Another Long Day

and now it's a case of waiting for the call I don't want to receive. Still not sure whether to run Waun Fach or not. Not sure I can take the heat. I want to race it but then that part of me that says, 'stupid boy, you don't do hot' kicks in.... Late discision called for.

Well I've cancelled my holiday for next Thursday and Friday on account of operational requirements. Will anyone thank me? - that's a negative on that. Have re-booked for the Monday/Tuesday after but that's not quite so convenient and I think I need to change destination. With my entry for the Seaview 17 in for next Sunday I'm now looking to make it an Exmoor weekend break. Travel down Saturday. Race Sunday. Recovery run over Exmoor Monday and home Tuesday...

Anyway, my dinner of tuna pesto (homemade) pasta (not homemade) with fresh as you like tomatoes was nice.

Two Long Ones

But sadly not training runs. Got done over yesterday at work and didn't get home till gone 7pm, feeling very hot and tired. Today trumped that and I didn't get home till eight. Mind you, I did stop off for the twenty minute weekly shop but even so.... Still, I think I finally managed to put the ghost of Chelvey to rest - until the next thing goes wrong.....

Just feel so sapped. Typing this is a struggle. This heat is doing me in. I'm hoping to get home at a decent time tomorrow and get to training. Haven't looked what's on the Chepstow agenda. I'm just crossing my fingers things go my way.

I'm Sweating

and I'm not doing anything. I break wind, I start sweating. Woe is me in this humidity....

Anyway, I think I managed to bore my nephew half to death on his work experience today - don't worry though, only another four days... He might survive. Then again...

Chilled in the garden tonight and was rewarded with the sight of the first dragon fly of the season - or was it a damsel fly, I never know how to tell. On inspection of the pond I also saw the newt again - and no I'm not calling him Tiny..... I can, however, confirm that it is definitely a palmate newt or maybe a smooth newt or possibly a great crested - okay, it's not a great crested. Okay, so I don't actually have a clue. I'm pretty sure it's a newt though.

I think my finger tips are actually sweating as I type this......

Top Day Of Chilling

Got a lot done but it was relaxing all the same. First up the morning coffee, and while it brewed in cafetiere I mixed up and kneaded a herb loaf, ready for baking a hour or two later. Then up, after the coffee drinking, was the ritual of the grass cutting - a regular ritual, that one. Then I whipped out my ladder - ooh, no, stop it - and proceeded to fix the guttering down pipe which fell off a few weeks ago due to a rotten wooden baton. Then I paid a visit to the garden centre for a few more large pots to plant out the rosemary and thyme. It's not all good though, the wild strawberries seem to be heading for a fail. They're well behind and not looking good.

My legs are feeling surprisingly achy considering I only ran 12 miles yesterday. I guess that's down to running in the heat. Anyway, I managed a 30 minute loop round the village this evening. The air temperature feels a lot cooler than yesterday but I was still damn melted by the end - doh. Closed out the day with a spot of barbecuing. Mmmmm, smokey - in a good, none burnt, way. I went with steak burgers, sweet corn, mustard glazed onions, roasted chillies and salad - didn't cook the salad on the barby.

I wasn't totally sure about cooking sweet corn on the barbecue but it was possibly the best bit! The smokey flavour with the sweetness of the corn, flippin' delicious. It was difficult to tell when they were cooked though. Using a combination of direct and indirect cooking on the Weber I managed to bring everything together at the right time. I wasn't totally sure the corn was cooked until that first bite - they were done perfic. I've a few more bought burgers to use up but after that I'm looking forward to making my own in a few weeks... And top barbecue tip from a novice, once you've cooked that last piece get out there with the scourer (non-metal), soap and water and give the grate the once over. Only take a few seconds but that quick once over heads off a whole world of pain - I mean cleaning - later. Motto of the day, clean it off while its fresh before it burns on good and proper. Okay, not that catchy...

Not Sure..

Which would have been easier. I ran 12 miles this morning, mostly under tree cover but it was still Hot with a capital H. I think the Pen-y-Fan race, at only five miles, might have been less sapping. Then again, maybe not. It would have been five miles in the full on sun to the top of Pen-y-Fan and back down again. There wouldn't have been many places to hide.

