Hat Hanging

Today is the Leicester 10k, two laps of Abbey Park and advertised as (but aren’t they all) fast and flat. Shoot me now.

Actually, it’s not that bad. A bit twisty at first, so certainly not fast but there are some nice straight road sections as well. Although both these sections are up slight but constant inclines, so not flat either. None of it is on grit paths as I expected and I even quite enjoy myself. Nothing twangs, snaps or breaks. I take it easy for the first 2k, saying to myself that any pace will do but what I actually do, 4:45 per km isn’t bad.

Then I try to hang my hat on 4:30 for the rest of the way round and nearly nail it finishing in 46:28. It’s my fastest for a year. Not that I’ve done many. Meanwhile L is again getting all flirtatious with the hour and one day soon they will have an emotional coming together. She comes home today in 62 minutes.

Then we head south to Papworth Hospital where L’s brother is, aiming to get there for visiting time at 2:15. The boys are with us as usual, jet setting around the country. One minute they are weeing up a tree in Leicestershire, the next it’s up the duck pond in Cambridgeshire.

We head into town for Sunday lunch at the Hand and Heart, a first visit to the under new management Borlase (now run by Lincoln Green) before finally a gorgeous Chocolate Gorilla in the Blue Monkey pub.

(Sunday 17^th May)

Le Col du Caning Circus

The Nottingham Half Route is finally revealed and it’s not bad. Much better than in the last few years of 'sort of  fast, sort of flat but very boring' although it’s virtually the popular old route with Wollaton Park making a welcome come back and a few extra hills added. In fact, the hills look really good and the crowds should be better now that it goes to more places of civilisation. I think it has now dawned on race organisers that nobody actually likes fast and flat. 

The route still doesn’t quite make the city centre. Well the half doesn’t but the full does, the second lap of the full marathon takes them right through the city centre – Victoria Street and up Derby Road (ouch). They’ll have to at least part close roads in the centre for that, for quite a long time. Being sat outside the Borlase/Falcon a top the Col du Caning Circus with a pint in hand could well be more fun that entering.

I’m seriously tempted to run it though but I shall not enter pre-Ramathon. One disaster at a time.

L vows not to enter anything, pre or post. She says she’s a retired half-marathoner and she’s going to be the 10K Queen unless, of course, something or someone enthuses her otherwise. I wonder if Daughter would do it with me.

Another day on the bike and then more dog training

(Wednesday 13^th May)

British Bulldog In The Pool

The Sheffield Half has a new route and it’s a hilly one. How refreshing! Perhaps everyone else is as bored with ‘fast and flat’ as I am. I’m tempted to enter.

It’s just a shame it’s now called the Yorkshire Half. Personally I can’t see how calling it that helps promote Sheffield.

Dogging is off again, no great surprise there. So I shall swim, cook and then I may even hang some curtains... as I now have something to put on the new rails I put up on Sunday.

The pool is absolutely heaving with almost everyone trying to do lengths but with only two of the lanes in, it’s more like a game of British Bulldog, trying not to get tangled up with someone coming the other way.

It’s probably almost as violent as L’s evening, which she spends boxing and sharing a punch bag with a bloke. Sounds like just the sort of workout she needed.

(Monday 16^th February)