It has felt almost apocalyptic recently. One of the four horseman is riding down our streets... I have done a little bit of stocking up, loathe to give in to panic buying but putting an extra bag of bread flour in the basket, and so on, just in case... I bought a cast iron Dutch oven, so my son and I can pass a bit of time away kneading and proofing and baking. Oh yes, and bought a jigsaw... I have been browsing treadmills but they are expensive! And big!
I lobbed the bike in the car so my son and I could do our usual ride & run after school. The shorter runs are getting longer - 4K definitely isn’t sprintable, or even interval-friendly on a tired day. I had a headache but thought a run might clear my head; it did, temporarily, but there was an unusual heaviness of leg and my breathing was laboured.
The upside of today is that I am really looking forward to embracing the slow long run again. These quicker runs are so hard. I nearly broke myself doing the second K in 5’42”. The third and fourth K were painful. As much as I tried to slow down and recover, it was like my bearings were damaged and I was incapable of adjusting gear. I gritted my teeth and ran hard the last 80 metres, just for a bit more suffering.
On the way home I had a call from my son’s father, a medic. He has today developed the classic symptoms of COVID19, with fever and a persistent cough. He feels a bit rough but in control. Our son was with him all weekend and although not exhibiting any symptoms, we need to self-isolate for 14 days in line with government guidance.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the speed of it did somehow. One phone call and that was it. The turn of the key in the lock when we were in the house made a somber ‘clunk’.
The neighbours have been lovely, offering pasta and sympathy. We are allowed out to exercise, apparently, and are fortunate enough to live on a private estate with acres of fields, woodland and tracks, so I hope we will walk (or run) every day, at a safe distance from our neighbours.
My son is over the moon that he won’t be at school for at least a month, what with the Easter holidays coming up.
My work is closing too - we offer non-essential services to older and vulnerable people in care settings. Who knows what will happen financially, what with statutory sick pay and rent to pay...
Worrying times, my friends. But we made it to the quarter finals 😊
Short, sweet and hot hot hot 🥵 
