Weekly Chat 19th to 25th December 🎄: Adeste cursores! ✨🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

[Cmoi]

🎵 O come all ye runners,

Joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, o come ye to this week’s chat.

Come and tell us about your recent running,

Or why you’re on the IC,

Or Christmas preparations,

We don’t mind, please just join in

With our festive chat! 🎵

Season’s greetings VRBs! How’s your running going? Mine’s, err, not. Several days ago I took part in a come-and-sing-as-you please multilingual carol concert in our local basilica. Lots of fun, despite freezing temperatures, and as it turned out, lots of germs! I picked up a heavy cold and cough and haven’t been able to run for over a week. Could be worse though, since outside it’s mostly been freezing fog and icy surfaces!

So I do hope you’ve all escaped the seasonal lurgies and the worst of the weather, and are now looking forward to a wonderful Christmas, or perhaps Hannukah or another holiday you might be celebrating. However busy you might be with the preparations, please do tell us all about your running, your Yuletide festivities, and where running fits into your plans.

And to finish… we hear you’ve been nice, so a little seasonal gift from the HU Elves is on its way. All together now:

🔔🔔 Bingo! Merrily on high

The HU Elves are singing

Bingo! Verily the card

To you soon we’ll be bringing

Full of running challenges and silly things to do

Some old and several new

Created just for you

The season’s finest bingo card

Runs through Xmas and New Year! 🔔🔔

Wishing you all fabulous festive running! 🎄🎊🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️✨🎉

The Marathon Team xxx

🏅 Want a pompom shout-out, or just to see what your HU VRBs are up to? Check out our December events post: healthunlocked.com/marathon...

🏅 Earned a new badge? If you’ve recently reached 10 miles, HM, Metric Marathon, Marathon or Ultra (50K and beyond) here's where to get a new badge to mark your achievement: healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[RunSkippyRun Half Marathon]

Hi Cmoi and happy holidays to you and everyone on the group.

I hope your cold improves quickly and you're able to get out running soon.

Luckily, the seasonal bugs have stayed away and I have been able to get out running. Yesterday was the latest race in a local XC series - very cold and difficult ground (frozen turf is horrible to run on) and a fearful water jump (five foot wide and a couple of foot deep in the middle). Some faster people managed to leap the whole thing but yours truly managed to make a hash and got very wet. Amazed that I got up and managed to get round the rest of the course( although well chilled at the end). Don't know if I feel epic or stupid today! Anyway I expect it is good practice ... practice for what I'm not sure ... but good practice anyway 🤣.

Looking forward to the holiday break. Down to do a 10 miler XC (no water jump!) in early January so will get a longer run or two in prep for that (there's a charity Strava art "rudolf" to do locally which will fit the bill nicely)

Happy running everyone!

after the water jump - wet through on lower half

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to RunSkippyRun]

Thanks RunSkippyRun . Congratulations on that XC run, with such a great photo too, you actually look like you're about to sprint away from that jump!

The elves wish you luck for the Strava art Rudolph... 😉

[nowster Metric Marathon]

♫ Venite ad our Ada's! For dominos.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to nowster]

Pizza on earth 👼🍕

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Good post from you Cmoi, you could have added Hark the Herald Angels RUN, Running Home for Christmas, Running around the Christmas tree or Santa Claus is RUNNING to town, I now have all my preparations, presents and Christmas Tree 🎄 ready and up, if I do get to parkrun this Saturday, weather permitting, I will be running in my reindeer jumper and red Santa 🎅 hat🧢 The freezing weather with the temperature last week no higher than - 3C has now been replaced with very mild weather with a temperature of +12C but of course that brings some rain as well,I wish you a very happy Christmas and a happy running New Year.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks AlMorr . You sound very well-organised, unlike me.

The elves are super-pleased to hear about your parkrun plans and they'd really like a photo!

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Boo to your cold Cmoi, but it sounds a ‘fun’ way to catch it. 🎶🎄Let’s hope it scarpers soon. 🤞I appear to have come out the other side of our multiple concerts unscathed (*touch wood*), so now it’s the home stretch to the big day. Jenny and I will be donning antlers at our Christmas Eve PR on Saturday, but I won’t be doing Christmas Day too. That wouldn’t go down well.

