a) June is nearly here;
b) the weather should start getting better;
c) It’s nearly the start of Juneathon;
d) All of the above except for b.
Yes, Juneathon. A month of exercise, blogging and excuses – no slacking allowed! However what is allowed is dressing gown dashes, planking in PJs, pub bar push-ups, and anything else Cathy (the organiser) deems as exercise. I just about survived the last Juneathon and it’s colder sibling Janathon. Let’s see how long before my day’s exercise is a plank this time!
For more information, and to sign up, have a look at the Juneathon website. See you there!
…Two wheels just as good, as it turns out. I am a recent road bike convert, after being bought a new bike for my birthday. I love how light my new bike is, how easy it is to pedal and change gear, but I am still a little sad it doesn’t have a basket on the front.
His ‘n’ Hers
I have discovered I can now ride faster than my son (no more “we’ve dropped Mum. Again”). I also discovered that I haven’t yet mastered the art of getting my feet out of my toe straps before coming to a stop. It was on a lovely bike ride with Mr B&T in Lacock, surrounded by tourists, trying to decide if I wanted an ice cream or not, when I managed to perfectly execute the classic ‘zero velocity fall’. I came to a stop, couldn’t get my left foot out of my toe strap in time and crashed to the ground. Very embarrassing. The worst part was a lady walking by whom I overheard saying to a friend “I don’t know. She just fell over!”
This was my knee the next day:-
Pass the arnica
And I thought cycling would be better for my legs than running!
And see how concerned my tabby boy was. Obviously worried I might not be able to make it into the kitchen to feed him.
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the countryside is waking up and everything is growing. What a perfect day for a run!
Well, perfect if you ignore the raging hay fever, the huge tractors, trailers, and tractors-with-trailers storming along the tiny lanes meaning I have to leap into the hedge or get squashed. Also the hordes of cyclists. They must have heard my husband who, on leaving for work this morning, glanced at the sky and said enviously “lovely day for a bike ride. Sigh.”
Despite the annoyance of my quiet lanes being turned into veritable motorways, I did love the chap on a bike who dinged his bell as he came up behind me “just in case you didn’t hear me”. Very thoughtful, if more cyclists did this it would save me from any more near misses with silent cyclists. I also loved the old lady on a very new bike who was riding nearly as slowly as I was running. As she finally managed to overtake me we had time for a lovely chat.
After such a stop-start run, I couldn’t resist stopping to take a duckling photo.
However I quickly got up and carried on running when I turned round and see these two advancing…
So a race that took me several times longer to get dressed for than to actually run it. A race that I was more nervous about what I, and everybody else, would be wearing than usual. A race where the safety briefing ends with “and may the Force be with you. 3 2 1 GO!”
Yes it was May the Fourth, and it was the Sci-fi 5k. Fortunately the race didn’t start until 11.30am so I had plenty of time to get ready. A whole packet of hair pins, a can of hair spray and my carefully made costume later, I dragged my photographer (teenaged son) out with me and off we went. I suddenly realised as I was driving that I was getting some funny looks from drivers in other cars, but maybe they didn’t realise Princess Leia drove a large muddy Toyota.
We reached the car park, and I was expecting to see streams of runners in fancy dress heading to Race HQ. No, only families going to the park. Just as I was silently wondering if I’d come to the right place and at the right time, my normally unflappable son asked if we’d come on the right day. “Well, what’s the date?” I asked him. “May the Fourth!” he replied, smiling.
Race HQ was in a Wetherspoon’s pub and add I collected my number I was assured there were other people in costume. As we moved outside to the start area, in the park, we did finally see another couple of Leias, a rebel pilot, Obi Wan Kenobi (who seemed to have come in his dressing gown), and someone that I though was Captain Jack from Doctor Who & Torchwood, but who apparently was Han Solo.
Exterminate! Photo – John SidawayHan Solo, Obi Wan and a Rebel Pilot. Photo by John SidawayPrincess Leia – me! – at the start
As we set off, the weather had warmed up and It was beautifully sunny. I was already feeling warm in my long sleeved top and long skirt, but I kept thinking I couldn’t be as hot as the Dalek!
The course wound through some housing estates and then back through some parkland. It was all pretty flat and on another day, in a galaxy far, far away, in another outfit this would be a great PB race. I ran with a lady in a red Star Trek dress for a while and we consoled each other about running in a dress.
Photo by Warren WadePhoto by John Sidaway
My blaster hand was sticky and slippy now and I was seriously considering ditching it. However my son had had his eye on it so I tried passing it from hand to hand just for a change.
Eventually we headed back into the park and could hear people applauding and see the finish line. I looked out for my son, the official photographer, but couldn’t see him anywhere. I received my medal and a bottle of water and found a shady area by a tree to wait for him. He sauntered over 5 minutes later having waited back at the car and underestimating how long it would take him to walk back. Sigh. Fortunately there were plenty of other people with cameras who then shared their photos on Facebook. Thanks John and Warren.
At the End. Still holding that blaster!
I almost forgot to mention the race super was Darth Vader. Well if he was behind me, I’d run too!
It was a good race, the organisers had obviously enjoyed branding it as a ‘Sci fi’ 5k, the weather was beautiful and the support was great. It was just a shame there were so few people in costume. My only regret (and I feel a little grumpy saying this) was that I didn’t win the award for the best fancy dress. I know it was for fun, and that as long as I was happy with my outfit that’s what matters. but I really would have liked to win!
