Pre-Emptive Treatment

On Tuesday evening I am out with old school friend for a few beers in the Brunswick then, after some recent food disasters on our nights out, I drag him to the Shalimar for a curry.

As I walk home afterwards, it’s a case of OMG as I spot the first set of Christmas lights to go up on our estate.

I’m on the bike on Wednesday which dawns nice and sunny. There’s also hardly any traffic and I even make it to work on time for a change. Work seem shocked. Then it's dog training in the evening and L sneaks out to run 12k while we're all out.

I bike again on Thursday and I discover I’m not fit enough for two days in a row any more. Thankfully I have my masseur booked for later because my calves are starting to feel tight and hopefully some pre-emptive treatment will stop me getting injured again. It will also be a nice recovery session after my cycling. He seems to have other ideas though, such as pain being the best form of recovery.

Friday is Wales v New Zealand in the 3^rd place game in Rugby World Cup. I warn L that her Wales supporting boss might as well go into work as he will need something to take his mind off the mauling they’re likely to get. Yep 40-17. Wales conceded 6 tries. Oops.

England play South Africa in the Final on Saturday, so I don’t parkrun again. Not that it's a morning well spent as they don't do any better than Wales as they lose 32-12. I have more luck with Derby in the afternoon who beat Middlesbrough 2-0.

(Saturday 2^nd November)

Good For The Ego

So with no run today, no dog show and nothing else really this is becoming quite a lazy weekend. I had cleared the weekend due to Derby having a home match against Burnley which they now no longer have due to those muffins at Sky TV shifting it to Monday night at only three weeks’ notice, p***ing off the whole of Derby and Burnley in the process. Hopefully losing them at lot of subscribers from those places at the same time.

So it’s partly a rare day of TV as I juggle three World Cup Rugby matches, GB’s Davis Cup Semi-Final with Australia and the World Triathlon Final from Chicago.

Once TV-ed out L, who has been considering giving the new bike track at Harvey Hadden a go, announces we’re going. Always pleased to see a girl in cycling gear, I’m more than happy to accompany her.

We ride there and do multiple laps of the outdoor circuit which is apparently about 1500m long but doesn’t feel it. In all we do 14 miles and overtake a couple of under 12s about 30 times. Good for the ego and a good workout.

(Sunday 20^th September)

The Housing Estates Of South Wales

This morning MD sits intently watching the glass box thing that I step into to have a shower, just like most people would watch TV. Strange dog.

We discover that our cottage is pitched on a (small) mountain between the two housing estates of Cwmbran and Pontypool. It’s still quite pleasant though.



We take a walk around an ex-reservoir, dating back to 1884, and then on our way back down we pass an about to be very disappointed fisherman on his way up to it.



We try to find an afternoon pub but they're all derelict and/or the type you’d find on a housing estate and/or full of distraught Welsh rugby fans still drowning their sorrows six hours on from defeat to France. Well apart from the one we went in last night but we’ll probably be back there tomorrow.



So, at least it means we resist temptation and get to stay AF, staying in at base camp with pasta and time to contemplate tomorrow.

(Saturday 15th October)