A funny old week, or two........

The last couple of weeks have been the kind 'you're glad to see the back of', one way or another. It happens occasionally and I'm trying not to dwell on it.... Beginning the week following the Bridlington Half with the club Monday speed and hills session it was incredible how much the weather changed since the day before when I had been paddling in the sea. I set off to club hoping that Marc and I were the only ones who thought it was acceptable to turn up, we could perhaps then turn round and go back home. Wrong! Five others braved the hurricane wind and rain. Thankfully as quite a few members had taken part in the half marathon the day before it was decided there and then that the planned 'Enterprise Surprise' session wouldn't be a good idea for most people and we would see what people wanted to do instead, suggesting a 3 mile run would suffice! Phew how glad was I that we wouldn't be hanging around doing sprinting/speed work - given the weather conditions to be honest it would have been near impossible, just trying to keep moving forward was bad enough. The howling wind hurled the rain at us so hard it felt like hail. We managed the 3 mile run and arrived back at Pulse Gym soaked to the skin and freezing cold, despite that I felt a sense of achievement that I had battled through despite the awful conditions. Remembering previous moments of madness is always a great tool for getting me out of the door! Try it and see! A fair weather runner I am not!

Wednesday we had a group joining us from Morrisons HQ on Gain Lane, a stones throw away from Undercliffe Cricket Club. With our Winter training base being on their doorstep it was decided it was worth a try to approach them to suggest that to forge links might well be beneficial to both parties. Helen met with them and they had seemed enthusiastic, a staggering 50 of their employees had completed this year's Great North Run! A very friendly group turned up to join us for a run and indulge in tea and cakes afterwards. Despite us returning to base to find water gushing out of the door when we unlocked it they all seemed to have enjoyed their run with us. Thankfully it was a minor hiccup where the ballcock had detached itself and the cistern had overflowed and it's now drying out nicely, I did, however, expend more energy sweeping water out of the building than I had done running!

The week drew to a close with yet another of those incidents of setting off to a race and not getting there. The Woodland Challenge - although only at Brighouse proved elusive as we set off to support the runners. Confusion as to which direction we should travel along the M62 meant we were delayed and not. it seemed, going to get there in time. Finding out later that the start was delayed by half an hour just might spur my better half on to persevere with our journey if and when that happens again, so instead of cheering in the runners we ended up in Ikea cafe!

Thankfully this weeks training has seen better weather conditions - Autumnal runs have certainly been so much more pleasant but ironically I've ended up with a streaming cold and cough. I keep harping on to myself how fast time flies but by heck it was reiterated as we did hill repeats up Lister Lane trying to wade through the mountain of leaves which have once again fallen off the trees, makes you feel like a kid again, remembering how we used to fashion them into a pile with our feet sideways, then dive in them! Just a shame my week culminated in a visit to the dentist - having put off the inevitable the week before I finally had a tooth removed and have been left with a deep sense of loss almost like mourning and I've been feeling sorry for myself which so far has halted my running for a few days. In my defence it did say on the after care sheet that I hadn't to do any strenuous exercise for a few hours afterwards. Today I thought about running to Saltaire where Marc was playing football so I would be able to get a lift back.