A Million to One

After last week’s muddy escapades at Thunder Run, I’ve completed another parkrun milestone - my 50th different parkrun location - at Gladstone parkrun in NW London. It was a lovely venue and apparently you can see Wembley Stadium from the top part of the course. I didn’t spot it though, as I was running without my glasses – it was chucking it down and reduced visibility from no glasses was preferable to rain streaks.

But apart from that, I’ve switched off from running and focused on enjoying a few days off work and away from home… we’ve packed a lot in so far:

• Travelling by train on the hottest day in July (ever?) from Stoke to London – we were just glad we made it in the end as so many trains were cancelled in the heat
• A frenetic 16 overs at Lord’s on Friday – rain delayed play at the start of the game but once underway, it was all over very quickly

• A whistle-stop visit to Brent Cross to buy some running leggings (after I forgot to pack) then a lovely walk in Highgate on Friday evening
• After parkrun endeavours in the rain and a birthday breakfast for MrT, we spent our afternoon at the Immersive War of the World’s Experience at the Old Metal Exchange – an interactive re-telling of Jeff Wayne’s classic, complete with live action, virtual reality headsets, a slide, crawling through tunnels and a cheer from the room as we “escaped” from the Martians. We celebrated with a cocktail in the Steampunk-themed bar afterwards

• Sunday meant more train travel – still disrupted by Thursday’s high temperatures – and a visit to Brighton – cricket, arcade games on the pier and a profit of 4p, a wander around The Lanes and perhaps some crazy golf tomorrow before starting our journey home

Sometimes a change is as good as a rest – I’m setting my alarm for an early run along the seafront!

Wish me luck.