Looking forward to getting stuck into Bingo! What do the elves have in store for us I wonder? 🤔😅

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Glad to hear you've stayed cold-free cheekychipmunks ! Tbh singing the Willcox descant to "Hark! the herald angels sing" in a basilica, in a trio next to someone with a beautiful voice, was wonderful.

The elves have been mixing-and-matching, and the results of their work should be going live within hours!

[Tabbles Half Marathon]

Hi Everyone hope you are all well and rested, and ready for the festive seasons, haven't posted for a while.Run early yesterday, there was a slight crunch underfoot so was taking it very very steady. Especially as mr Garmin recommended recovery time from my club run on Tuesday was over 68 hours. I did run quicker than normal but more at a race pace

Wonderful scenery around the docks which had frozen. I think the poor seagulls were ice skating.

Frozen docks

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Tabbles]

What atmospheric photos Tabbles , thank you. I particularly like the idea of ice-skating seagulls, not so keen on Mr Garmin's running recommendations though!

[Frenc Half Marathon]

Bah humbug to that cold Cmoi and I hope you recover soon. The basilica singing sounds wonderful though, and I hope you have lots of festive treats chez vous to cheer you up. My OH has also had a stinker, and I have absolutely no idea how I haven’t caught it from him.

Running wise, not super exciting really, just little runs to keep me ticking over while my gnarly scar tissue from my September twang improves. I’m just so thankful to be able to run though, and in the meantime I keep drooling over various running things online that I don’t need!

Looking forward to the bingo card! And I have to ask - is that your panda in the photo? 😊😊😊

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Thanks Frenc , and I do hope you're fully recovered from your injury soon. While it's frustrating not to be able to do more, tickover runs are really helpful.

The photo is of a raccoon glove puppet that I rehomed from a Lidl bargain box last year, I think. I really should give him to charity so that a child can enjoy him, just haven't brought myself to part with him yet!

The bingo card is due to land very shortly...

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Looking forward to it! You could use Mr Racoon to keep one of your hands warm on a run - that wouldn’t look too crazy at all would it 😁.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Running with one warm hand and one cold? Utterly ludicrous. 🤣🤣🤣

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Madness! You need a hippo glove puppet for the other hand, obviously 🤣.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Frenc]

Or I could borrow my husband's Border Collie golf club cover! 🤣

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Oh that made me chuckle! You know you want to 🤣.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Frenc]

That's the worrying thing... I wouldn't entirely rule it out! 😉🙃😊🤣

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Nothing like a bit of Christmas choral creativity Cmoi!! After all the fuss over trying to get out this weekend, the ice has retreated but we had high winds…I stuck to a 5k run and about the same walk home(via cafe). I was ridiculously over dressed too! Never mind; I am back in running action!!

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Back in running action sounds good to me.

Another clothing suggestion coming up. I was given a large hardback book, with ruled pages 4 years ago for a particular purpose. I didn't use it for that purpose but made it into my running log. I only use 1 line per run these days. The columns of information recorded over time have varied. For the last year I have included temperature, including the feels like temperature and a column for an abbreviated version of what I was wearing. Then a ✅ if the clothing was right or a suggestion if I was too warm or too cold. May sound mad, but it has been so helpful. 😊

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Thank you. Systematic and organised….just what I would expect from a mathematician 🙂

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

I'm so impressed by your running log over61andstilltrying and the use you make of it.

The closest I ever managed to an activity log was noting how I felt about various YWA videos I'd downloaded. That was fairly helpful, though it took a while to dawn on me that the intelligent thing to do with the ones I hated was simply to delete them. Duh.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

I have an unfortunate habit of writing song parodies Beachcomber66 and this was just too much temptation to resist!

Good that you're back in running action, notwithstanding the weather. It's hard to get clothing right though when the climate's gone crazy - here it was back up to 12° this evening, it was minus 7° a few days ago.

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

🙂 it is good to have at least two resident Bards (Oldfloss too of course)….go for it 👍

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Oldfloss can bring the intellectual input, I'll do the doggerel!

