T04:46:00.000-07:00

Spring time in Hackney.Not the same as Spring in Paris but there you go. Actually this was 3 weeks ago so all the blossom and hawthorne flowers have gone now.
A spring Chicken.
The Lesney factory , nearly all gone now
Hackney wick. Not much new graffiti since the Olympic cleanup began but there are a few bits here and there.
Its a Hip Hop rodent.

2010-03-05T10:18:00.001-08:00

I lost all my photos. Has anyone seen them? I am having a spasmoidal episode.
Will go again tomorrow.They were not that good anyway.

2010-01-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

Yes , absolutely.
Matchbox factory is nearly gone.
Olympic stadium. Things I saw but couldn't photograph because of my quite rubbish camera - 2 Chinook helicopters , a green woodpecker, 2 magpies (joy) and I smelt the indescribably lovely smell of the bagel factory baking.

2010-01-18T06:47:00.001-08:00

A little run down to the City to get some new trainers . Poor lady Gaga she's not that bad is she? She is after all just a singer. You could find a lot of people much more worthy of your ire I'm positive.
Down the Kingsland road.Tower 42 disappearing into the clouds.
New bridge over the canal for the tube line going into Dalston.Quite jazzy I think.
And here's a quick one for anyone even considering voting for this man who unsurprisingly today promised to be brazenly elitist..what really? A toff from Eton being brazenly elitist? Never.

2010-01-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

4 mile slush run. I am fed up of getting soggy feet now.Next. Came off the canal at Hackney wick and ran back thorugh the streets as it was less slippy. This is on the wall of an old warehouse where there are a few galleries and artists' studios.
There is not much else around here now apart from the interest the artists bring.A few years ago if you went down Carpenters Road on a Sunday all you could hear was the very loud worship from The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries or the last blast of a rave dying out from the night before. The only other people around were monged out clubbers and blissed out churchgoers.
I spose they all looked a bit like this but with crazy clothing. Giant headwraps for the religious ladies and that minging cyber/hippie/punk look with those nasty platform shoes for the mongers.
A view over the canal to the new flats that are part of the new ugly deveopments.
My new home.
Rubbish in the car park.
Scary hand head.
Phantasmo.If you can spot him.
Looks like that man from the Buff Meadways or that Chap you always see in Shoreditch with the Great Dane.Chocks away Ginger.
Stik.
This is how little kids draw skyscrapers but somehow better.

2010-01-12T05:23:00.000-08:00

5 miles down the canal , round hackney marshes, round the filter bed. Very slippery indeed.
Bean geese down by the canal , yes really they are bean geese.
hackney marshes , the football fields , the snow covers up all the rubbish the footballers leave behind. Lazy sods.
Jumping fish got stuck in the ice as he re-enters the water.

It was very tricky running down this bit there was a lot of sliding and falling.
Snow cat in millfields park. Tick v. good

2009-12-16T08:50:00.001-08:00

Back from a short hiatus after injury and lack of motivation to...snow. London is great when it snows , there's no point trying to go to work and it covers up the dirt.
This is frost rather than snow but blimey it was chilly. I may not be a northerner anymore , I wore a hat all the 5 miles.I think I may officially be a hockey playing,ballet loving,shandy drinking ,southern, cream puff. I once saw a girl in Cumbria in hotpants,moon boots and a bikini top ( no tights obv.) on Christmas eve.Near the docks too,very nippy.
Finally started knocking down the old matchbox factory.What a shame.We can look forward to something really ugly and boring in its place.One of those horrid beige buildings they keep putting up with tiny windows.
Peace.Its a Christmas dove.
This wall, until recently,was covered in very fine graffiti but has been blasted off .It now looks really crap and grubby.This has probly got something to do with the Olympics and everything to do with the people in the new flats opposite not liking it.
Oh , its all smudgy.Makes her look all downcast and upset.
Scary alien peeping out from behind the door.

