There’s A Lot Of It About

L crawls into work on Tuesday, her words. She’s one of those people who won't skive off work even when they're actually really unwell. Just like me.

She can't even muster the will to utter the universal untruth of saying she’s 'fine'. So she must be bad and she's even cancelled her PT.

She doesn’t improve much over the next few days and can't face a cup of tea for days. Though it’s probably best to keep off the tea in the circumstances. I’ve never trusted it myself.

MD’s training is off on Tuesday because the trainer is in bed ill. There’s a lot of it about... but the Lad’s training goes ahead.

On Wednesday, L manages to go out for a pre-arranged lunch and even runs with Daughter in the evening. I opt out because it’s still icy and I’d probably break something. She says it will only be a jog but I’m not so sure Daughter ‘only’ jogs anymore. If she has the Lad, she certainly won’t be.

My work colleague informs me that January is now over. So we go for a pizza and a pint. Phew.

L makes it to her tennis on Thursday but, as expected, my squash is off. So I run instead.

I run all the way to the Tennis Centre where L will be playing. She leaves coffee, clothes and the dogs in the car for me. Disappointingly it turns out to be only 22.5km, just a little longer than a half marathon. I head home for a hot shower and then return to pick L up at 9pm.

 (Thursday 24^th January)

This Girl Shouldn’t

L swims this morning but for the first time ever I has to catch the bus there. Which makes me think she should be doing it... However she spins the positives. It's only the walking bit that she couldn't do and she’s even considering making her comeback with a gentle jog at Parkrun on Saturday. Hmmm. Never mind ‘This Girl Can’ we need a campaign called ‘This Girl Shouldn’t’.

She’s just trying to sneak number 100 in but then it must be very frustrating being stuck on 99.

It’s the first game of the new squash season tonight and my opponent adjusts better to the change of sport, tennis to squash, than me.

L stays at home, licking her wounds, but I still take the boys so at least she won’t have to chuck balls all night. I’m sure Doggo is desperate to get inside the Dispensary and tonight they both get to go inside for the first time. 

(Thursday 21^st September)

Couples Run

L has timetabled a long jog/plod/run today as training for the Four Villages Half Marathon which is only two weeks away. Sounds good, I wonder if I’m allowed to join her. Not that I’m trying to make sure she doesn’t back out of it or something.

She walks the boys and then I run with her. She assures me it will be incredibly gentle. Perfect. My sort of run.

We run out towards Trowell and then back through Bramcote. It goes pretty well I think although neither of us measures it, so we have no idea how far we ran. I’d guess it was around eight miles and it was great to run together, it’s been ages since we did that.

Back home, despite being deserted for a while, MD still seems knackered and although he does try to get some ball chucking going we don’t take the bait. Therefore it’s out third consecutive ball free day.

(Sunday 3^rd January)

Final Training Weekend

It’s the bus this morning ahead of what is a hard training weekend, starting tonight. It’s also the final training weekend before my Half A**ed Ironman, next weekend will be an gentle one.

I’m late leaving work, and therefore the start of tonight’s training run is delayed, due to a bit of Play Off banter. So I miss my original bus out of Chaddesden and the initial jog to the bus stop gets extended by a few miles to Borrowash where the next bus catches me up and I jump on. I compensate by moving the start of the second leg of the run from Stapleford to Bramcote. L walks the boys up and meets me as I approach the final stretch.

For once it’s a run that actually goes quite well, I’ve earned that beer.

L is worried about tomorrow (bike) and Sunday (run). The question is, is she worried enough to be AF tonight? Nope. Alcohol is an absolute necessity tonight I’m told. We’ll both be chucking balls with a glass in our hands. 

(Friday 16^th May)