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Cmoi]

You've clearly never read my Twelve Days of Christmas or my Deck the Halls parodies...intellectual..hmmm..I think notHope you feel better soon. I tested positive for Covid on Monday...sneeze central here! Xxx

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Heal quickly Oldfloss 👍

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Oldfloss ! I hope you're fully recovered from Covid very soon and that your Christmas can go ahead as planned.

How come I've missed your carol parodies? Elves shall be sent out to search for them, pronto! xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Cmoi]

Okay!!!

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Cmoi]

At risk of Hijacking your post...

Here we go.... and yes.. it is an ear worm..!

The Runners Carol

**********

See us run past hedges of holly

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

'Tis the season to be jolly

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Don we now our buff and bob hat

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

What do we care, if we get laughed at

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

******

See the hill that's up before us,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Keep on running, join the chorus

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Follow me, we must keep going

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Could be worse. it could be snowing,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

****

Graduation soon is coming,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

What the heck, We'll keep on running

Fa la la la la la la la .. LA!

Yes.. it's bad! Told ya!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

That's not hijacking Oldfloss , that's making a fabulous festive contribution to community spirit! Only thing is, it's set me off again. I blame AlMorr for mentioning Running around the Christmas tree...

Runnin' around the Christmas tree

At the Christmas party hop

Running gear far as the eye can see

Cos these runners never stop

Runnin' around the Christmas tree

As the VRBs all sing

Later we'll raise our pompoms high

And we'll run to get some bling

You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear

Voices singing, "Truly, truly

I’ve had enough of you Julie!"

Runnin' around the Christmas tree

Have a happy holiday

Everyone runnin’ merrily

Thanks to Couch to 5K!

You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear

Voices singing, "Truly, truly

I’ve had enough of you Julie!"

Runnin' around the Christmas tree

Have a happy holiday

Everyone runnin’ merrily

Thanks to Couch to 5K!

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to Cmoi]

We so need to get these in a Running album! Brilliant!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

😁 seems we can’t get enough of Julie 😂

[RunWillie Marathon]

Hi Cmoi & other VRB’s,

Hope you feel better soon Cmoi

6 sleeps to go and excitement is building in our house. We had our Carol service at our church yesterday which left me exhausted today doing my 5 miler. Just 72km to go so nearly there for the annual running goal.

Happy week everyone ❤️🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️

Today’s run 😎

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks  RunWillie , and that photo of your run looks just perfect. You're doing so well with your running, not least with everything else you have on your plate - here's to you reaching your annual goal!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Love the rhymes Cmoi! They would definitely put you in the festive mood!

Like you, I haven't been able to run for a week but my reason is due to the snow and ice not a cold. It seemed to last longer in our village than it did in other villages so we must be on higher ground but it’s gone now and we have high winds instead but at least I can run again 🤗

I went out this morning for a lovely 5K’ish. At least I think it was 5K as my Garmin refused to connect the whole run so I had to guess the distance from previous runs. But all is good.

Christmas-wise I have most jobs done but need to wrap a few presents and write cards for the villagers. Oh, and hang the icicles on the front door. It’s been too icy to do it safely …. I’ve just remembered, I need to collect stuff for my wreath too and make that. I couldn’t collect anything from the garden with all the snow but now I have no excuse…..blimey, what else have I forgotten? 🤔

Have a great week Cmoi and everyone x

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks Irishprincess - or maybe "put you in a festive mood" is an euphemism for "drive you to drink"?!

Must be great to be getting out again, even if Mr Garmin refuses to do his job. I'm hoping to run again in a day or two, still coughing rather too much right now though. Christmas-wise I am an epic failure, though it doesn't much matter as we don't do gifts and very few cards. I have made a cake, which has been marzipanned and given one rough coating of icing. So if all else fails we'll spend the day eating cake and drinking wine from our vineyard trips earlier in the year!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Well, that wouldn’t be a bad Christmas would it? 🍰 🍷

I only ticked one thing off the list yesterday, so have lots to do today!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I haven't even got a Christmas jobs list, though the cake should be getting another layer of icing today!

