My humble efforts today (plus my superwoman sister's GFA at Chester - see pic!)

[Deryn61]

I was supposed to do a 6 mile run yesterday. I had a real carp day. No go in me at all. Slept late. Then lunch with friends but was home by 2.30 so had plenty of time to run. It was a beautiful day. BUT but for the first time since starting running aged 50 last Dec, I couldnt be arsed! Not good.

I told myself I had to get it done early today. Hmm. I slept a bit late again. I then dithered about (watched coverage of the London Triathlon on the very slim chance I might catch a glimpse of my niece who did it as her sprint triathlon debut but no chance, lots of coverage of the "celebs" of course

Finally got out. It was stop start for about 30 mins.The canal path was teeming with cyclists/nasty dogs/dopey owners.

Oh, and there seemed to be a sheep convention going on in the usually empty fields beside the canal! So I had to put Boy the Bedlington terriorist on the lead, so that meant an unsatisfactory running style involving running too fast (=Bedlington terrier pace) punctuated by sudden stops/jerks to the side for Boy to sniff/pee every so often.

Physics question of the day - how can a 9kg terrier exert enough torque to stop a 68kg woman in her stride?

Oy vey.

I did 1.5 miles up the canal, then found that heavy farm machinery had churned the path into a quagmire. Regular readers will know I dont mind a bit of mud/wet but NOT in my best trainers and not with the dog pulling me round. So I decided to run back to the car, where I put Boy in his bed, and then ran a further 1.5 miles up the road instead of the canal path (the road undulates whereas the canal path is flat and I must move out of my comfort zone and do more hill work in readiness for my next challenge, a hilly 10m in late Nov).

I really enjoyed that bit. To think I have spent so many months avoiding being seen running and here I was, choosing to run along the main road!

In the meantime, my wonderful, heroic, inspirational, supportive gorgeous talented big sister Fran was running Chester marathon, (her 8th since taking up running when she was 47) and did it in style, beating her previous PB by 6 minutes, and with a time of 4h 12 has now achieved what she set out to achieve which is a "GOOD FOR AGE" PLACE FOR LONDON 2013!

Ah! How fondly I remember her quote at the end of her very first (London) marathon 4.5 years ago when she asserted "I am never EVER doing another marathon"

I reckon marathons must be like giving birth, at the time you say "never again" but then you forget how much agony and anguish you've been through and sign up again?

(I speak as someone who will never go through either lol!)