Running In The Family

This week's training:
Saturday: parkrun with mum plus running there = 5.5 miles
Sunday: 16 miles
Monday: Rest day
Tuesday: 13 mile bike ride
Wednesday: 4 mile run
Thursday: 4 miles, metafit, social swim & sauna
Friday: 8 miles (planned)

This week has been rather hectic but full of wonderful things. I'm trying to keep on top of work, blogging, training and the glut of courgettes I'm now getting from my allotment (fritters, salad, cake, chutney...), not to mention laundry and packing in advance of going to France for a few days on Sunday. I'm really looking forward to it!

Last weekend was exhausting but great. On Saturday I managed to persuade mum to do run parkrun with me. Running with my mum is one of my favourite things, right up there with breakfasts and books. Unfortunately we were a little late and got within sight of the start line just as the klaxon went so had some catching up to do. I made sure the tail runner knew we were part of the event as I passed her and one of the ladies mum knows, who was marshaling, brightened our day considerably with her encouragement. Fair play to mum, from a 30 second disadvantage she managed to overtake at least half a dozen people and came first in her age category!

My kind of re-fuelling :)

After lunch in the garden and a mid afternoon it was down to Canterbury for my cousin's wedding reception. It was a real old fashioned family affair but a late night. Mum and I shared a bottle of wine but then we both stopped drinking... we just didn't fancy any more! All the better for me as I had my long run on Sunday. After pleas on Facebook and twitter yielded no takers for running companions, even for part of my planned run, I was delighted that my dad agreed to meet me in the park at around my halfway point for an ice cream. What a joy! He even walked a lap of the park with me (my excuse - to give the ice cream time to go down a bit). All in all I managed 16 miles and enjoyed a lovely pasta lunch in the garden on my return before accompanying my mum to an 80th birthday party for a couple of hours. Eventually all the cake and running caught up with me and I had to flake out on the sofa for an hour before attempting my return journey.

Beautiful spiderweb I found in my garden

I've struggled to motivate myself to run in the mornings or at lunchtimes but early evening runs have been a joy in new kit and with the addition of some other activities it's been a lot of fun. The local bike shop hosts a ladies only ride once a week with a "no one left behind" policy which gave me the excuse to do my first proper ride on my new bike without having to think about a route or worry about being out there on my own. Three slightly nervous ladies took to the roads of Crowthorne led by the marvellous Catherine and returned 10 miles later full of smiles and confidence. I need to work on retaining my balance whilst signalling and I have to say I miss the suspension of my hybrid but I got a real sense of achievement from it and I'm only sad I have to miss a couple of weeks now.

Fig (homegrown), pecan and stilton salad... ah summer days!

Thursday night, although hectic, was one of the most fun evenings I've had in ages. I managed to squeeze in a "quick" 4 miles before dashing off to metafit then meeting Anita for a swim, sauna and catch up. We actually did some proper swimming, and by that I mean we swam a good number of lengths rather than just lazed around in the jacuzzi, although I will admit those lengths were all done in a manner that allowed us to gossip like old ladies! We did laze in the jacuzzi as well though, and the sauna and the steam room, then on the loungers before mochas and americanos in the bar. I always forget how much I enjoy swimming and now we don't live together I don't see Anita so much. I've talked her into trying metafit and she's talked me into some more social running after our respective holidays (I didn't take as much persuading as she did).

A blissful Friday treat of an almond croissant and home grown berries.

Other things making me happy this week include new lycra, the return of great British Bake Off, an early birthday present from a friend who knows me far too well and of course, food. An abundance of blackberries and a mis-spent lunch break has meant delicious apple and blackberry smoothies almost every morning and a productive allotment/garden equals a variety of fruit/veg-nut-cheese-and-leaf salads. There has also been cake. A balanced diet *IS* two salads a day plus cake and custard right?

An early birthday present. Deep joy right there.

So now just the small matter of my 8-miler tonight, a very cool Saturday and then it's all wine, cheese, sunshine and shrugging of shoulders. I've scheduled some posts for while I'm away which I hope you enjoy and I'll be back here in person next Friday. Have a fantastic weekend!