Forced Into It

Saturday bring a parkrun at Markeaton and then on Sunday we participate in the Coalville 10k. This is another one done by those folk at Nice Work and it’s the seventh running of the race. L's done it before but keeps the details to herself until I’ve entered. Bascially it's two loops and mostly off road. Then she asks if I’m sure I’m not being forced into it. Of course I’m sure I am being forced into it.

She also doesn’t mention, or has forgotten about, the big off road hill that is impossible to get up in the current wet conditions without resorting to crawling on one’s hand and knees.

The race is held entirely within the grounds of Snibston Country Park and includes a lap around one their car parks, otherwise known as waste ground following the demolition of the Discovery Museum which once stood there.In fact I'm sure it hosted the start and finish when we were last here in 2013.

It’s fun, I suppose.

Afterwards we warm down (?) with a game of tennis, well a knock up anyway. As much as you can get knocked up in multiple layers of clothing due to the cold.

(Sunday 11^th November)

Hidden Qualities

L and I are both a bit hung over after our session on the Tuck last night, not that we were particularly outlandish on it. Clearly it has hidden qualities that we need to keep an eye on.  

L is now indulging of a different sort, in the ‘Twelve Swims Of Christmas’. I think I’ll steer well clear of that one.

The results from the Coalville 10k are a very poor show. There’s a list of numbers and times on their website but no names. As I said the other day it was a race done very much on the cheap.

In the evening L goes for a Christmas curry with her running partners. I go for my usual dogging session, where my mistake it taking the dog. MD has a total off night.

(Monday 2^nd December)

One Day I Might Make Mine

L runs the Coalville 10k which is at Snibston Discovery Museum this morning. It’s organised by the same people who did the Loughborough Half Marathon. It’s also clearly done very much on the cheap but a run is a run when you need one and it’s a good place for L to make her comeback. One day I might make mine...

Instead I walk the dogs. MD takes a dislike to some stags, which are actually artificial statues but he barks them off all the same. I take him up close so that he can see how statuesque they are but he’s still not convinced and converses nosily with each one in turn.

There are quite a few runners in festive fancy dress today, that is if you count a pig onesie as festive. The Santa suits are quiet festive though and a chap with a chicken on his head comes in second. I don’t think he could lay his hands on a turkey.

In the afternoon it’s the dog club's AGM where I’m elected club secretary. Somebody has to do it and everybody, apart from me, thought it ought to be me.

In the evening we make up for a Saturday in with a night in the Falcon on the promise of either their new Christmas Ale or their Butterscotch Winter Warmer. Neither are on sadly, so it’s another night on the excellent Tuck.

(Sunday 1^st December)

Guilty Pleasures

Free weekends are becoming a frequent guilty pleasure. Being permanently crocked does seem to have some benefits. 

John Lewis due disrupt a potential record breaking lie-in by delivering a new set of CD shelves I’ve ordered at an eye wateringly early 7.10am. Which, I suppose, was better than hanging around all day waiting for them to turn up.

I look at what they’ve delivered and assume they must be flat packed as the box is way too small but no, the shelves simply turn out to be a lot smaller than I expected. About a quarter of the size actually. Bugger, I’m going to need about four of these. That'll teach me to measure up first. Well it won't but it ought to.

After a park session, I start filling them and aligning everything alphabetically with the smart new index cards I’ve also bought. Luckily the shelves prove to be a bit of a Tardis and swallow up a large proportion of our amassed collection. I think just one more set will be needed.

We stay in tonight as L, the uninjured one, is running the Coalville10k tomorrow and I also have loads of stuff to print of for tomorrow dog club AGM.

(Saturday 30^th November)

10k Urges

Today I take my misbehaving bike back in to the bike shop. They promise to fix it properly this time and will just charge me for any parts, not labour.

L pencils in her comeback race in black ink as she enters the Coalville 10k on 1^st December. I ask her to make a photocopy of the entry form, just in case. Just in case I’m fit and get any 10k urges. Although it’s a long time since I’ve had one of those.

It’s dry for dog training tonight but its blooming cold as we train in 3 degree temperatures and the plastic poles on the jumps keep icing up. L is off running in Derby, so I bet she's feeling the chill too. She always feels the chill.

(Monday 4^th November)