Owl's About That Then?

It's nearly 3 months since the London Marathon and we're back in training, this time for the Great North Run on 20th September.

Will it seem a doddle running a mere 13 miles instead of 26? Well, it'll certainly be less strain on the joints but I don't think anything over about 10 miles is easy. During the marathon training I had a couple of falls, landing on my knees. The joints are still painful but oh well, such is life. We'd never do anything if we let a little thing like intense pain get in the way. Thank Heaven for knee support bandages, freeze gel and Ibuprofen.

We ran the 'Stratford Summer Six' on 4th July which was a 6-mile run starting and finishing at Mary Arden's House (home of Shakespeare's mother) in Stratford-upon-Avon. It was organised by the Stratford Athletics Club and whilst the other runners were all supportive and friendly, we felt out of our depth because they were so much fitter than us! When we saw them, we chose to run from the very back so that no-one could overtake us. As it happened, we overtook 4 runners which surprised (and pleased) us!

Six days earlier on 28th June, we took part in the Coventry Fun Run which was, in truth, 'nearly' fun because it was too hot to be fun. Mercifully, it was only 4 miles and I don't suppose it would sound right calling it the 'Coventry Nearly Fun Run'.

Stratford Summer Six - 4th July

Before the run. Oh look, an owl is nibbling at Trevor's ear....
(Also will you please note the Eric Cantona t-shirt)

That blessed owl has nested in my hair. Harry Potter.......?

...he's moved, what a hoot...

Trev looks nonchalent but he was actually thinking, "cripes, this lot look like serious runners - help"

The other runners, from different athletic clubs, do look fit, especially him in the floral shirt...

This was taken approximately halfway round the course.... smiling but trying to catch up with those ahead of us - all 207 of them...

Coventry Fun Run - 28 June

We bumped into our postman, before the race and he took this pic

I took this pic at arm's length and didn't expect this to turn out, especially as I wasn't even looking at the camera!

After the race, all hot and sweaty!

At the time of writing, we are still just over £300 short of our fund-raising target for Carers UK so we'll keep on running until we have raised £3000.