A Blow To The Head

This morning, for some inexplicable reason, I give my friend advice on his Fantasy Football team. It must be the blow to the head he gave me with his racquet when we played squash last night. Such helpful advice naturally makes him suspicious and he wonders whether I’m trying to stitch him up. As if... I mean we're only first and second in our league and we’re not remotely competitive about it... Funnily enough, I am actually being straight with him but if I’m wrong he can hardly blame me, I’ve had a blow on the head you know.

Tonight, straight from work, we head up to the Lakes as Mad March continues apace. On Saturday it’s The Sticky Toffee Challenge 18k Race. As far as I’m concerned any excuse is a good excuse to go up to the Lake District but this is race is most definitely L’s work. In fact I did consider a supporting role in this one (as a spectator) but now I’m 26k fit, how hard can 18k be? The problem is it’s off-road, basically a cross country race but with attitude, as it’s over fell and I hate cross country, even East Midlands style. So I’m just treating it as Duathlon. Beer-Run-Beer or more specifically Snecklifter-Run-Snecklifter.

The M6 is pleasantly quiet and the rain that accompanies our departure from Nottingham, stops somewhere in Lancashire. We arrive in good time but I quickly have to reassess my race strategy. Silly me, we’re at the wrong end of the valley for Snecklifter. Oh well. Old Peculiar-Run-Old Peculiar then.

It’s guilt free drinking as well. The race doesn’t start until a well sobered up 1pm, or 2pm... We have different start times. Although L and I are both booked into the 18k event (there is also a shorter 10k distance), actually we’re not. She’s booked into the ‘Challenge’ and I’m into the actual Trail race. The Challenge, which is for the slightly less serious (I put that so diplomatically), starts an hour before mine. So we’ll be on the course at the same time but she’ll have a healthy and unassailable head start on me. This is also all good for the dogs. I’ll be able to leave them just before 2pm and L should be back not long after 3pm or at least that was the plan...