Yesterday Came Suddenly

Can you believe it has been 46 years since The Beatles released “Yesterday” as a single?  Of course I was only one at the time but it seems like just yesterday to me as well.

On this most recent journey (to use the Brits terminology), I was lucky enough to stay in an area that was only about a mile away from Abbey Road and the famous Abbey Road Studios.  I was in a hotel in a part of town called Maide Vale.  That particular area isn’t so nice.  One begger UK lady came up to me last night and said “Excuse me sir, would you have fifty P to spare?”.  I normally just keep on walking and shake my head no.  But this time, I had to stop and look at her strangely and ask her what she was talking about?  (I need to look up UK currency here soon.  I have a ton of 50 Ps in my pocket I bet.  They all look like quarters to me.)

But you don’t have to run far to get away from this part of town and into the brown stones and pubs and very historic and renovated old homes.  About a mile away from the hotel and I’m passing by the Abbey Road Studios.   This recording studio has been around for a long time and is most famous for The Beatles.  But it also was home to Pink Floyd, The Hollies and Badfinger (now, that is a good band name).  When you run by it has a white stucco column fence in front that is completely covered by decent looking graffiti they allow with people’s names, short tributes to their beloved Beatles and quotes from various songs (all you need is love, you know).  They paint over it monthly but obviously they keep on coming because today it was covered.  If you’ll notice in the picture above, the zebra type walkway across Abbey Road is still there and supposedly where fans come to honor their Beatles.  It is also the same zebra walkway on the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s famous sock only album cover picture.  I honored them by listening to The Beatles “One” album while running across the street on this walkway on my way back to the hotel.  If you think about that, it is pretty cool to be listening to all their #1 hits while running in London by their famous Abbey Road Studios.  Unplanned, but true story, the song “Yesterday” was actually playing as I ran by on the way back to home.  I’ll call that one of my top 5 runs of the past couple years.

The only other item of note while here in London thus far was the Fish and Chips.  I capitalize these as they are almost a national treasure.  It seems kind of funny to ask a concierge “where can I get good Fish and Chips around here?”.  But is actually the right question to ask since I guess you CAN screw them up I’m told.  He sent me to some place called The Salt House which is an old pub in between the hotel and Abbey Road Studios.  Fantasic.  Brilliant.  Those are the adjectives I’ll use to describe my Fish and Chips.  And on top of it I got to meet an elderly “regular” who was about 80 years old and his pub going wiener dog that actually sits there up on its butt pawing at the air with both front legs as we eat our meal.  And he must be a “regular” too as the waiter came over with an actual dog water dish that was served when our food came.  Everyone is welcome at The Salt House.

Running Update:  Besides my Abbey Road running adventure I’ve been regularly “training” for the upcoming Nashville Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon the last weekend of April.  I’ll be honest and say I haven’t followed Hal’s program to the T like I did last year with the marathon training.  But mostly, that is because life has become extremely busy with travel and such.  I fit in 5-7 miles here and there and scatter in 3 mile runs in between.  This weekend I will do 10 miles but that is about it.  Let’s hope race day adrenaline and the country bands at each mile marker just move me along.  I’ll write about the event and Nashville next month.

Only 36 months and 26.2 miles to go…

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