Day 177 - Giants Head marathon

Good day at the Giants Head Marathon today with this plethora of 'willy' related items at the finish and a pleasing finish time of 6:20 and change. Nice 40 min improvement from 2 years ago!

Day 176 - melons

Not sure I want to see any more of these after helping chop up loads for tomorrows marathon. I hope theres some left for me after all that work!

Day 175 - web design

spotted this on my wing mirror this morning. didnt have the heart to remove it so left it there all day!

Day 174 - Happy Birthday Max!

Happy 9th Birthday to Max. A better friend you could not find.

Day 173 - Horses wearing hats

These nice ladies let me take a picture of their lovely horses wearing what I think are nifty fly guards for the ears. The strawberry roan one at the front was quite happy to get a cuddle but the one at the back just looked bored! The ladies told me the horses names but i'm sorry to say I cant remember... oops.

Day 172 - Summer Solstice

Today is the summer solstice, which means that here in the northern hemisphere we are at maximum tilt towards the Sun. Also for the first time since 1967 the summers solstice coincides with a rare ‘strawberry’ full moon
Despite the name, the moon will not appear pink or red, although it may glow a warm amber. The romantic label was coined by the Algonquin tribes of North America who believed June’s full moon signalled the beginning of the strawberry picking season.

Day 171 - This is how wet it was today

Even the frogs came out to play tonight....he was just outside our back door and looking quite happy with himself

Day 170 - An unusual crest

Took father out today for a slightly early fathers day lunch (he is working tomorrow!) and spotted this crest on a building in Poole. not sure what its about but it is certainly impressive.

Day 169 - fuel trials

Bought some Ella's kitchen baby food to try out as race fuel on the Giants Head next week. have heard good reports from a couple of other runners so will see how it goes. trouble is I cant have anything with apple juice in, so the choices are limited!

Day 168 - Injury stopped play

Even the best trail runners get injured sometimes. Poor Max had run after something on the heath into the bushes and undergrowth, there was a yelp, and he came back with this cut. Doesnt look very big but its quite deep. Cue a trip to the emergency vet, 4 staples and a lot of stress later and we have a lighter bank account too. Not looking forward to taking him to have them out :-(

Day 165 - a temporary move

Back to work today. Luckily I'd been warned by my colleague that we had moved offices to the building next door while i was away (temporarily while our new offices are done up). Nice though, i actually have my own window which makes a change.

Day 164 - a mini Grand?

 

A favourite section on the local heath, run through today in a very warm, very humid hours run. Reminds me of a miniature Grand Canyon. 

Day 163 - A total contrast

In a total contrast to last weeks event, today was a fun event with bonkers friends. Nifty Nanas dressed all in blue (with a couple of welcome interlopers) 'running' the 5 mile race at the one off event 'Wedding Cow Races'. We all crossed the line together in a generous 1 hour and 17 minutes, a finish time which might well have been influenced by alcohol intake and general mucking about. :-)

Day 162 - Theres no place like home

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home..."

Don't you find that no matter how great a time youve had on holiday, its still really nice to walk back in your own front door?...

Day 161 - waterfalls

 

Visited Tarn Hows today, bit touristy but quite nice. Even nicer was finding a little path going away from the touristy bit and going down a rocky path past this lovely waterfall..

Day 160 - little faerie bridge

Another hot day
Another walk not in the open.
found some ruined cottages and this delightful little stone bridge just wide enough for one person (or several faeries) to cross at a time. Very quiet.

Day 159 - boulder hopping

Still very hot today in Cumbria so a walk undercover for the dogs' sake is required. We discovered a little used river walk just round the corner from the cottage so did a little boulder hopping.

Day 158 - stone balancing

The day following the marathon I was just taking it easy. As i hadnt got to see it yesterday I thought a walk along the banks of Coniston Water for the last 4km would be good. Shame i hadnt got that far as it was a very nice run through trees! Along the lakeside we discovered a little forest of stone balanced cairns. very artistic

Day 157 - the dreaded DNF (my first!)

Taken during the Coniston Marathon shortly before I decided I had had enough at around 14-15 miles. My heat addled brain decided it would be funny to take a picture as it would 'prove' i was delirious at this point...(yeah I know!)
The muggy heat was very unexpected and I was totally unprepared and didnt know how to cope with it. Cue dizzyness and nausea and not being able to stomach water or food.
It was after this that with great relief I walked, let the sweeper catch me up, and told her I was pulling out. Didnt seem worth killing myself over?

Day 156 - Number pick up

Number pick up for tomorrows Coniston Marathon
To say i am nervous is an understatement....

Day 155 - a lovely evening

Funny how a route you do often sometimes looks extra special.
really taken with the green of the trees this evening

Day 154 - Wild flowers

Such a lovely carpet of poppies, and wild flowers close to the river in Wimborne today.

Day 153 - last little jogette....

....before Sunday. This one is worrying me a little not sure why. Think its the tight cut off. 6 hours might be a bit close. Oh well can only do my best I guess!