Hi you lovely lot...I must apologise for deserting you all this last few days....my holiday continues & I am now down in Carcassonne...arrived yesterday so after a long drive I have been chillin today...tut tut I say, I am so behind on the programme & should’ve completed my 5k run on Fri morning & then my last 9k run this morning before starting the final week...now that we have moved down here I’m in unfamiliar territory so I was sussing my 5k route whilst getting closer to the gite yesterday & when I asked our gite owner about suitable running routes in her basic English she told me that it is now hunting season & Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun hoards of hunters go out on horseback with their packs of dogs shooting wild boar...yikes!!! Better not go at the same time theyre out or I’ll get shot in my backside!!! It’s a dangerous caper this running business, so I will post about my next run if I don’t get shot!!! So sorry ju-ju- I must be the blooming slowest graduate in the forums history!!!! So, what about my balloon ride??? Well, I must say that it was THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE!!!!! I was absolutely petrified...and when DaddyCav paid the guy I knew that there was no going back, I panicked when it started up coz I knew that in a few minutes I would be 1000metres in the air...I didn’t want to do it anymore...get me off!!! One of my children didn’t want to do it so as we got higher & higher & he got smaller & smaller I had a tear in my eye..what if something happens & I never see him again??? All these thoughts were going through my mind but, as the balloon turned & we got even higher the feelings of utter panic & fear turn to excitement...it was absolutely amazing, the views were spectacular, apparently we could see for 200kms as the weather was perfect that day...the air at 1000 metres is clear & fresh....it was so peaceful up there & not a bit how I’d imagined...I want to do it again!!! So...I have to tell you all that, just like running, if you think you can’t do it you absolutely can...AND MUST!!! If you ever get a chance take it, I promise you will not regret it...I’ve put a photo on, that’s one of my boys who had absolutely no fear at all, so brave...just leaning on the side when we were at our highest!! One life....live it xxxx
MC
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Brilliant photo, well done for conquering your fear! I am at exactly the same week as you in juju's programme! Maybe we'll graduate together! Hope you have a fantastic run in Carcassonne, very jealous 😆😆
wooooow, love this! Been waiting for this post from you, reporting from up with the eagles 🦅 !! Amazing stuff. I'd be super nervous about it too, I get a bit weird on things like cable cars so I wonder how this would be ...!
Also - I'm as behind as you are! We can bring up the rear of our cohort together, although I'm envious of your location - minus the hunters! Oooh er! Please do stay safe!
It was absolutely stunning icklegui ...I know what you mean though..I like rollercoasters but not if my legs are dangling...and not too high! But this was completely different...so calm & peaceful. I don’t mind bringing up the rear with you!! 😉 x
Wow Bev you did it, well done, sounds amazing. I too am jealous, love Carcassonne. Keep having a wonderful time and maybe run in a park not woodland..lol..bullet in bum..oohh no not good...🤣😀
Hahaha I know, I think that would put me on the IC for a while and I’ve no time for that!! If you ever get a chance to go in a balloon, don’t turn it down, I’m sure you would love it xx
Well Done MC. You are very brave. You have inspired me to seek out a hot air balloon ride. It sounds blissful. There are quite a few of us bringing up the rear so don't worry. I'm off to France next week so will watch out for hunters. There are usually lots of signs like Danger etc so it's not too difficult to avoid them. Only problem is that the pathway can be blocked in the middle of a planned run so a u-turn is needed. I might try to find a beach!
Thanks Hidden , I didn’t feel very brave at first but I did when it was all over! There were a few balloons going up at the same time, a couple of them (not ours) dipped down into the Dordogne then just rose quite quickly vertically...the balloon just goes with the wind, it’s magical...where are you off to in France?? I stuck to the road this morning for safety!! 😉
I’m going camping in la Vendée area, not too far from La Rochelle. The camp site is in a forest and the weather is much cooler so I’m hoping to increase my distance a bit. Enjoy Carcassonne. Never been there 😎
Oh, I love La Rochelle...I stayed in a lovely park a few years ago called Sequoia Parc...we do gites now though..the weather is still hovering around 28/32 degrees down here so it’s slow running for me until I get back to Blighty!! Have a lovely time in France 😉
It’s lovely there isn’t it? I must say I think you’re brave for the balloon ride. A “friend” got me one for a big birthday and I was terrified 😫 especially when he said ‘ oh this is really high’ and he use to be in the parachute regiment! Eeeek 😳😫
But I can do parasailing ok- go figure 🤔
And don’t worry about the 10K thing. It took me two years to do it and I only wanted to because of the bling!
