Sunday, 28th February – 56 days to go

Just a recovery run today. I want to get yesterdays’ long run out of my legs as quickly as possible as I’ve brought forward this weeks’ long run from Sunday to Tuesday. I’ve slept in one set of compression kit and have the other set ready to wear during the day. That sounds really decadent – two sets of compression wear, but they’re not Skins just the finest that Aldi provide – wouldn’t look out of place at a Trekkie Convention.

I run a gentle three miler up to Hilton Grange and back. It’s a reasonably pleasant day a little warmer than of late and no sign of wintry showers. Quite a few people about by the time I get out the door. I have to steer clear of the potentially murderous hooves of five horses/ponies on the run. Loads of walkers wrapped up warm and the occasional runner. I no longer refer to runners as “joggers” and always now check out their running styles. Every runner today is more businesslike than me and seems to be moving considerably quicker than I am. I’m only a little concerned by this, but I am looking forward to some shorter sessions where I am running quicker than my marathon pace.

The body feels ok. No specific pains, but a general tightness and aching. I have decided to work my way through another of our running and fitness books “Look 15 Years Younger Yoga Plan” by Barbara Currie. I have to say straight off I have absolutely no wish to look fifteen years younger and don’t think I could achieve it without major surgery; it was the only yoga book in the shop that wasn’t written by a “celebrity” or didn’t have photos of young people on the cover and inside. Old Barbara could do with a little advice from her chums as there’s a real danger that she’ll go too far down the Barbara Cartland path, but she’s a game old bird and you should see what she gets up to on page 146.

I’m very much at the beginner stage when it comes to yoga. In fact I haven’t made it past Chapter 4 of this book in the twelve months since we bought it. The first four chapters have some excellent fifteen minute workouts and have definitely contributed to getting some flexibility back into the old bod. My balance isn’t what it might be – a bit like James Nesbitt in the Yellow Pages ad where he signs up for the intermediate class. I doubt that I’ll ever follow all the routines in the book as Babs fairly quickly moves into poses that I couldn’t possibly take up, but I do find it a useful book.