Month: January 2020

Daily improvements

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It’s been a really good day overall.

I started off with a 4k speed run and managed a similar pace to what I was doing at parkrun on Saturday. This is a really good achievement for me, because I’ve always struggled to run solo runs anywhere near as fast as I can in a parkrun or race situation. Perhaps I was helped along for the first half mile by the sight of Geth in the distance, who was running the same route but went out a lot faster than me!

I then spent the first part of the afternoon finishing and submitting my tax return – it’s always a relief to get it done! – followed by the last bit of editing for a client that I needed to finish this week. I’ve also booked a wee trip to Dublin in June for a Duran Duran gig 😀 Super excited…

Marshalling at parkrun tomorrow, so I’ll just be jogging there and back to get my run in.

Dublin 2012
Not quite an OOTD: flashback to the last time I was in Dublin, in March 2012 (fatter days – couldn’t fasten up my coat 🙁 ). Love that Oscar Wilde statue.

Today’s earworm playlist:

FM-84 and Ollie Wride – ‘Running In The Night’
The Midnight – ‘Memories’
Duran Duran – ‘Winter Marches On’
Lady Gaga – ‘Always Remember Us This Way’
Jackson Browne – ‘Rosie’
The Midnight – ‘Explorers’
The Midnight – ‘River Of Darkness’

Winning in a happy non-competitive way!

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So I followed up my first sub-31 parkrun since 2018 with… my first Slimmer of the Week award since 2018! Two and a half pounds off this morning. Just a few more weeks of consistent effort and hopefully I will be back in my target range!

On a less happy note I’m sad to see our latest temporary Slimming World consultant, Julie, moving on. Our group has had six different consultants in the last year for various reasons, and it sounds like our seventh will only be temporary as well. Fingers crossed we get our ‘forever consultant’ soon – the ladies have all been lovely, but it’s much easier when you have someone who’s followed your journey for a long time.

I was planning to get out for a walk this afternoon to make up for the pizza that Geth and I had tonight to celebrate the end of his marking, but I was a bit tired after this morning’s run so will be getting in some extra exercise over the next few days instead. I’ve got lots of work to get on with anyway.

Tomorrow is quite busy, so I’m really looking forward to the weekend!

Slimming World fridge magnet
Not an OOTD: also, our group gets fridge magnets for being Slimmer of the Week nowadays! When Katie (our original consultant) was running the group, you only got them for Slimmer of the Month.

Today’s earworm playlist:

Ed Sheeran and Khalid – ‘Beautiful People’
Duran Duran – ‘Winter Marches On’

Phone Box Thursday: Main Street, Haugh of Urr

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We’re back to our regularly scheduled jaunts around Dumfries and Galloway, where Mum and Dad continued to find a healthy number of phone boxes after getting back from Shetland. This week’s example comes from Haugh of Urr.

Red phone box
Red phone box, Main Street, Haugh of Urr, 29th August 2019.

(Coordinates 54°97’68.8″N, 3°86’38.7″W.)

This phone box had sadly seen better days, and unfortunately was scheduled to be sent to the great red phone box graveyard in the sky North Yorkshire shortly afterwards, according to a notice inside the box. RIP Haugh of Urr phone box 🙁

Midweek miles

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Still battling various aspects of winter weather while running. High winds in Newcastle meant that this morning’s four-miler felt like a bit of a struggle! However, my overall pace was consistent with what I’ve been doing recently, which is great.

I did some day job work and admin this afternoon, and then headed out to poetry night this evening. It was good to get back into the habit of reading for a room again – I’d only missed one month, but November in some ways feels like ages ago now. I got some good comments on my poem, so am feeling motivated to keep writing over the next few weeks.

Other than that, will just be keeping fingers crossed for another good result on the scales at Slimming World tomorrow! Geth and I have been really good this week so here’s hoping…

Night walk
Not an OOTD: the dark nights can be quite pretty, but I’m getting a bit sick of them now.

Today’s earworm playlist:

Duran Duran – ‘Tel Aviv [AIR Studio Version]’
Sugababes – ‘Hole In The Head’
The Midnight – ‘Explorers’

Rhyming days

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I’ve not written any poetry in a while, but I did today because otherwise I’ll have nothing to read at poetry night tomorrow!

Other than that I’ve just been getting on with admin again. Editing for clients (and doing my midweek run) tomorrow.

Calendar January 2020
Not an OOTD: the calendar tells me that January is nearly over. I will miss this droid poster!