I was dripping by the time I got back in. Took me a good hour to cool off. Did the cool shower ever feel good though... oh yeah...

The grass needs cutting but I couldn't face it in this heat. I zonked late afternoon - ssh, no, stop it. Put my feet up on the sofa and had a power nap to recover. That gave me the energy to pull up my garlic. My bulbs aren't massive - ooh matron - but they were ready for harvest. Drying now so I've got week or two to get shot of the bloody wasps nest that's appeared in the shed - arrrse. Bloody wasps.

Congitating on tomorrow....

Ahhh, It's Friday

Been another stonkin' hot one. Mentally preparing for an even hotter one tomorrow. Still a little torn. Do I go run Pen-y-Fan? or something local and longer? The trip across is going to be 90 minutes of basting in my own juices. If I stay over then it's going to be an afternoon, evening and morning of sticky heat on top of the fact I will be a melted, sweaty bastard after having raced to the top of Pen-y-fan and back. Even if I head home after the race that'll be another 90 minging minutes. That all sounds a little uncomfortable. After a full week at work I think I might just stay local. I won't decide until tomorrow first thing. If I am home tomorrow evening then I'm thinking it'll be a fine night for firing up the barbecue again.... looking out a tasty marinade for those steak burgers

Sitting out front tonight taking in the view and listening to the birds and wildlife - the sheep are quieter tonight. I think they got the message when I pinned the charcoal bag to the gate...

Was It Really Any Cooler Today?

Well they said it was cooler but I wasn't feeling it. Still melting temperatures for running. Managed another thirty minutes out there this evening. The best bit was most definitely the cool shower afterwards. That almost makes it worth it..

Tomorrow is supposed to be a little cooler before things crank up for the weekend. I'm hoping to get over to Brockworth for training tomorrow night. I should be okay time-wise from work. After that I need to run a long one on the weekend but not sure I can cope with the expected heat. I might default back to the Pen-y-Fan race on Saturday and then the Fan-y-Big race on Sunday. I might even be tempted to take the van and camp overnight to save a hundred miles.

Yesterday Repeating Itself

Scorchio! I went with a repeat of yesterday's training. An hour on the bike watching the tennis - quite exciting - and then a melting run in the early evening. I was even more melted than yesterday by the end. Scorchio, too scorchio...

Popped over to Gloucester this morning to pick myself up a Weber from a branch of a well known national chain of diy stores. Coming highly recommended by friends I decided to stump the cash for the quality barbecue that is the Weber. It should last years... Sadly it was barbecue for one this evening. Felt a bit wrong to be going to all the trouble for a bbq for one but what the heck. I had premium steak burgers served with a side of fresh potatoes, onion and peppers cooked in a foil parcel and salad with the first tomatoes of the season. I used the indirect method - ooh, matron. Had to think on my feet though. Got done over on the charcoal front. So many small pieces that would have just fallen through the grate. Cue heath robinson and five minutes later I had a much finer grate ready for action. There were no problems on ignition, the tower starter thing was brilliant. Light a few pieces of newspaper in the bottom and boosh, five minutes later it was flamin'. Ten after that it was cook time and on with the foil parcel, twenty later on with the burgers, twenty more and it was eatin' time. Have to say that despite the small charcoal pieces the flamee taste it imparted was good. Mental note, use a bit less charcoal next time, it could be burning all night. Might have to make my own burgers next time...

Changed The Plan

I realised pretty early on that it was going to be too hot for a long run - at least for me. I really struggle when it's hot. So instead I stayed in the shade and put in an hour on the bike. Then in the early evening I did a thirty minute run around the village up through Hobbs Quarry, generally keeping to the tree cover. Even so, I was melting by the time I got back.

Before all that activity I headed into the garden to harvest the first of my earlies. And boy what a bumper crop! I had way to many to use myself so gave some away to my neighbours. Even just doing that brought me out in a sweat - the harvesting not giving them to the neighbours. Unbelievable.

