Darn it, been trying to publish this blog for a while but I'm still having technical issues uploading videos from my iPhone onto my PC; it's usually taking 3 or 4 attempts. Anyway, in reverse order, let's get a couple of videos up here starting with my two newest tyre-pullers; Sam (9) and Olivia (err, 10?).
Part way through my third mile today (full winter kit on too, but more of that later) a lady was walking a dog and what I assumed were her two children home. The boy and the girl (Sam and Olivia as it turns out) were clearly inquisitive but like most people, were a little too shy to ask so I prompted the question by saying "And just as I thought you might be wanting a go".
Sam's Mum (oh how rude, I never asked her name .... sorry Sam's mum) asked me what I was doing; I explained and she smiled broadly and said "Told you it might be that" to S & O (so much quicker than writing Sam and Olivia). Anyway it turned out that they did want a go and so, without further a-do, I present Sam's attempt first.
After that Olivia asked if she could but there was a hitch; the lady with no name (blimey I feel really bad about not asking it now) wasn't Olivia's Mum. Olivia had that '... but I'm in the harness now and want to have a go ...' look on her face. "Please?" she asked.
Sam's Mum (I'm going to call her Kate because that might not be her name but she deserves more than anonymity) pointed out QUITE RIGHTLY that it wasn't her place to say but she pulled out a mobile phone and dialled Olivia's Mum. This is what I imagine the two-sided conversation sounded like (as I only heard Kate speak): -
Kate - "Hi it's me. Bit of a strange one this but .... we've bumped into a guy who's training for the North Pole by dragging tyres around the park ....."
O's Mum - "Have you been drinking the Christmas sherry already Kate ... or is he a bit bonkers?"
Kate - (trying to ignore the obvious answer to the latter question that is clearly yes, probably) "He's letting them have a go if they want to. I've said yes to Sam but he's said he wants to upload the video onto the internet ......"
O's Mum - "Yes that's right Kate, act normal, I'm calling the zoo right now. They'll probably have a tranquiliser gun to deal with him ... keep him talking as long as you can"
Kate - "Well it's just Olivia now wants to have a go but I can't say yes as she's not my daughter"
(Olivia in the background "Please say yes. I'll ask the teacher tomorrow if we can have a look at the internet")
O's Mum - "The zoo have said they're a bit busy right now and the Police say they've seen him often so .... err .... oh alright".
Cue the video of Olivia .....
On a VERY serious note, thank you to 'Kate' for being such a good sport but ALSO for being suitably safety conscious!! If only all parents were as responsible as 'Kate' ... but then the arson attack on the children's wooden play area in Harrogate is another story (8 teenagers questioned about arson evidently; thanks to PCSO James Skaith for the Twitter updates).
So Sam and Olivia, thank you for having a go and you now join 8 other people (children and adults) who have had a go at the tyre-drag.
******************************************************************************
Okay, so that's that bit over with. Today's tyre-drag for me was a new phase insofar as I was wearing my full winter training gear of base layer, boots and Berghaus waterproofs; all the stuff I'll be taking with me to Dartmoor for the training weekend on 21/22/23/24 October, including the old chicken-leg leggings ... but check out that calf muscle definition.
Putting the base layer on brought back memories of my winter training regime for the Cuban cycle ride (November 2010 - photo montage below)
Ah those memories of sunshine, humidity, alcohol and saddle rash. I'm going all misty here folks. Of course I guess I probably sweated just about as much today as I did in Cuba given it was 15 degrees Celsius and I was wrapped up as if it was -15 .....
And so I'm now thinking back to the happy smiling people I saw today, plus the 3 people who smirked or stared in bemusement, the van passenger who started to shout something and then gave up when I looked up at him, the woman who said I should go to Kwik Fit with my tyre problem (soooooo funny), Dave the elderly gent who was on a 3-mile run in shorts and a running vest, whoever the woman was who told her dog to 'cross over' after fleeting eye contact with me and the INCREDIBLY rude woman who avoided eye contact and didn't even respond to a polite 'hello'. Hope you tread in some dog poo next time you ignorant human being !