We usually order a traditional French bûche (Christmas log) too, though so far my husband and I haven't been able to agree on which one. I might add a photo later to show the possibilities!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Yes please!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Just ordered this: Amandine, with crunchy almond and praline layers, red fruit compôte, and white choc mousse.

Plus a salmon and sorrel flaky pastry tart.

Traditional French log-shaped Christmas cake

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

That looks divine 😋 Do you normally eat in all in one sitting? Just asking for a friend …🤔

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

The bûche I've ordered serves four, so in theory will be eaten over a minimum of two days. 😉 I quite often do a Christmas Eve meal that's vaguely French in style, then go more British traditional on Christmas Day. I so need to be fit enough to run again by the weekend otherwise I'll be circular by New Year!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

I find myself eating things at Christmas that I normally wouldn’t eat/drink. For example, I put some sherry in my soup the other day just because there was a bottle sitting there and a dollop of cream and/or brandy in my coffee.

Thank goodness we run!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

That's why I've not bought choccies, they'd just get eaten mindlessly every time we walked past the tin! I'm trying to buy quality, not quantity, and preferably local, but not always succeeding.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I put port in my sausage casserole 🙂. OH was given a bottle but he doesn’t drink it. Neither do I but it’s useful in cooking 😋

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Baking too - cookies with port-soaked cranberries and white choc chunks! 😋

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

I make a leftover mincemeat cake to which I add a good slug of port 😋

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

I love alcohol in food 😍

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

Oh no sorry to hear about the lurgy! 😪I've had a bit of one but it's been quite mild compared to lot of people luckily !I've got my Tuesday club Christmas lights run tomorrow up to a big display that's done for charity , and Weds night a sploshy trail with pub and cheesey chips afterwards . Should be Xmas parkrun Saturday, my 200th! More running than I've done in a while!

Merry Christmas to you all at Health Unlocked! And all my VRBs 🎄🎁🍷🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Thr bingo sounds good will help keep motivated! Xxx

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

Thanks aliboo70 ! 200 parkruns is such an achievement, though I'll confess I prefer the sound of your Christmas lights and sploshy trail runs. The bingo card has just gone up, so enjoy!

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

I’d splosh through pretty much anything if cheesy chips were at the end!

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon]

🤩 wow how creative are you? 👌😀 Love the jingles 😂

I hope you get over that dreadful cough and cold soon. There’s a lot of it out there at the moment. Somehow and so far I’ve managed to avoid everything including the C word. (Touch wood!)

I’m with my son and grandson for Xmas which I’m looking forward to immensely, but I have a training plan that will need slight tweaking in order to enjoy it fully. I.E. I’m definitely going to have a glass or two of wine and eat more than is strictly necessary 🤣

I’m not doing a lot of running at the moment. Mainly because the track has been frozen but I did do a hill sprint session with the club last Thursday. In the meantime I’m working really hard in the gym and at home building leg and core strength so there’s plenty to keep me going.

I’m currently deciding whether to enter the U.K. masters indoor championships 18/19 February. It’s such a long way to go, Brighton to Sheffield, and I may not be ready. I think I’m talking myself out of it tbh. 😅

Anyway, I hope everyone has a lovely Xmas wherever you may be. 🎄 🍷 😃

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Thanks RunBrianRun ! I've always loved playing with words, and seem to be getting dafter the older I get!

Totally endorse your approach to your training plan - if you can't tweak it at Christmas, when can you?

As for the Brighton to Sheffield journey, I knew it very well many years ago, albeit in the reverse direction, for family reasons. It wasn't so much the distance as the awfulness of the roads, which at the time were either busy motorways or very basic trunk roads. I can only imagine things have got worse over the passing decades!

Would be a shame to miss out though on an occasion like the UK indoor masters though if you can sort the logistics and training. Enjoy deciding.

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

Oh that's so clever of you! I'll be singing for the rest of the night Aww I haven't run for a while, work is very busy this time of year with all the Christmas celebrations preparation and making sure everyone has presents from Santa all ready for the big day.

I hav a list as long as my arm for things to do tomorrow my only day off until boxing day, but itching to fit in a short run first

Wishing you the happiest Christmas x

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thanks SueAppleRun . Do hope you managed to get in a run despite all your to-do list - you're so busy, you definitely deserve a wonderful Christmas time!

