Otters, Matildas And An Olympic Champion

At Monday’s cycling we are graced by the presence of Olympic champion Sophie Capewell who is taking a break from Team GB and has come to blow everyone off the track at Derby instead. 

L and Daughter continue their running on Tuesday morning while I spend the evening at Pride Park watching the England Women's team, who are European Champions of course, playing Australia in a friendly. England win 3-0 although the Matildas did play all but the first 18 minutes with ten players after an early sending off. I have a disagreement with the bus driver on the Red Arrow who drops me at rear of the QMC despite access to the front having been available since they finished the roadworks on the roundabout back in August. 

L and Daughter are up early, at the Lad’s breakfast time of 6am, but not to run. They head off to hunt for otters at Attenborough Nature Reserve. I leave them to it but they come back without a sighting. 

After running again, L is in Derby as usual on Thursday. Before she leaves, she revises all the political news first so that she can debate with her Mum. 

On Friday she’s out walking with our local author before we indulge in a joint gym on a David Lloyd guest pass over lunch. 

On Saturday we drive to Trentham Gardens for Parkrun. It’s a congested one lap route around the lake, with a long but slight hill, which I have to tackle on my own because the lad doesn’t run as he’s limping again. It takes me 32 minutes and all the way around it felt like my calf was going to go but it held up. They have a very decent café for afterwards. 

I don’t visit my Dad as I have swapped days with my brother and I will go over on Sunday. In the evening we leave our limping dog at home and head to Canning Circus where we have one in the Organ Grinder but then spend the rest of the night in the Borlase. 

The Lad is still unfit for our usual Sunday trip to Colwick. He gets to go but has to stand and watch the swim as he’s not up to a lap of the lake. With the weather getting colder and the water temperature down to 11 degrees, L takes a hot water bottle to keep her clothes warm. Afterwards I visit my Dad but he is not feeling his best, so I don’t take him out.

 (Sunday 2^nd November)