Guided Missile

We don’t parkrun on Saturday but that is less to do with L’s injury as to the fact she at Readers Day in Nottingham. This is a book thing and includes a talk entitled ‘Never Trust an Older Woman’ by L’s author friend. Should I be worried about my older woman?

With the day to myself I decide to take the boys on Wollaton Park for the first time in ages. The reason I stopped taking them on the park was because of the Lad’s obsession with going through the gaps in the wooden fence that surround the ‘conservation area’ in which he appears to go swimming in the mythical lake that apparently resides within.

I’m hoping that he has no grown up a bit and has put aside such puppyish things. Big mistake. After one ball chuck the Lad is straight through the gap in the fence and off for a swim like a guided missile. When I finally get him back its back on the lead to be frogmarched deeper into the park and away from further temptation. Then we leave the park via a different entrance so that he can’t repeat the feat on the way back.

Later we go visit my parents before heading home where us literate ones await the return of our favourite literary buff.

So L has to skip Sunday’s Heanor Pud Run because of her injured hip. I’m skipping it too but because I left entering it until it was too late and the race limit had been reached. This was because I was worried about entering and then getting injured. Oh the irony and now I have the chance to take L’s place if I want to. Not that I’ve ever woke up with the urge to run a race I haven’t booked in to. I suppose there's always a first time for everything but, nah, I’d only end up winning a prize in the Women’s Vets Category. It’s happened before and we’ve never dared go back to that particular race.

We’re both still going to support because L’s sister and Daughter are in it. Instead I decide to run there with the Lad. It’s about 10 miles from ours to Shipley Park Visitor Centre where the race starts, which might be just enough to take the edge off him. I would also feel so much smugger than those doing a just mere 10k. Especially if I ran back at well...

So the Lad and I set out in damp and drizzly conditions. The route turns out not be that great with a narrow pavement along the busy road to Ilkeston and no footpath within Ilkeston meaning some interesting diversions. Once inside Shipley Park we then run past the old American Adventure, now a building site, before finally having to wade through some flood waters to get to the race start. While running I have a few problems with my new GPS watch as it keeps taking laps on its own at random intervals, until I realise that it’s my wet sleeve that is doing it by pressing on the touch screen.

We arrive just in time to see the 10k start. Afterwards, and after a coffee at the café, I accept a lift back by car. The Lad looks like the only one capable of running back.

In the evening we go for drinks in the Old Angel before fulfilling a long nurtured urge to go for pizza ‘as it should be’ at Oscar and Rosie’s. I’m sorry to report that is was a bit of a disappointment. We de-stodge afterwards in the Keans Head.

(Sunday 17^th November)