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles in reply to Cmoi]

Had a lovely run thanks

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Wow very creative Cmoi! 🎵. I hope the cough and cold are not too bad for you. I was dealing with both my mum and dad getting covid in the last couple of weeks. Mum was worse of the two of them. After a hospital visit she is safely home again. As for running I am still trying to get them in but my mileage has dropped a bit. Just got two runs in last week. Pic is from a week or two ago when we got a bit of snow. I’ve signed up for the Toronto marathon in May to help me try to stay on point over the frozen months. Happy running and happy holidays everyone! 🎄 ⛄️

Snowy trail

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Decker]

Thanks Decker . My cough's improving, though I'm playing it safe and still not running. Instead I've taken to doing one-legged squats while cleaning my teeth!

What a worry for you, both parents getting Covid, especially with your Mum's hospitalisation. Delighted she's on the mend, and kudos to you for still managing to run despite everything. Happy marathon training!

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to Cmoi]

Happy your cough is on the mend. One legged squats? You are more coordinated than me!

[Dendev75 Half Marathon]

At the moment I’m only running virtually through people’s posts on here. Like you I’ve picked up a bug two weeks ago and I’m only getting over it. I wouldn’t have run with the icy pavements though to be honest but I feel pretty wiped out.

I’m attempting to run a 5k tonight with my running club as it’s the last one before the big day. I almost can’t wait.

I hope you’re feeling better soon and out there running.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Dendev75]

Get well soon Dendev75 - I hope you were able to do your 5k club run. I'm much better, thanks, just being extra-cautious as I'd really like to say a definitive goodbye to this bug!

[Dendev75 Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

thank you, I got a medal too as it was a festive 5k with my running club 🤩 I did find it hard after feeling rubbish for two weeks though.

First running medal

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Dendev75]

Congratulations, that's a fab festive medal Dendev75 , and it could even double up as a Christmas decoration!

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

Great runny carols! I had a lovely club run round the Christmas lights in Lincoln on Thursday evening, my choir Christmas concert on Friday, then woke up with another stinky cold on Saturday, so gave parkrun a miss. I dragged myself out for the last club run before Xmas last night, then spent about 2 hours coughing ☹️ My son arrived home on Sunday and I did notice he has brought his running shoes, so maybe 🤞There is Boxing Day racing at Market Rasen so I will probably go to one of the other parkruns on Xmas Eve.

Have a wonderful Christmas xx🎄

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Sandie1961]

Thanks Sandie1961 . You're braver than I am - I've still not dared run yet, as I just don't fancy getting some way down the road, having a coughing fit and crawling back home a wreck. Have fun running with your son, at parkrun or elsewhere, et Joyeux Noël ! xx

[misswobble Marathon]

have a great week of running everyone 😀. Make time between jobs to escape. I’m under starter’s orders as I type 🏃‍♀️ As soon as the postie/delivery folks have been I’m off. I’ve got my gear on. Stuff the hoovering 😤

I hope you’re feel better Cmoi 🙂👍

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Love your attitude misswobble ! Stuff the hoovering indeed, it only needs doing again the moment it's been done, unlike a run! I am so bad at housework. I spent two months working in Germany as a chambermaid between my first and second year of university, I'm sure I used up my lifetime's quota of cleaning and tidying then!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

I bet! 😀

I was dog sitting today. So we’ve been pottering about on shorter walks 🙂🐕.

I am running to the shop and back tomorrow to collect a parcel. I went tonight but just missed em 😤 Burnt some calories though

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

Fabulous post! 🤣👍🏻 although I'm wearing my festive hat (now way too warm for the conditions, but hat hair dictates it must stay on!) I'm struggling to feel very festive. Work has gone mental (as it does) and I've been doing very long days but still keeping up the weekly mileages. I'm off after today until next Monday but I seem to have booked loads of stuff in so won't have time to rest/chill or do playful runs until Sat!! Someone has put the world clock on fast forward, where's the pause!? 🤣 oh and the beautiful winter weather is now replaced by wet, mild and windy!! 🙈

Me in my festive hat

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thanks GoGo_JoJo , and that's a beautiful photo. Yes, it must be a super-busy time for you right now, so congratulations on keeping up your running mileage too.

