Character Building

On Friday they make a decision about Stamford and with Yellow Weather Warnings of winds forecast to be over 40mph they postpone the race to next week which rules us out. We have an 18th Birthday Party to attend, my brother’s lad, and we’ve also entered the Prestwold Half which is much nearer and an earlier start which means we can easily make the party.

We very briefly consider turning up on the day at the Naseby 1645, that I did last year, which they promise will be on but will be ‘character building’ in the forecasted strong winds and driving rain. Of course, we might turn up at Naseby and they cancel at the last minute.

L says she’d prefer to do her own thing on Saturday, as she did last week, and then have a

night on the lash, as we did last week.Which is fine by me, then we both spend Valentine’s Night in the gym but not the same one...

On Saturday we do the Wollaton Hall Parkrun which having dodged Ciara last week also seems Dennis proof and attracts 461 runners. Daughter joins us and runs with MD meaning we don’t have to cope with the conundrum of what to do with him. It is only five minutes’ walk from home but we can’t leave him home alone because he’ll howl in distress, so we’d have to drive over and pay to park the car just to keep him happy.

L does her 'own thing' by running an extra lap and then keeps running while Daughter and I check out the cafe. It’s good to see that the cafe is tuned into the potential to make money and opens at 9am rather than its usual 10am. It also now does breakfast baguettes before noon (don’t ask, I have no idea...).

Then I head off to the match. After which Radio Derby summariser Craig Ramage is sacked for singling out two of Derby’s black players for criticism.

L completes 14k, does Pilates, then head off for part two of her run, completing 16 miles in total. Very impressive. I am feeling totally upstaged by the two girls, L and her sister, who are all doing bigger distances than me in preparation for the Brighton Marathon.

So on Sunday I do my own training run and I run 15 miles with the Lad. Who I think gets more than he bargained for. We WhatsApp a few photos as we go, including one in front of the Robin Hood statue by the Castle where the Lad’s cuteness leaves not a dry eye among the assembled tourists who are waiting to take their own selfie in front of the statue. 

(Sunday 16^th February)

A Break For Freedom

We return to Forest Rec for Parkrun and I decide to run with the Lad for the first time. He is very excited at the prospect of this and is so keen to get started he immediately sets about chewing through his lead. I manage to abort that particular break for freedom and persuade him to wait for the nice Run Manager to start us.

When we do get underway we start way too near the back for his liking. I shout out ‘coming through’ as we hurtle through the field elbowing everyone else out of the way.

I manage to rein in his enthusiasm after awhile and steady his pace. I don’t want the little lad overdoing it at his tender age. We clock 23:39, not bad for a first effort.

As if to compensate for last Monday’s wanton destruction of the local Derby v Forest game, Sky TV have given us permission to play our next five games at 3pm. Wow just wow and how retro.

Sadly my Mum isn’t getting any better after her fall the other week but at long last her doctor has now sent her for an X-Ray. Result, two fractured pelvic bones! FFS. No wonder she was in pain. So she isn’t at the match again today but at home with her new zimmer frame and Radio Derby.

Last Saturday I apparently bought L a dress for Christmas. This Saturday apparently I’ve bought her a coat for Christmas as well. That is, she says, if I can afford her. Of course, she’s always great value. I’ll be boots next, you see.

(Saturday 22^nd December)

A Strange Morning

It's a strange morning with a distinct lack of Doggo. He always dominated things, even more so of late due to his age. The Lad seems to have rather quickly shrugged off his absence but then he’s only known him for a few weeks. MD is a different matter entirely, he seems bereft without his partner in crime. In the space of a few weeks he’s lost his role as ‘the puppy’ and now he’s expected to step up into the big shoes of the Alpha dog.

I’m on the bike today and its so good to be back on it. Then tonight it’s dog training, which is also going to be strange without Doggo. On the way we drop in to visit L’s parents, well the Lad drops in but we have to accompany him.

Before that I get an email from Radio Derby who want to interview our Crufts team on their afternoon show tomorrow but only the team members from Derby, which narrows their options by 50%. When they decide they can’t do it over the phone that removes the other 50%, some of us have jobs you know. Now if they hadn’t left it until the last minute.

(Tuesday 6^th March)