Rosedawn Ramblings

I've been having an argument with myself for the last few weeks... deciding whether to run or not? Time is a bit short. I've had meetings and appointments and social events booked in. A new job to occupy my brain. The friend I was supposed to meet can't make it anymore and I don't really want to run on my own. The weather has been grim and evenings getting darker. I'm a bit tired and know I will feel like I am running really slowly.  Is there really time for a run? Can I really fit it in? Is it really worth it? The downside of having trained for and run ultramarathons is that my brain sometimes tells me that if you are not planning to run for 3 hours, is it really a run at all? To run or not? Well I don't have 3 hours and couldn't run for 3 hours anyway... so .... not? ----- Last Sunday, I went along to a performance at Etruria called ' Grit ' - a canal side performance about "women who stride, walk, jog and run" hosted by Urban Wilderness....

How are you?  It's now almost two months since I've been living this strange #stayathome life. Races have been postponed, holidays cancelled, concerts rearranged for later in the year. parkrun is still paused. Like most people I'm sure, there have been some tough moments especially from a well-being point of view. There have been a few tears of frustration and some moments of grumpiness. Work has been challenging and some days life has just felt tough. I've needed lots of words of encouragement and I'm extremely grateful for friends who have been in touch. But amidst all that, there have been some special moments too.  I've been able to get on with living, catch up with friends and family (virtually at least), make plans for the future and work towards my abridged summer challenge - cycling 100k on my exercise bike in June instead of Racing to the Castle. I'm loving my weekly quiz night with my sister and nieces in particular - last week,...

Waiting. I'm usually not very good at waiting. The countdown to big races is always a testing time. This week has involved a lot of waiting... Waiting for the end of each day at work... will Friday ever arrive? Waiting for sleep to come... a sore throat, cough and fuzzy head have made sleep a precocious commodity this week... when will it be Friday morning? Waiting for the train to arrive... only a couple of minutes late in the end... but when will we get to London? Waiting to collect the tickets... but the queue moves quickly... but when will the show start? And then suddenly it's showtime, the familiar opening refrain... we bought the tickets for the special performances of Les Miserables' anniversary concert months ago and now the waiting is over. And it was worth the wait. I loved every second and realised I know the words to the whole show... fortunately for those sitting near me, my sore throat now means a lost voice, so I couldn't sing alon...

I've spent the weekend in Wales at a little cottage just near Bala... there has been very little running but a lot of laughter. Six friends, one cottage: snow, mud, winding roads, tractors that seem to drive themselves, a roaring fire, gin, board games, a lake, a river and a waterfall, mountains, cows and sheep for noisy neighbours, cake and crumpets, chocolate brownies, cottage pie, sausage sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, tea (but no teapot), beautiful views, a bit more gin, late nights and endless chatter. And laughter; did I mention the laughter? It's been so much fun and I feel very lucky to have met these amazing friends through running. We live in different parts of the city and we do different jobs. We didn't know each other at school or college. We grew up in different places. If we hadn't met each other at parkrun or running clubs, we might never have met at all. But I'm so glad we did... it has been a fabulous weekend. Thanks for the...

I realised today that the calendar on my wall was still showing June... they say time flies when you are having fun but actually that just feels like time flying! The last couple of months really do feel like they've gone by in a blur... lots of work, the occasional run, some fun moments and a brief trip to the seaside. But if the last couple of months have been a blur, this last week has been a struggle... summed up by the four images below: But I survived the week and still found time for a lovely chatty run at parkrun followed by a good natter in the café. I read a whole book from start to finish, restocked my food cupboards and made a batch of tasty soup - equilibrium restored. So I may not have run many miles this week, I've had a chance to recharge my batteries today and ready for what next week has to offer! PS Fruit challenge update - this week, I've sampled apple, blackberries (picked whilst out running with the Potters Trotters), melon, kiwi,...

It's been another busy week and my goal of getting back to running has not quite achieved... well, not yet anyway. On Tuesday, tiredness got the better of me and my planned run turned into a short walk... but at least I was out in the fresh air. On Thursday, I found myself at Silverdale Country Park for the Chelsea Burley Summer 5. It was almost an opportunity to run.... but I enjoyed volunteering instead. On Saturday, I was back down at Hanley Park for another lovely sunny parkrun - being run director for the 81st time. Again lots of hurrying about - especially when a van unexpectedly drove through the park - but no actual running! Another week almost over... What about a Sunday run? For the first time in about a month, I didn't have to set my alarm this morning. After a busy week and a couple of late nights (spending much needed down time with good friends), this was a welcome relief. I thought about going for a run (maybe) but then there was the minor distracti...

I'm feeling a little bit lost. After all those weeks of travelling and running in different, interesting and sometimes exotic locations, we're home again now. The last place we ran before coming home was Victor Harbour... It looked like this: Whilst away, I ran regularly but never more than 3 or 4 miles at a time, so home again, I set myself the goal of gradually increasing my longest runs each week. I was even quietly contemplating an autumn marathon. I built up over 3 or 4 weeks to a long run of 10 miles and was feeling positive. And then came  back down to earth with a bump after an unexpected visit to my GP resulted in surgery under general anaesthetic less than 24 hours later. Wounds are healing and pain is receding but I'm not allowed to run. It's been 3 weeks and counting... Grumpy to say the least.  So what to do? How to keep myself occupied and not just sit and eat chocolate all day?  I've been doing as much walking as pain levels and gener...