Well the dog died, its raining and my corset is digging in.

Gotcha! April Fools!

None of the above is true although it is a bit overcast.

So what do I have for you today?

Well lets start with Monday. As the first week of UK shutdown drew to a close I decided the sore toe that's kept me from running all month wasn't quite so sore, I'd revisit the idea of adding some running to my fitness regime. And so there I was, running tights, trainers and a jacket - well it was blowing a chill wind!

The idea was to do an easy 5km run/jog/walk so I set off quite cautiously but soon got into a rhythm of run, walk, run etc. An hour later I got back, hot, sweaty and having completed about 7.5km! Okay, its not fast but if I can do it more regularly I'm sure i'll soon be doing more running than walking and at a quicker pace. I'm not looking at any form of competition, its just an extra bit of body workout which might help tone up some of the bits riding a bike doesn't.

By sheer coincidence, Middle of Lidl today had some natty tights and a more sensible running top than the thermal jacket I wore on Monday! Must be Karma, next run scheduled for Friday, maybe?

And so to Tuesday, the last day of March and the start of this weeks two wheel action. With the wind moving a little to be more northerly it was to be a day in Gloucestershire, up to Wotton, onto the Cotswold massif for a bit before heading west towards the Severn. My original hoped for stop wasn't happening as it didn't seem politic to stop in the middle of the village so it was a few km later that I got to my sandwich on a bench near Sharpness. The wind gave a bit of assistance back to the Severn crossings and somehow didn't impinge on things too much for the last couple of miles back into Brizzle. 120km, bit further than I thought it would be, a good way to end a month blighted by annoying injuries, a week without proper exercise and a few days of head cold keeping me inside.

Today then, my exercise has consisted of a long walk which I combined with a bit of food restocking, another 7km plus chalked up. It really does seem weird with so few people on the streets, you find yourself looking for Zombies at every turn!

And that brings us to Barmer Wald, todays Gaby chapter. The race gets under way but the pattern of the competition is a bit unusual requiring some different tactics!

In other news; The shops are now, for the most part, reasonably stocked but the GB populace still seem to have this thing for buying all the dry goods they can yet leaving the fresh fruit and veg on the shelves. Its improved a little, there is now TP available as well as tinned soup and veg, give it another week and the 'stockpilers' hoping to make a buck will be truly shafted (as they should be) with no shortages in the shops. Looking at all the Easter goods on the shelves, chocolate lovers will get some bargains in the next fortnight!

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, dates and likely venue for the TG Writers Symposium. Looking at the news, even though its a way off yet, I think it best to postpone the event as there is every chance we'll still have travel restrictions and booking accommodation etc is nigh on impossible atm. Sorry if you were hoping to attend but it seems the best course with the present information. Once things have become a bit clearer i'll let you know but I'm thinking of going for the same weekend in 2021 so mark it in your diaries.

Well that about ties things up for today,
so Wiedersehn
Madeline Anafrid