Not Just Hairy But Wet Too

This evening we have our third attempt at the Hairy Helmet which I’m surprised is even going ahead given the weather and local councils tendency to cancel things. Darley Park is known for being a bit of a mud bath at times and it’s done nothing but rain all week. However the organisers have assured us that the council have given them the go ahead with only minor tweaks to the course. That probably means it’s going to be laps around the car park because the grass is too muddy.

It’s actually sunny when I start walking across from work but that doesn’t last and the rain soon joins the party, naturally, but it’s not as torrential as it has been the rest of the week.

L says she’s nervous but then she’s always nervous. I tell her she’ll be fine once she’s had her free gin from the White Peak Distillery but she says she’s feeding that to MD. I'm not sure that would help his inherent nervousness.

Our team in the same as last year although we are now in the Super Vets category (combined aged 200+ as we add up to 201). I will go first, L’s friend second, Daughter third and L fourth doing the lap of honour. 

It goes well, despite the rain and at least we aren't dressed as dinosaurs as one poor team is.

We go for a debrief and a drink in the Furnace afterwards.

(Friday 14^th June)

One Last Trip To The Park

L and I don’t parkrun on Saturday although Daughter does. We rest up after the Hairy Helmet and all three of us do the Ripley 10k on Sunday, which goes well.

In the afternoon we take Doggo to Wollaton Park for one last time and belatedly scatter his ashes on his favourite stretch of grass. It’s been freaking me out having him watching me from the kitchen windowsill for the last three months.

In to the new work week and I manage three bike rides this week, which is better. While the World Cup is now in full flow and I skip dog training to watch England narrowly beat Tunisia in their opening game.

On Thursday the football fixtures come out for the new season and TV immediately start moving them around. Thursday is also tennis and on Friday I head over the Bingham for a night out with the old crowd of university.

The Deventio Brewery who sponsored last week’s Hairy Helmet make good on their beer tokens by inviting me to pick up some bottles from the brewery. Which of course I do.

(Friday 22^nd June)

Fast, Flat And Insomnia Curing

I’m on the bike today and L’s in the pool, even though I thought she was banned.

Then she’s emailing me running dates. Namely next year’s Hairy Helmet and a new Leicestershire Half Marathon that seems to be several laps of those runways near Prestwold Hall. Fast, flat and insomnia curing. I'm not sure I fancy it but then again there’s not much else in February, so I’ll pencil it very lightly in the diary.

Our dog trainer tonight is stuck in Cambridge, so we have reshuffle all the training sessions and cut the late class completely. L is delighted at this development as it means I can pick her up from her folks’ an hour earlier than normal. It also saves me from a pint of the usual at the Masons.

(Wednesday 25^th October)

A Bit Of Quibbling

There’s quite a bit of quibbling going on over our Thunder Run team for next year. We were quite a happy five last year, aside from the biblical weather, but now the squad appears to have ballooned to seven or even eight.

A larger team would be a retrograde step in our eyes, personally I want more laps not less, so we offer to stand down. Then some others offer to stand down which probably makes the team captain want to stand down. Entry day is tomorrow and we’ve no idea what the plan is or even if there is one.

L is out in Derby tonight at Le Bistrot Pierre with the rest of the Hairy Helmet team but not me obviously. I’m off dogging. 

(Monday 9^th October)

Getting Hairy

I’m on the bus today because tonight we have the little matter of the Hairy Helmet.
 

The Hairy Helmet, for the uninitiated, is a four person relay with everyone doing just two (and a bit) miles. For my team of girls (and me), which includes L, that’s not a given as all have recently been injured or are still nursing injuries. The team is rather tastefully named after this blog ‘Team Fit For Nothing’ and we are entered in the Supervets aged 200+ category. Which will probably turn out to be the fastest category.

Everything starts from Darley Abbey Cricket Club and I walk there from work, which is a good warm up while L drives over with the dogs. Being first to arrive I collect our timing baton, race numbers, beer tokens and, oddly, a bag of Portlebay Popcorn.

I am offered the choice of running first or last. Obviously that’s a no brainer, I’ll go first. L decides to anchor us home and mop up the glory.

So off I head out around the cricket pitch boundary and onto the park itself. After a quick 180 degree turn we’re heading steeply uphill towards the main park gates. Then after the park gates we’re descending back downhill and towards the rowing club end of the park. Another U-turn there, then it’s along the river and back towards the cricket club where I hand over to our next team member.

My time is a not too shifty 13:23, I didn’t think I had that in me any more. The rest of the team aren’t quite as nippy but we come an impressive 7^th in the Supervets category. Oh, it’s out of seven but not to worry.

The beer tokens are for the Derventio Brewery who have a beer tent but they are only valid on their bottles. They also have three draught beers but these sell out very quickly. I don’t know if this is spectators supping it as they watch or runners supping it before they go out. Having ran first, only one beer is left available even then.

By the time L has ran, none is left and we adjourn to the Furnace. It's always good to have a back up plan.

(Friday 16^th June)

Something Strange Happens On The Way To Work

Something strange happens on the way in to work. As I’m cycling along the sun comes out and I stop in shock. I even switch my lights off. I reach for my sunglasses but of course they are still in the drawer at home that is marked ‘things for the summer’. All very odd, yesterday it was still dark when I arrived at work.

So it’s a pleasant ride in the unfamiliar brightness although that doesn't stop me feeling totally knackered as it’s been a while since I’ve cycled three times in one week.

Daughter is on her way to interview number three and she isn’t terribly happy about it. I think everyone has told her she must go because it’s really bad when people drop out of interviews at the last minute or worse still just don’t turn up. It’s wasted so much of everyone’s time here.

L enters the Hairy Helmet, which is a relay for teams of four. Apparently I’m in that team and I’ve paid for the whole team as well, so I suppose I better be. Although MD, my running partner, isn't invited. He’ll be gutted.

Tonight we get in the traditional Friday night along with another takeaway from the rather excellent Curry Busters.

(Friday 3^rd February)