Paddington and running

Running around here is enlightening, I must say.

Yesterday I took it upon myself to jog in Paddington Rec, a park near us that features trails, track, playground equipment, synthetic turf systems, tennis courts, a café that never seems to be open when I’m there, etc.

Oh and plenty of green space for dogs, Frisbees, the occasional kite, a picnic, Abercorn sports day, the list goes on.

In addition to providing recreational opportunity and some fresh air (not to mention great views – the leaves changing during our gorgeous, long autumn season were particularly amazing at Paddington), it’s a great place to observe people.

Yesterday, as I ran sprints around the track, I lapped four Muslim men out for a jog. Their children – 3 or 4 I think – were ensconced within the track, where there is grass with fence separating track and grassy oval.

The men, dark, swarthy and bearded, chatted as they made their rounds, wearing dark, heavy sweats, hats and sweatshirts. (I think they were more heavily dressed than I was; maybe sweating it off was their intent.)

En route to the track I passed a couple of soccer games in full throttle – mostly Asian men who looked to be in their 20’s.

On the other side of the park the dog walkers meandered, yesterday several middle-aged women with small, jacketed dogs. I’ve seen more clothing on dogs here than anywhere I’ve ever been. These cosseted pooches live a starkly different life than the copious unhomed hounds we observed in India.

The women with said dogs seemed to drift in and out of conversations with other dog walkers so perhaps they regularly run into each other at Paddington.

I get a kick out of a couple of older ladies I’ve often seen during my morning Paddington foray. These two ladies, who look to be upwards of 70, mill about with cigarettes hanging from one corner of a wrinkled lip, waiting for Precious (or whomever) to do his/her business. I don’t believe it occurs to them that what they’re doing flies in the face of recreation at Paddington…

Then there are the personal trainer pairs. Yesterday a male trainer and his female client discussed the benefits of stretching as they eased into a routine involving exercise stations around the park.

And in an old bandstand in another corner of the park, three other Asians held poses (maybe tai chi?).

No one was on the cricket pitch this morning; often it is used by young Indian and Pakistani men early on Saturdays. On the park’s edges, the occasional resounding smack or shout could be heard as pairs of people face off across the court, tennis racket in hand. These folks seem more typically to be British, generally 25-50, I would guess.

And always there are a few lone runners, like myself, making our way around the tennis courts and pitches, up and down hills and around green spaces, some with shorts and tanks no matter what the weather, most with some kind of musical device to see us through. We're a more motley crew -- old, young, skinny, not so skinny. All in our own little world.

Later, Paddington will be busier, noisier. But early Saturday mornings are perfect.