Oh yeah, and here's hoping the girl who dropped her Samsung into the beck managed to dry it and get it working again. So sad to see someone crying in public - bless : (
Night
Part way through my third mile today (full winter kit on too, but more of that later) a lady was walking a dog and what I assumed were her two children home. The boy and the girl (Sam and Olivia as it turns out) were clearly inquisitive but like most people, were a little too shy to ask so I prompted the question by saying "And just as I thought you might be wanting a go".
Sam's Mum (oh how rude, I never asked her name .... sorry Sam's mum) asked me what I was doing; I explained and she smiled broadly and said "Told you it might be that" to S & O (so much quicker than writing Sam and Olivia). Anyway it turned out that they did want a go and so, without further a-do, I present Sam's attempt first.
After that Olivia asked if she could but there was a hitch; the lady with no name (blimey I feel really bad about not asking it now) wasn't Olivia's Mum. Olivia had that '... but I'm in the harness now and want to have a go ...' look on her face. "Please?" she asked.
Sam's Mum (I'm going to call her Kate because that might not be her name but she deserves more than anonymity) pointed out QUITE RIGHTLY that it wasn't her place to say but she pulled out a mobile phone and dialled Olivia's Mum. This is what I imagine the two-sided conversation sounded like (as I only heard Kate speak): -
Kate - "Hi it's me. Bit of a strange one this but .... we've bumped into a guy who's training for the North Pole by dragging tyres around the park ....."
O's Mum - "Have you been drinking the Christmas sherry already Kate ... or is he a bit bonkers?"
Kate - (trying to ignore the obvious answer to the latter question that is clearly yes, probably) "He's letting them have a go if they want to. I've said yes to Sam but he's said he wants to upload the video onto the internet ......"
O's Mum - "Yes that's right Kate, act normal, I'm calling the zoo right now. They'll probably have a tranquiliser gun to deal with him ... keep him talking as long as you can"
Kate - "Well it's just Olivia now wants to have a go but I can't say yes as she's not my daughter"
(Olivia in the background "Please say yes. I'll ask the teacher tomorrow if we can have a look at the internet")
O's Mum - "The zoo have said they're a bit busy right now and the Police say they've seen him often so .... err .... oh alright".
Cue the video of Olivia .....
On a VERY serious note, thank you to 'Kate' for being such a good sport but ALSO for being suitably safety conscious!! If only all parents were as responsible as 'Kate' ... but then the arson attack on the children's wooden play area in Harrogate is another story (8 teenagers questioned about arson evidently; thanks to PCSO James Skaith for the Twitter updates).
So Sam and Olivia, thank you for having a go and you now join 8 other people (children and adults) who have had a go at the tyre-drag.
******************************************************************************
Okay, so that's that bit over with. Today's tyre-drag for me was a new phase insofar as I was wearing my full winter training gear of base layer, boots and Berghaus waterproofs; all the stuff I'll be taking with me to Dartmoor for the training weekend on 21/22/23/24 October, including the old chicken-leg leggings ... but check out that calf muscle definition.
 |
| No Fitz' I haven't stuck a sock down the back of the leggings |
 |
| Lunch on day 1 |
 |
| Our bikes parked on day 4 |
 |
| The Barry Sheene of Cuba, cornering hard (me, not him) |
 |
| One of the many types of 'buses' in Cuba |
 |
| It's like stepping back in time |
 |
| The last night get-together |
Ah those memories of sunshine, humidity, alcohol and saddle rash. I'm going all misty here folks. Of course I guess I probably sweated just about as much today as I did in Cuba given it was 15 degrees Celsius and I was wrapped up as if it was -15 .....
And so I'm now thinking back to the happy smiling people I saw today, plus the 3 people who smirked or stared in bemusement, the van passenger who started to shout something and then gave up when I looked up at him, the woman who said I should go to Kwik Fit with my tyre problem (soooooo funny), Dave the elderly gent who was on a 3-mile run in shorts and a running vest, whoever the woman was who told her dog to 'cross over' after fleeting eye contact with me and the INCREDIBLY rude woman who avoided eye contact and didn't even respond to a polite 'hello'. Hope you tread in some dog poo next time you ignorant human being !
Oh yeah, and here's hoping the girl who dropped her Samsung into the beck managed to dry it and get it working again. So sad to see someone crying in public - bless : (
Night
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