Today’s earworm playlist:

Vera van Heeringen – ‘Riverside House’
FM-84 and Ollie Wride – ‘Never Stop’

Out of the dark

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I’m trying to enjoy the present this year rather than always barrelling onwards to the next thing, but it is quite hard during the post-Christmas depressing bit of winter, and so I have to admit that I’ll be fairly happy to tick another month off at the end of this week. I’m not really a February fan either, but at least it’s marginally less dark and (hopefully) marginally less cold.

Other than my short morning run, the day was largely spent catching up with admin – I always have a backlog after Christmas. It’s tax return week as well, so there could be a bit of a theme for the next few days. It is nice when everything gets sorted though.

Wii games
Not an OOTD: and to be fair it is a really good time of year to curl up with some videogames. From my current position on the sofa I keep eyeing up all the old Wii games I never got round to finishing!

Today’s earworm playlist:

The Midnight – ‘Explorers’
Soft Cell – ‘Tainted Love’
Kelly Rowland – ‘Stole’

Building up

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Nine miles on the long run this morning – felt really good and steady. Going a bit further every week! The energy gel I had at about six miles in tasted pretty rank, but it seemed to do the job as I wasn’t flagging towards the end of the run like I sometimes am.

Have spent the afternoon resting (well, apart from the half hour I spent doing a preliminary sort-out of the garage) and getting on with some admin. Back to work (and a much shorter run that may turn out to be a walk/run if my legs are as sore as they were last Monday) tomorrow.

Maltesers
Not an OOTD: these are my treat at the moment on days when I have enough syns left.

Today’s earworm playlist:

Hiroki Morishita – ‘Duty’
Nena – ’99 Red Balloons’
Vangelis – ‘Chariots Of Fire’
Blur – ‘Parklife’

Speed is in sight… maybe

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Back to Newcastle parkrun this morning, and my first sub-31 result since 2018! The daily running is really paying off, and I’m super happy 🙂

I’ve spent the rest of the day finishing off my current day job project, although I did take a break to make Burns supper. Have finally finished work now!

Looking forward to a bit of quiet time tomorrow, starting with my long run in the morning.

Burns supper
Not an OOTD: Burns supper. Haggis and neeps both done in the microwave, tatties done by Geth (who is out of practice at making mashed tatties and so they were a bit gloopy – will have to create more opportunities for him to practise over the next year).

Today’s earworm playlist:

The Clash – ‘Bank Robber’
Vera van Heeringen – ‘Riverside House’
The Scaffold – ‘Lily The Pink’
Culture Club – ‘The War Song’
Lady Gaga – ‘Shallow’
The Midnight – ‘Kick Drums And Red Wine’

Playing with words

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I’ve been editing for a client all day today, as I’ve got a couple of big projects at the moment. Editing can be frustrating sometimes – finding the exact way to rephrase something so that it flows nicely – but the end result is always really satisfying.

I’m finished now though, and feeling weekend-y, even though I do have to work tomorrow as well. It’s parkrun eve, yay! Geth and I are going to Newcastle as our friend Winny is doing her first parkrun there tomorrow.

Another good running weekend awaits then – I’m super jealous of all the people going to the National Running Show in Birmingham this weekend, but I will enjoy parkrun and my long run on Sunday 🙂

Energy gel
Not an OOTD: going to be trying this berry-flavoured gel out on my long run on Sunday (well, if I actually remember to take it this week). Hope it’s not as sickly sweet as the orange one I tried a few weeks ago!

Today’s earworm playlist:

Hiroki Morishita – ‘Duty’
Ollie Wride – ‘Miracle Mile’
Starship – ‘We Built This City’

Back to the Thursday routine

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Really good recovery mile run this morning followed by a good loss on the scales at Slimming World. Still some way to go to get back into target range, but I just have to keep putting the same effort in every week until it happens. Thankfully marathon training and daily running is really helping with this, as it means I’m in the habit of logging everything relating to diet and exercise.

Have spent the afternoon doing day job work – I’ve been lucky in that business has really picked up this month. I’ll be getting up early tomorrow to finish all of this week’s work before next week’s scheduled projects arrive.

Now to finish today’s admin ASAP so that I can get a few hours of videogaming in!

Geth, having finished marking
Not an OOTD: Geth has finished marking all the first year essays and is very happy about it!

Today’s earworm playlist:

The Wanted – ‘Glad You Came’
Stormzy – ‘Crown’
Blur – ‘Parklife’
Lesley Gore – ‘It’s My Party’
Duran Duran – ‘Pressure Off’
The Midnight – ‘Shadows In The City’
Vera van Heeringen – ‘Riverside House’