2009-11-07T12:52:00.000-08:00

6.5 miles.millfields park to Limehouse Basin and back to vicky park.
Seems a bit unfair on George Galloway.I don't doubt he is a knob but accusing him of future mass extermination seems a bit harsh. Time will tell though , you never know maybe someone knows something I don't.Well a lot of people know something I don't ;it is not tricky.
I thought it felt like a long run.Extensive bomb damage not shown.
Scary peg man on soon to be ruined factory by the stadium.There will be Loft Style Living here soon wait and see.
When Grace Jones goes bad.

I think I need to run somewhere new,it is all getting a bit samey

2009-11-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

5.8 miles from Millfields along the lea navigation canal , onto the regents canal to Broadway market , through London fields , up mare st and back to Clapton.
There are more evil Cbeebies along this stretch of the Regents canal,but they are thinner and a bit more evil looking.
By Old Ford Road.
View down Regents canal to the gasometers . do they still work?Can never remeber if they were up or down last time.
Old sweat shop on the canal.
Artists studios , I think. They were 5 years ago but maybe not now.
Under the Mare st bridge.This way to the zoo.
Round the corner from Broadway Market.Fahionable young people from the creative industries being cool not shown.
Or not.
That funny frenchman again.
Proof if it was ever needed that Katie and Jamie were right to leave Richmond Road.

You don't see much when you're in a bad mood

2009-10-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Some miles , round hackney Marshes to Springfield Park and finishing at the pumpkin shop on Lower Clapton Road.
Here is some electricity.Electricty not shown.
Had to have a little rest and a ponder here , that hill in Springfield Park is deceptively steep.
Bill Cosby in trouble.
And bill Murray. Only thing that made me smile today.More of a half smirk but it's better than nothing.

I see Danger Everywhere

2009-10-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

5 Miles , Millfields park- Old Ford Lock and back via the filter beds. A lovely welcome notice for 2012.
Slightly better than all the warning signs that you can see in a 2.5 mile stretch.Some I couldn't even photograph as my camera is not up to it.
Look out; don't fall under a giant truck.

Look out; its the Olympic site.
Look out a hole that has been there, with a huge fence around it, for a whole year.
Look out the Towpath is flooded and crumbling and there may be some machines here in the next 5 years.
Look out scary death paint.Incidentally, it is on a derlict building that would be pointless breaking in to as it is probably full of rats and smell.
Look out , don't climb over this 5' spiky fence and fall down the bank.
'Take care during bad weather' are you kidding me?
Are you made of sugar? If so do not go out in the rain,you will melt.

Another huge hole. At least 2 feet deep. You might get dirty.
Look out ;here be electricity.
Look out ; electricity is out to get you.
Look out; traffic. On a road of all places.

Look out ! A 3 year old on a bike! Danger.
Good , it is terrifying round here.
Danger!Idiots are in charge of the telly.Run ,run,run for your sanity.
I'll probably get run over tomorrow.

2009-10-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

4 miles. Millfields park-Springfield Marina,Walthamstow Marshes,Hackney marshes,Filter beds.Someone actually goes around with a pot of white paint and paints over the graffiti. It is all rubbish tags and 'Kerry is a Skank' type graffiti so of no real value but it seems like a waste of time.
These are under the railway bridge on Walthamstow Marshes.
Just waiting to be sprayed.
Tunnel footpath.
and the railway lines
The Bridges of Madison County.Minus Clint.
The fish have suddenly got water , it was bone dry the last time I came down here it must have been raining a bit.

Lots of new reeds growing , it is almost springlike.
All the fish jumping.
Hopper and Autumn trees in the filter beds , it is beautiful down here at the moment. Could be a bit more cleaning up after your stinky dogs but still beautiful.

2009-10-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

4 miles to Victoria park. Don't tell your boyfriend , just hide the bags at the back of the wardrobe , give it 2 weeks then say "oh I've had these for a while" You are not lying.
Security entrance to the Olympic site.
A french person being funny.
Magic skateboarding feet.
I thought that this was a funny person doing the Fosbury Flop high jump thing but of course I see now that it is a hand whisk.
The Fantasmo apparently.Very big feet.Like boats.
Another sticky person.
This is young persons speak for I'm ready for a nice cup of tea.
Punch and Judy.
Funfair detail from the punch and judy piece.
more
That building wasn't there last time I came to Vicky park , must be 1 Bishopsgate.
Lovely Vicky park .

