Saturn Spooktacular Chasing Numbers Run, 50km, 03.11.2023
Three weeks of chatting to catch up on with Sarah made for a fabulous Friday 50km!
And (finally) a run with (barely any) rain!! In fact, a lovely sunny day running along the Thames from Runnymead, amongst the autumn colours and leaves.
There was a lot of work angst to work through, so we had some therapy laps.
Then we spent some time catching up on the status of some new houses being build on the river, and chose which ones we would buy (sigh).
Also spent some time trying to work out what the willow sculptures were in the meadow (Sara Holmes willowtwisters ) and the big bronze chairs (Hew Locke's The Jurors ).
And the rest of the time we spent catching up, and also lots of chats and hugs with the troupe on the towpath. A fabulous day!
Thank you Saturn, Nathan, Katie and Tracey for an excellent event and for looking after us (and keeping the cookie box full up despite our best efforts!)
Phoenix Tiaras and Tutus Two, Marathon, 05.11.23 (my 300th marathon)
For my 300th marathon celebration Rik very kindly made a Tiaras and Tutus Two event (after the Tiaras and Tutus event for Sarah's 300th at the start of the year). The medal was now green, and so outfits were planned accordingly!
I loved every moment of the day!
(Apart from the journey there, which included the bus not turning up, the Plan B taxi also not turning up, not being able to get into the underground, and then the train being delayed. But I am sure there is a moral to this story somewhere? Maybe, never give up?)
The whole day was amazing, and I loved running around in a tutu and a tiara again. Fancy dress, I feel, is like dressing up for a wedding, or having pancakes on pancake day. When I do it, it's such fun, that I vow to do it every day throughout the year...and then never end up actually doing it again until the next occasion.
The fancy dress generally seemed to be a hit with the public, and we only had one conversation which could be perceived as less than positive, with a cyclist who, after weighing up our explanation, concluded "you do look a bit weird, but fair play". I was most offended by the "a bit" part. I was going for "total" weird, but there you go.
The Swan Spa was flooded, and all the swans were looking extremely clean (as well they might, I suppose they have been having a constant shower for about the last month, with some power showers thrown in from the various storms). Dimitri seems to have moved, which is a shame firstly because I miss him, and secondly because the council have redone the part of towpath his boat used to be moored on, so now it's nice to run (or strut, in Dimitri's case) along.
I was so delighted that the cake from Rinkoff's Bakery went down a treat!
I am really feeling so grateful for everyone who came, dressed up, smiled and laughed, for the presents and cards, and for all the kind messages. I really don't deserve any of this, and I am feeling so overwhelmed by it all.
Thank you so much Rik and Team Phoenix for putting on the event! And thank you to you all! I love the friends I have met through my running, and the wonderful community that I am so lucky to be a part of. Running has been a part of my life for so long, and I appreciate every day that I am able to do it, and know that I am very lucky.
Some memories of the day! (thank you David for the photos!)
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