Hahahaha...that’s hilarious!! You bling queen you!! So you did the balloon? Would you do it again??? I would in a breath...but I have lovely photos, it was a real treat...I’m more of a ‘driving experience’ girl who’d have been absolutely chuffed to bits with a spin round a race track so when DaddyCav said about a balloon ride I thought ‘does he really know mean? Seriously??!!’ Me? Up in the air!?!?! But then again me?? Running?? Seriously?? See how things change?!! X
Yes I did do it and no I wouldn't do it again although never say never. My lovely memory is that my dad did it with me and I have photos from the experience (very early morning, no make up, "had" to drink champagne and feeling and looking a bit green 😂😂) Not my best photo 😮
But my dad was fearless and loved it which stays in my memory 😘
Absolutely fabulous. A hot air balloon ride is on my bucket list and that must be a wonderful place to do it. Don’t worry about the running , take a break....
Oh, that sounds AMAZING!! I have always wanted to go up in a hot air ballon...but think I would react exactly like you😮😲massive well done for conquering your fears! As for the running - it is fine to take longer - that 10k isn't going anywhere - it's still out there waiting for you...when you are ready! Good luck!😀
Thanks Sandraj39 ...if you get a chance you should take it...yes, it’s scary at first, the thought that you can’t get off once you set off & you know where you’re going...UP!! But it is well worth the emotions x
Thanks Oldfloss ..I have done something that I NEVER thought I would do...there was lots of adrenaline & fear but every second was worth it...you should give it a go, I KNOW you would love it. Been out this morning & returned safely....I can hear shooting as I’m sat here next to the pool x
Ha ha!! Glad you liked it! I was a bit worried that we hadn't heard anything and you might have fallen out!! So pleased it was everything you wanted it to be - and more by the sounds of it xx
Oh wow! You did it! Brilliant - what an experience! Well done for being so brave, MC. I would have been the same - terrified, but doing it anyway. It is on my list of things to do...
Don’t worry one bit about how long you are taking to do the 10k plan; you are doing it, and that’s the important thing. And you are doing so well! Stay safe my lovely! xxx
Thank you Sadie-runs ..you really need to do it, better to regret the things we’ve done than the things we haven’t done and I don’t regret that one bit!!! I want to do it again!!! Just been out this morning, I could hear shooting in the distance so I stuck to the roads..don’t know which is more dangerous!!! Hope you’re enjoying Bonny Scotland? xx
Yikes! You are an adventurous runner, Bev! But glad to hear you didn’t get shot. Phew. Watch out for them cars, mind. 😘
Bonny Scotland is dreich (rainy and a bit chilly) but Edinburgh so beautiful I don’t care. Had a lovely long walk yesterday (so my sore calf muscles are telling me!) and off to see some comedy shows at the Fringe festival tonight. Just so nice not to be working! xxx
So glad you enjoyed the balloon ride. What an amazing thing to have done. and Carcassonne is on my list of places i most want to see - very tortured country with the Cathars being persecuted and burned at the stake for their spiritual beliefs.
The French hunting season would be hilarious if it wasn't so dodgy. We lived in Brittany many years ago and used to have the hunters across our land. i used to go out and wave my arms and yell: Nous sommes vegetarian. They soon got the message. i don't know what its like in other parts of France, but near us they took potshots at anything that moved,: birds, cows, other people's dogs - so you do well to guard your bum. We had the army with rocket launchers too. I got up one morning to find a bunch of strapping lads in uniform brewing up in our barn.
That's hilarious! I have many friends in France and lived in Normandy a while. Several friends have the 'if it moves, shoot it' mentality. I've had some nervous experiences riding in woods over there because of that. Carcassonne is on my wishlist too. Wondering if you've read Kate Mosse's books set in that area? I loved them.
Loved your post and knew you'd get up there and love it! Well done for conquering your nerves - the only way is up - or perhaps forwards for you now - nearly at 10k. I'm hovering around the 7-8k mark. Am a bit behind after my hols then had to go to Cambridge where I did a 5k instead of the longer run. After a huge session weeding at the allotment yesterday I now have 'weeder's back' as I call it (it's actually glutes & hamstrings too) so I need to do lots of stretching before I run again!
Good luck on your upcoming runs & enjoy the wild boar pâté!
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