Grace Under Pressure 2

So the curtain comes down on running for 2024 with one last morning of dogging in the woods. Sadly no canine companions came along and so it became a jolly along the trails near Felley Abbey with four other runners.  I was expecting to be doing a NY's day run but due to ill health on the part of the organiser that has been cancelled, so a NY's eve blow out came to the rescue. Even given the fact that I am myself currently 'quite sniffly'. It was one of the routes I am familiar with but what was noticable after a years plodding and pounding is how much more comfortable I was running both the distance and also the pace.  A year ago I would have been panting, puffing and pausing my way through the 5.5 miles, and whilst I still do some of that, it's nowhere near as much. So with the finish line crossed, and the legs well and truly up and relaxing, reflecting on the various experiences I have had during the 60@60 challange I suspect I have at times been all the differ...

People who have never seen a single episode of Gavin and Stacey now have just over a week to binge watch the entire series so as to be able to join in with conversation on their first day back to work on Jan 6th.  This veritable marathon of TV viewing will involve watching and then possibly rewatching a total of 22 episodes, comprising three series and three Christmas specials. Plus gaining Mastermind level knowledge of the actors involved, their previous work, current character back stories, plot lines, catch phrases and off course being able to quote verbatim catchphrases and lines of dialogue including Smithy's infamous Indian takeaway order of a chicken bhuna, lamb bhuna, prawn bhuna, mushroom rice, bag of chips, keema naan and 9 poppadoms. Speaking to Grace Under Pressure non Gavin and Stacey fan, Ivan Opinion, revealed, "I have a very vague idea that it's set in Barry or features someone called Barry but thats just not going to cut it when I get back to work is it. ...

    So with the last working day of 2024 well and truly completed and with only social jollies in his diary for the rest of the year, an almost 61 year old man from Hucknall is just about ready to start the annual declutter of his home. This yearly event is one that sees him attempt (often in vain) to make more space, get rid of unwanted stuff and generally be able to navigate down the entire length of his hallway without the danger of breaking a limb in the process.  This annual decutter is required following another year of charity shop mooching that has resulted in the acquisition of more clothes than he can ever wear, more books than he could ever read, more DVD's (yes he is still old school) than he could ever watch, more music that he could ever listen too, and more baubles, trinkets and shiny things than he could find a place to display. With a determination that would make Stacey Dooley blush, Marie Kondo almost faint and Mrs Hinch feel positively sparkling, this ...

    Welcome to the most disorientating, discombobulating, dysfunctional time of the year. That period of 10 days or so between, for the religiously inclined, Christmas day and Epiphany (5th Jan). A period of time during which.... I struggle to know what day of the week it is except by consulting Alexa. I don't know whether my bins should be out or in as do most of my neighbours judging by the Hokey Cokey of rubbish manouvers up and down the street. I can't find what time my favourite TV programmes or even the news is on. I discover what best of 2024 TV shows, films, books, plays, music and other cultural events have completly passed me by. I can't work out who is playing who and where at various sports. And I basically can't wait until life rediscovers its routine and rhythm again. Only of course by the time Jan 5th rolls round I'll be having an actual epiphany of my own that what I really crave is not the rut of normality but the spark of sudden spontaneity and spu...

 

  In an emotional climax to match anything Gavin and Stacey can put together, today was the final run in the 60@60 challenge. And I am not sure if I have actually managed to save the best till last.  This is  probably the organised run that I have done the most with this being my 5th entry into the Totley Two Doves race, a lovely way to blow away all the inertia that comes with a post Christmas day slump. Setting off from Matlock however things didn't look too great for racing up through the woods and across the moors as it was a think fog everwhere, with the usually stunning vista of Chatsworth House beign completely obscured by a blanket of mist. And yet 10 miles and 20 minutes later on in the village of Totley, a watery sun has just begun to cut through the haze. At 11am we were off, with a record entry of almost 210 runners on the start line, 100 up on previous years, running under what was by now an almost cloudless blue sky and a lovely temperature for running of 8...

  This is the look you too can achieve when you spend all the gold, bathe in the frankincense and drink the myrrh!