Race Day Excitement

It's been over two months since my last race, the Derwent Duathlon.  I've tried to refrain from doing short fast races so that I can focus on my long training but I do miss it.  I missed out on the MTB triathlon I entered this year due to illness.  Probably a relief since my mountain bike is super-heavy.  Tomorrow though, it is Hell on the Hills.

A number of other factors have contributed to me having a big fat rest week this week.  Not the good kind of rest week (lots of work and absolutely no training) but at least I have walked about 5 miles on site every day.  It's back to being the old me of boom and bust training but it does at least feel good to be looking a race day in the face feeling rested and refreshed.

With it being only a duathlon, I have all day to get a pair of cycling shoes and helmet into a box and away I go, packing done.

The rest of today should be spent actually going for a swim but having got myself dressed I am struggling to leave the house.

I have found lots of things to put in the charity box to declutter for the impending house move (fingers crossed etc.).  Distraction is the name of the game in this house today.

There's a strong likelihood that you might find I am knitting again.

Easter Snoozeday

After Andrew's day off photographing, he went off for a ride leaving me to enjoy knitting, the internet and searching for an open food shop.

Happy in Sheffield

Lenny Makes Himself at Home in the New Garden

Sheffield has been remarkably kind to me. In spite of the usual friendly reception from Yorkshire folk, I have mostly nice neighbours who, even if they are a little loud, genuinely haven't thought that music at 10pm isn't "on".

My rides to work take me along the Trans-Penine Trail or around the edge of still lakes on bridle paths that seem miles from anywhere. From work I can go for a run through fields or even get to the gym and the pool.

At home I can go for a "walk on the wild side".

We went to the pub for dinner on Friday night and, instead of going to Cafe Rouge, we stumbled upon the Stag, with a conservatory, oak tables and a sense of rustic middle-class. We found ourselves sitting next to the Sheffield Tri club who were very encouraging and enthusiastic.

Last week when it was warm, we found the only down side to living where we do. Every pub beergarden (loose term) was filled with bald-headed, england shirt wearing, thick-set males complete wtih beer, fags and slappers while others preferred to sit on the wall outside tescos drinking cider and smoking fags with their kids (that was just the women).

We decided that on a nice day we want to live somewhere a bit nicer... somewhere we can walk to a nice pub, not needing to get in the car and drive.

So we went to Nether edge to do the laundry... just to make sure.

Guerilla Knitting in Nether Edge