Commentary from the cars female contingent as we parked for this mornings Trafford 10K was "ooh, look at all these fit, balding, young men". You'd have hoped I might qualify for at least one of these seemingly desirable criteria, but in fact, a firm 'X' is placed in each box. Fail. Not young or fit, but I have a lot of hair at the moment and until now, I've been able to temper it with a hat. I don't mean to start discussing my hair in a 'I can't do a thing with it' type way, but it is an issue. I'm not getting it cut, so that's a non starter. But once the sweat starts to pour and the wind gets under it, I do get a bit of a bouffant going, and even I have to admit, it does look a trifle ridiculous. So, whisper it, today I wore an Alice Band. I know! And that's the last time I'll mention that, but I rather suspect the 'others' won't.
It's my fourth race in three weekends, yet the first where I've worn my club vest the right way round. No one tells me until the finish. Today was the second where the beginning was signed with a TART. Last week a sizable banner was a little too large for the gap between two trees marking the start, so the S was missing. Today, there wasn't enough wind in the air to inflate the banner, once again signifying another TART for another race. I thought it was funny...! And what of the race?
I didn't race, again opting to pace, but my misconceptions of the Trafford 10K didn't involve running around Trafford Industrial Park, but out by Partington and the back of Dunham Massey. Very flat, leafy country lanes once again. Good pb territory...I was told. My calves let me know every footstep, but I wasn't listening. The sun came out and has left me in determined mood that this week I need to get back on the wagon, or whatever it is I've fallen off that has resulted in me not running for a full week. Moody, grumpy, all of the above. My head's not in a great place just now, but todays running around has lifted my spirit. Though after yesterdays pasta fest, I'm surprised anything could lift me at all. I spent the day at the Cheshire Cookery School for a course on Italian cooking.
Top bloke and chef Jason Palin entertained us for the day, an outline of which can be found here on The Meeting Place North website posted by Hilary. It was such a great day, Jason had tales about everything and everyone from his travels around the world and blogs it here. The food was so tasty and smells eye watering...in a good way. All that was missing was a good (any) red wine and somewhere to lay my head. A busy weekend and a distraction from the weekly toil. Sunday evening already.