Anyway, I was rewarded with a return of favour with some fresh strawberries and a cauliflower. You beauty. Suffice to say dinner is about as fresh as it gets. I've gone with an experimental potato, chorizo, chilli, quiche, cheese bake thing followed by some of those fresh strawberries in balsamic vinegar. The bake is on as I type so I can't take too long on this.

Well anyway, my weather station registered a peak temperature of 29 degrees so I think it was a good call to change the plan. I'm certain I would have suffered on a long run in this heat. Apparently tomorrow is due to be even hotter! Think I'll enjoy the sun while we've got it though, dinner outside...

Let's Face It, There's Going To Be A Lie In Going Down Tomorrow...

That's like my longest blog post title ever but surprisingly accurate. It's going to be a legen - wait for it, wait for it - dary lie in. Oh, yeah.

I can't be thinking about training tonight. I'll wait till after the lie in tomorrow to decide what to do and where to run. I'll have all day to come up with something....

Not A Bad Trot

That's Tintern Trot to you. I reckon I was around 60th in 46 minutes. Okay, that's a long way off 14th from two years ago but then I am a bit rubbish these days... Still I'm happy with my run. I paced it well. I started in the middle order and despite it being like on the start line of the London Marathon, stop, start, stop, start, things soon spaced out. I think it helped me really as it made me run within myself. The first, flat section seems to go on forever and I steadily picked up places - without being over taken too many times. I actually enjoyed the stead climb back and up towards Offa's Dyke. I ran quite strong and gained more positions. I walked the last steep section as I'd have just expended lots of energy for little real gain.

Once on top I pushed along. To be fair to those just in front I was expecting to gain more places than I did. I like the rough, twisty section - and apparantly most of them did too! I charged down the steep section but by then the runners were quite spread out so I didn't gain much. Along the final section back up into the woods I ran quite strongly but still got caught by one runner - wasn't expecting that, so fair play.

I was a little disappointed to have to switch on the after burners for a last gasp 50m sprint. With 250m to go there was no way I could pick the guy ahead so I just cruised in, okay not exactly cruised, but I wasn't pushing. Then all of sudden, crossing the bridge, in sight of the finish, a runner had the cheek to try and over take. I wasn't having that. Mind, you I didn't want to use the after burners, but I don't do losing a place inside 100m. I hit the switch and fire through the finish - and then promptly threw up - nice...

Well done Chepstow. Another fine race and well done to everyone who marshalled etc. I think they had over 200 runners entered which I think might be a record - but don't quote me..

Is It Really Wednesday

Already? Heck! Anyway, I managed a bit of jog tonight. I want to save myself for tomorrow's Tintern Trot - I am so NOT going to kick ass it's going to be legend - wait for it - ary. In fact, thinking of that slog along the old railway path... the long, meandering climb.... the steeper climb... the run along the top - I like that bit - the sharp descent... the final slog, slightly climbing... before the sharp descent and run in... hum, I'm not actually sure why I want to go run it!.........

Went A Bit Wrong

Work didn't go quite to plan and so I missed getting down to Chepstow. Oh well, there's always a lunch time run tomorrow and the Tintern Trot on Thursday...

Not Quite The Full Rest Day I Was Hoping For...

The phone went off at 6:13am this morning. Duty bound, as I am, I called back - as by the time I'd woken and got over to the phone they'd rung off. My colleague got the problem sorted but by then it was gone eight. Back to the rest day I didn't feel tired anymore so I set about a bit of gardeny stuff. Potting on the sage plant into its planter and planting out a 'plant' - don't ask me what it is - into an empty spot in the front border. Then it was over to the sofa for a spot of looking at the inside of my eyelids... I got in an hour before the postie woke me. Grrrrrr.

Next up, I went for a 45 minute jog around Flaxley wood before heading into the kitchen to make an Irish soda 'cake'. I used eggs and butter and that makes it a soda 'cake' and not bread - apparently. Finished the day with a firery hot tuna pesto pasta. I used the walnut pesto today and accompanied it with a glass of red - back of the net. I think I might be looking at the inside of my eyelids very shortly.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get across to Chepstow to continue my running resurgence. Up Thursday should be the Tintern Trot....