Tuesday September 2nd
19 Days until The Great North Run
Total Raised: £175 (Thanks Granny!)
www.anthonynolanevents.org.uk/charleshogge
Distance run today this week. okm. It’s not been the most productive of weeks in terms of exercise, but I’ve had a fantastic time so it’s been worth it. I thought rather than try to explain each and every day, thinking up individual justifications for not having actually run anywhere, I’d just give you a brief overview of the last few days (remember, I work on Thursdays, and Friday nights are not made for running!).
A couple of years ago Mutti, my grandmother on my Dad’s side, passed away at the ripe old age of 93. She was an amazing woman who inspired incredible love in all those around her, and this weekend we were scattering her ashes into a Devonshire stream near where the whole family grew up. Rather than being a sad occassion, it was always going to be an uplifting family weekend, and so I was eager to get the 7 hour journey over and done with (so keen in fact that I missed the beautiful stretch of railwayline from Exeter through Teignmouth and onwards. Don’t ask).
I took my running kit down with me, and was actually really looking forward to pounding some coastline path somewhere. Needless to say, that never quite came off, mainly because on the two days I was down there we were up nice and early to make the most of the day.
On Sunday morning we all scattered Mutti’s ashes (having been ‘decanted into conveniant individual Christmas pudding dishes’), said some words and then retired back to my aunt’s house for a veritable feast. Most people had brought something, and it was one of those meals where eventually embarrassment is the only thing that limits how much food you commit to. Fortunately, when it comes to food I don’t really get embarrassed, and there was something architectural about the combination of quiche, curry, salad, chicken, beef, tartlette et al that I managed to construct on my plate. With much wobbling I got it back to my table and went to town. Glorious.
On Monday we were up nice and early to get to the beach and do some boogie boarding. We needed to make an early start to avoid the rain that was scheduled for lunch time, although as it turned out that never actually arrived. In fact, it was in glorious sun that we donned our wetsuits (alright, it wasn’t that warm) and headed out into the water.
Taking it old school
All misgivings about that sort of thing always fade as soon as your used to the temperature, which really didn’t take long, and a great day was had by all. And all rounded off with a barbecue’s worth of fat ribeye steaks when we got home.
Tuesday was basically spent getting back here, and although I was thinking about going for a run when I did finally make it, there’s something surprisingly tiring about sitting on 3 trains and reading an entire book (The Time Traveller’s Wife. So much better than I thought it was going to be. Brilliant in fact).
So here I am, once again putting my hands up to not having really done enough exercise, torn between thinking it’s more important now than ever and deciding that if I’m not ready yet I’ll never be. I do need to do a bit more, but I’m itching to have a crack at the race itself…
Touch of Madness
Progess today this week: None