BRING ME SUNSHINE !

   I wasn't alone in racing both the Sale 5K on Bank Holiday Monday and the Salford 5K on the following Saturday.  As is my want Sunday morning had me checking both results sheets just to give me some solace knowing that others had run half a minute slower as I had.  The differential wasn't consistent but the majority ran between 20 seconds up to a minute slower.  Notable Sale H. exceptions being Frank C., rapidly recovering from injury, 7 seconds faster and Steve G. who I caught on the track on the Monday who left me for dead from the gun and ran 2 seconds faster.  Well done, Steve.

  I could say that age was a factor in that older runners recovered less well;  but contrary to that theory 79 year old Arthur Walsham  ran in both as expected and actually ran faster on the hillier, windier Heaton Park course.  33.45 then 32.05.
  When I started racing most events were on a Saturday but the long Sunday run of a couple of hours or so would still be completed as a matter of course.   Not so for me nowadays.   Sunday or not, my recovery run was limited to an easy 5 miler in which I threaded through groups of walkers admiring Bluebell Woods in the Middleton area of town. (For more photos see tonyreed69 on flickr).   Well worth the visit, as it is every year at this time.  A fantastic display.
   I won't be boring by mentioning the weather endured on today's 8 steady on the canal.  I won't say that I wish that I'd put my gloves on (!),  I won't moan that I wish that I'd put on a windjacket instead of a gilet
("vest" in U.S.) .   I won't comment on a host of short sleeves hanging in the wardrobe unwanted and forlorn waiting to be worn for the first time this year. But  it wasn't just me, the evening TV newscaster commented that it had snowed on high ground in the Pennines today.   Global warming?  Forecast for overnight is minus 1.   Bring me sunshine......please.....soon!
  Certainly no inclination to push the pace this afternoon;  the 8th mile being the fastest at 8.35.   Much the same tomorrow offroad then back to the track on Wednesday with another race on Sunday.  More on which later but let's just say there will be a few more than 100 in it!