Hobson’s Choice

The park is locked and not for the first time this week. MD is terribly disappointed because he doesn’t get his ball chuck with L. Doggo and I, following up behind, still get our old man’s amble but it’s not the same not ending up with a sniff on the park. Once it starts to get a bit colder and darker the city council forget about us dog walkers.

I’m in the car today. Reason one is that I head to the Derby Runner at lunchtime to try to get either a replacement battery pack for the broken head torch or a brand new head torch. They don’t have any battery packs and the choice of just one pretty basic head torch. So, it’s Hobson’s choice. Either take the horse in the stall nearest the door or none at all. I ride off into the sunset with my new steed.

Reason two is the race itself which is the Night Trail at East Leake. This starts at 7pm, so it’s a case of a quick change at home and then back out again to the start at Rushcliffe Golf Club. Finding the golf club in the dark countryside proves to be the hardest part of the evening.

The run itself, for saying I’m not an off-road person, goes really well. The five mile route takes in a mix of bridal pathways, loose surface footpaths and sections over grassy fields. Naturally I lose my footing several times but unlike last time I ran at night on the Thunder Run I remain vertical.

It is well marked and well marshalled although most of the glow sticks along the route seem to lack the vital ingredients of glow. I also remember seeing signs for the water station at around half way but didn’t actually see the station itself. On reflection perhaps the three people stood by a parked car was it but it wasn’t obvious and my then it was too late to go back. 

At the finish we get a very nice medal, if you like that sort of thing and amazing I come in 13th out of 90. Wow.

There were rumours of a bar but the golf club has been booked for a private function and I don't think muddy runners are not invited so we head home.

When we get home it is to find that Daughter has arrived for the weekend and for her job interview tomorrow. It’s good to see her and she has already tried out the new shower. That’ll be £1 please.

 (Friday 11^th November)

A Prolonged Walk

L is in London today, down on Harley Street, so I get the pleasure of walking the boys. However it’s a mistake to let the old man off lead for a prolonged sniff as the walk ends up taking ages thanks to him. I don’t have time to get changed into my cycling gear and I end up taking the bus instead.

This I regret later when it’s gets stuck in traffic on the way home and has to resort to taking a long detour. It’s a good job my opponent has called off squash because I wouldn’t have made it otherwise.

I’m home not long before L and we bring Friday forward from tomorrow. 

(Thursday 10^th December)

Walk? Breakfast?

Daughter goes back to Sheffield for the day to work and will then come back later to dog sit. L gets up early and takes her to the station. 

The dogs look a bit gutted when I leave as well before they’ve even been out. Doggo was saying ‘Walk?’ MD was saying ‘Breakfast?’ I assure them that their mum will be back soon and will be spending the whole day off with them. So not only will they be off for a walk, a yap and a sniff, after breakfast they'll be able to play football for the rest of the day.

I take the bus rather than bike because it's starting to rain and the forecast is horrible but I still get soaked walking from bus station. It's so wet I don't bother going out to get any lunch and raid my desk drawers for something to eat instead.

When I get home the gas is off because of the workmen still digging in the street and in our front garden. Eventually I manage to find a workman to drag inside and switch it back on again.

L crawls home later from a double session of exercise classes. Her first attempt at the new misspelt Vipr, where you appear to have hurl something around that looks like a mini caber. I hope she wasn’t planning on using her arms for anything afterwards? That is apart from the following pump class. I'm worried her arms will ache so much that she might drop the pump weights on her foot. We don’t want any more injuries.

(Friday 6^th September)