2009-10-21T03:38:00.000-07:00

6 miles down past the Olympics again.Flat,grey, rainy day. Not a lot to see until I came upon these sticky people who I think are new.
There's not much to them but they are very expressive.
Wake up world?
Its a shame someone crap has gone and sprayed all over the top of them.
But it makes them look like you have discovered them while peeking through a bush.
Family of sticky people
Move over Lowry
There's a new sticky painter in town.

2009-10-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

4.5 miles up to Tottenham again. Maybe I have been watching too many surfing movies but I love this.If I bring my skateboard next time it will be like big wave surfing out at Mavericks.I came back to photograph some graffiti that I saw in progress but it wasn't good and I was embarrassed to photograph it.

New stuff that was being finished.I can't work out what it is supposed to say
I need a lesson in graffiti appreciation
I love this little cityscape
I never learnt Latin but I think this means The Nature of Poetry or the Art of Poetry in the cities or of the city. Come on Latin lovers , enlighten me.
They like their poetry in Tottenham.

A cow maybe.

Big bird

Innit

2009-10-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

4.5 miles up to tottenham again. not much to see this run has become a bit boring already.It is quite suburban.
The big skate park has lots of bad graffiti and some ok stuff. All the artists live at the other end of the canal for now.

Bit like Robots

That lovely bridge on the way back
You can guess the day of the week by the fantastic lampshade hats.

2009-10-15T02:45:00.000-07:00

A little shadowy person ,looks like he is levitating.
Three men , this reminds me of an album cover but I can't think which one?
Tiny person, they are everywhere when you look.
Not very good graffiti spelling out something rubbish but.. great colours and it looks like fireworks.
A little running person , I saw this a while ago but it has blurred it did say something like 'run for your life' or some sort of joke about mugging if I remember rightly.
Scarecrows are normally a bit scary but this one looks like he is wearing Nick's spare specs.
Springfield Park.
Lea Boat House.
And now forthe bad graffiti segment.I may give the kids some spray cans and see if they can do better.This person looks like a hairy gentleman's part.Not good.
I like the fact that they gave this one shoes.And the cutlery is nice.
Hmmm you may want to check your history book and amend where necessary, unless there is a new war I haven't heard about.
And it doesn't even scan.
Crap graffiti but they have a point.

More of that bridge, Is it just me or does it look different every day?
4.5 miles , north up the canal to the railway line and back again.
Sore leg.

2009-10-13T03:14:00.000-07:00

4 ish miles along the canal,or is it the river at this part, I can't tell, to Springfield marina. Smashing day again.
Even on purpose bad spelling is annoying.Its more annoying because they think they are clever and are still chortling to themselves about it.
Nice tree.
The view up river from Springfield marina , I have never been further up the river than this , another day maybe.
The pub.Never been in.Wouldn't have been able to say that 10 years ago.
Train
Who knew they had speed limits.
This is the railway arch where A.V.Roe built his famous triplane.He flew it across Walthamstow marshes for 900 feet at a height of about 10feet.He was the 1st person to fly over British soil with a British plane with a British engine. So there you go.
A.V.Roe's plaque.Well done fella.
The weir where the canal splits.
Some geese making merry in the sushine.This is going to be ugly flats here soon.
Big circle of plane(?) trees in Millfields park. No hippies communing with nature at this moment , but there often is.
My stinky trainers to prove to doubting George that I am running. Anyone who knows me will tell you I would not wear shoes like this unless absolutely necessary.

