Last night was the Stitch and Bitch (Knit club) Christmas party. Will and PoshTater cooked us an AMAZING vegetarian feast!

We all went home with Secret Santa wool and a challenge to show our resultant creations at the next mtg in the new Year.

Really a fun group, left to right - Nicola, Mary, Sue, Niki, me, Danielle, Lauren, Zarich, Will and Elizabeth.

Oh yeah, and Parsnip the dog!

Running with wolves! New Moon fever has hit London and I admit I've been delving into the paranormal/vampire/werewolf genre for the first time since my SISTER, Linnie got me interested in reading Twilight. We were sharing a room while visiting my Mom and she wouldn't stop reading and turn out the light! So hundreds of hours later after consuming vapid but best escapism reading and audiobooks, I'm really excited to see New Moon. Billy ridicules my shallow literary taste, but agreed to a make a fantasy photo. Only daughter Ali will go see the film with me. Sunday 5pm.. counting down...

Today was the first really cool day and until the wind takes the leaves away - the woods are absolutely spectacular.

But I need to pick a spring race, something to motivate me to push. I find myself walking, almost absentmindedly, when out with the dog without a training plan to follow. I guess its OK to have a bit of down time, but I don't want lose my hard-earned fitness base.

Had Ali home on a whirlwind tour last week during her half-term break from teaching. She was exhausted, but is enjoying teaching - at least most classes. I don't know how she gets through the day - I'm just not that patient.

Ali and Boo carved pumpkins, but we had no Halloween trick-or-treaters on our dark lane. Just as well, as I'd have had to give them granola bars since I resisted buying candy.

'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride.'

Well, with no firm race plans in sight, I've slipped a bit in the diet and fitness motivation... running really doesn't sound that great after a pub lunch. What did Bruno say, "I'm committing carbicide!" Yep, pancakes for breakfast with the kids today, ice cream on the menu after dinner. I'm giving myself until Monday morning to enjoy the ride - then I'll agonizingly try to lose the weight I can gain with astounding speed. Cheers!

It was a dark and stormy night, no make that day...

As the 10k runners waited in the pouring rain for the half marathoners to get to us, we wondered what we'd gotten ourselves into.... That cosy pub just opposite the lock was looking pretty good.

But after "wrong-way" Chopper found his way back on the tow-path after the closed section, they finally arrived (with an extra mile in the clock!). Fuelled with bananas and cereal bars, they were ready to set off again.Phil from Runcast.tv made a great video of the run.



Tactical error, as I was cold waiting, but neglected to leave my two coats with husband Bill before we started, so I had to carry them as soon as I warmed up (you'd think I'd never run before!) Nelly the dog was ready to go, and son Nick stopped grumbling...

It was more of a group run than a race, with cameramen moving through the group while most of us were chatting and waiting for stragglers every couple of miles - and Steve provided tourist commentary when we got into the historic Oxford colleges. (and made us run two loops around the treacherous cobblestone "camera" for filming video!)

Then we made the last stretch into the Stadium where Roger Bannister ran the first under 4 minute mile. It was my first time running on a track! I didn't make in anywhere near 4 minutes, but the race metals that Steve passed out made us all feel like winners! Thanks Steve!

Walking around Oxford in the afternoon we finally got that beer and sunshine... ahh!

I totalled Billy's Honda today. Pretty shaken up, thank God I was wearing a seat belt. It just happened so fast - probably my fault, but I really can't explain the lapse. Mostly I'm just incredibly thankful that no one was injured in the car I rear-ended!

The Honda's locked in the recovery yard now, we'll probably never see it again. It isn't as bad as this photo, but I'm sure our insurance will say that it's not worth repairing all the damage.

The little to-do tasks and niggling worries that were churning in my brain (& probably contributed to my lack of concentration) vaporised with the shock of impact and the horror of what-ifs after the accident. I'm not sure I trust myself to get behind a wheel again, yet I don't know if I could bear the lack of independence. Could I really just walk or run or ride my bike, beg rides or take public transport from now on? Whew... need to think about it.

Chalfont St Giles 10k
Nick, Nelly and I ran in our little village fair 10k today. It was sunny and pretty hot (65 degrees) for Nelly in her fur coat, but I carried a bottle of water just for her. Nick ran with me (and kept me running up the hills) for the first 5K and then blasted off on his own for the second. I improved my time from two years ago by 8 minutes! (58:04 on my garmin which I stopped for the water stop as Nelly needed a break)
There was a pretty good set of hills in the first half, but the second was a nice easy drop along the Misbourne river. Nick whined (" I hate running!"),as usual, on the way down to the start and about his late night and dehydration, but admitted after the run that he enjoyed it and was now looking forward to the Oxford Spires 10k we're running in 5 weeks for the World Wide Festival of Races. And I promised to vacuum all the dog fur out of the back of his car.