We've suddenly got almost spring-like temperatures here again. 12° forecast for Christmas Day, but possibly snow a couple of days later - so freaky and unsettling.

Bon courage for the Christmas run-up!

[MissUnderstanding Half Marathon]

Absolutely love your runners’ carol! Sorry about your cough-there’s so much doing the rounds at the moment. Hope it’s a quick recovery.

Still on the IC couch here but I’m making moves to get off it. Faceplanted the pavement on outstretched arms almost a fortnight ago. The bruises are shrinking and the grazed have healed. My sore knee is better. The wrist and elbow sprains are a work in progress. I’ve loved getting out for some walks now I can actually tie my own shoelaces (!!). I’ve starting a bit of lower body strength stuff. I think this week might be the one to try a very low key run, as long as the weather plays nicely. Can’t wait!

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thanks MissUnderstanding . So much sympathy re your faceplant, and it's really good news that you're healing. Here's to you getting out there and running safely and happily again very soon. Btw, did the offending drain cover, or whatever it was, get fixed? Hope so - natural trip hazards like tree roots are one thing, badly maintained pavements and street furniture another!

[MissUnderstanding Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Thanks for the well wishes! Definitely getting there now. Phew!

I need to check out the drain cover in the light and see. At the moment, I’m still not driving but it may well need reporting. I hadn’t considered that-thanks for the suggestion. Wouldn’t want anyone else to fall.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Glad you're getting better 👍😀 and yes, if that cover's creating a danger, definitely report it.

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon]

Hello Cmoi,

Thank you for hosting and Happy Christmas to you and all here.

Very pleased to have reach my first 10km for 8 months since flare up of my knee problems and nearly ran my first Garmin Challenge with both cheekychipmunks and Beachcomber66 , but weather conditions stopped play for Beachcomber. Although it, according to Garmin was a sub zero run, it had been so dry that there was no ice. It was lovely. I limited myself to only one photo wanting to get back to breakfast with my husband. With 240m elevation it was going to take a good while.

Frosty view with sun rising

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Sun shining on a new 10k plus era …..you are back, and renamed >61andsucceeding! Have a great Christmas.🙂🥂

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thank you Beachcomber for your confidence, but I know my knee is no longer a normal knee, but I shall endeavour to enjoy what I can. One physio thought the April problem was because I have irritated my meniscus tear, the other thinks the problem is my arthritis. Whichever it is I don't have the confidence in my body that I once had. Such it is. Happy Christmas to you too. 🎄🥂😊🏃🏻‍♂️

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

All about making the most of what we can do on the day, and being happy with that I agree.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Bon courage to you over61andstilltrying ! 👍😀

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Really well done over61andstilltrying , and what an inspiring photo too - definitely makes me want to get out there to run. I love conditions like that, though I'd be infinitely more likely to run at sunset than sunrise!

[over61andstilltrying Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Thank you Cmoi. We are all so different aren't we? I'm a morning person and my husband is a night person. It was beautiful out that morning. 😊

I do hope that you cold and cough are better now and Happy Christmas to you.

😊🥂🎄🏃🏻‍♀️

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to over61andstilltrying]

I'm definitely better today, thanks, just coughing a bit too much to dare run. Hopefully I'll get out tomorrow or Friday. Joyeux Noël !

[Tabbles Half Marathon]

A bit of Strava Christmas art from my running club on Tuesday. PS it is a robin.

Robin Strava art

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Tabbles]

That's a seriously cute robin Tabbles ! Maybe best not introduce it to my one-and-only piece of Strava art though - a 🐱!

[Tabbles Half Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

I am am a Cat person , I have had a couple of accidental pieces of Strava art. Must see if I can plot a cat.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Tabbles]

My cat was completely accidental! It's about 10-12k, depending on exactly what happens around its paws and tail 😄

[Frenc Half Marathon in reply to Tabbles]

Very clever Tabbles !

[Tabbles Half Marathon in reply to Frenc]

I can take any of the credit, the run leader did it from memory. It may have been the 3rd week running but I was impressed she didnt need to refer to a map.