2009-10-12T03:43:00.000-07:00

The end of my run , right by vicky park before I turn round and go back again.
5 miles along lea navigation canal to Victoria Park. George Herbert said 'in winter every mile is 2'. On an October day like this,however , it is a skip and a jump.As the man with the dog that looks like a lion said Lovely day for it. Lovely day for what? Lovely day for anything really.
There is some truly rubbish graffiti along this stretch but this is ace.Its a shame I am too old to be able to read their names.I could say tags but that is probably what old people call them thus embarrassing myself further.
Its those taxis again but today they have brought their twins with them.I wonder if they are being left here to die or if they'll be fixed?
You can't really see it but this is where the workers from the factory/sweatshop? have their tea break.With a view of the Olympic cranes.
Empty boat.

One of these was upside down .
Lovely roundy bridge near Vicky park , just on the other side of the A12 i think.There is a very cute spaniel who live on this boat , he showed me his toy spaceship.It was very nice.A bit slimy though.
I wish there were more of these about.
Old boat house.
The Olympic park , this will be the media centre.Load of old cranes just now. Some people love cranes.I met a man once who had been in charge of cranes when Canary Wharf was built,he knew a lot about cranes but I have forgotten most of it , all I remember is that he came out of retirement to help build Canary Wharf.I think I would too.
This nice old factory was swarming with men in polyester brandishing clipboards.Nothing makes a person feel important like a clipboard.I think they are going to turn it into a load of really crap small flats and ruin it.
A smiley face made out of records , one for those boys who love their records and graffiti.
Under the A12 , suprisingly peaceful place.Bit stinky though , wouldn't want to live there.

2009-10-11T04:52:00.000-07:00

3 Miles, millfields park- walthamstow marshes.That old cliche of murder mile is back.Not much of a run today , with my companion it was more of a non stop jabber fest interspersed with a small amount of running.The antithesis of what a good run means to me - no peace and quiet and not enough action for endorphins. It is Sunday though.
Small people see different things so after a slippery start explaining the murder mile sign it was mostly the exotic flora and fauna of Clapton we saw today.
A giant fish emerging from the reeds.
Giant Hogweed
Another giant fish.
A really disgusting giant slug , it had an orange belly and was very very vile.
The long horned cows have come back for winter , don't know where they go on holiday to but they always come back in Autumn.
A hungry goose looking for food. I didnt have any.
Low flying swan scared off by some rowers ,not a very good picture. They are a bit crap at flying really,all show and no trousers.The noise was amazing but he was a bit like a very fat man running for a bus.
Pesky magpies.I don't mind 2 but they really bug me when they hang around on their own making a nuisance of themselves.
Last of the blackberries.Very sour.
Orange
Purple.

Autumn under the railway bridge.

2009-10-11T01:39:00.000-07:00

This is a nice chair.If I run past here a little later these old buildings are alive with workers having a tea break on an assortment of old chairs and bits of old car.
The old Matchbox Factory by the Lea Navigation Canal.It closed years ago and is now being bulldozed , a shame those little metal cars were cool.
Underneath the A12 , hope it doesn't get whitewashed in the Olympic purges.
When the Cbeebies go bad.
This little running blob is past Old Ford Lock, it looks like it is flying along.
This one makes me feel a bit sick but it has an olympic torch so that'll do.
Crocodile sandwich
Canary Wharf peeking over the top of the trees , there are suddenly lots of canal boats on this stretch of the canal ,don't know where they appear from but they always do at this time of year , maybe they migrate like the geese.
The Olympic stadium suddenly appeared a few months ago , after years of cranes and mounds of earth. They haven't got long left they'd better get a wiggle on.
A bit of canal that is blocked off as it leads to the stadium. There are loads of security guards around here an they don't seem to like you taking photos.
Autumn.
More autumn.
Old ford lock. A working lock but I have yet to see a boat going through.This is right next to the house that was the Big Breakfast house back in the 1990s.It is now a rather smashing home.If a little overshadowed by the new stadium , I would get the f*** out of dodge in 2012 if I was them it'll be like Oxford St at Christmas with extra fireworks.
Broken Taxis .There was a duck sitting on one but he nicked off when I got my camera out.