Why, hello there!  Sorry July has been so quiet here on the blog.  I am no longer working from home, so am loosing about two hours a day with commuting.  It is nice to be reunited with my colleagues, but the early starts, additional time on the bike, and having to think all day are quite tiring.  And of course, Maple still likes waking up at 4:30am, about 45 minutes before my alarm goes off.  We are working it all out though with the solution usually being an afternoon nap.

We were away for two weekends- one in Bristol to visit in-laws and another in Suffolk for a Field Studies Council (FSC) hostel stay^.  It was nice to spend time outdoors with Maple and James, plus we had some time on the water  with my SUP board too.  Although it is stressful to pack everything up and travel, both trips were quite relaxing.  I even got nine hours of sleep in Suffolk (but that was because we left Maple at home with a friend).  If you follow me on Strava, you can see a few of the walking routes we took and what waters we paddled down.

Last week, I started week one of a 16 week marathon training plan for Athens marathon*.  So much can change between now and then, in terms of travel, quarantine practices, and pandemic infection rates.  I need a race in the diary to get me off the couch and it is working!  Last week was four runs, two physio sessions, a swim, and bike commutes.  It is hard to balance the training, sleep and a limit of 24 hours in a day but I have decided to take the Tube a few days a week to keep my energy levels in check and rest from my training plan.  The build up is slow and after one week, I am so happy to say that so far, my ankles and feet are feeling good.  This is due to the advice and training program that the team at Function360 have given me this year to strengthen and stabilise my body (#gifted sessions. Get 15% off their services using code F360MM15).  I just need to develop discipline to keep with it.

I have a few posts coming up for you soon:

  • big announcement on Friday (come back to see)
  • a reviews of a Covid-19 home antibody test
  • new runner, Matt, tells his story for a big running challenge he did
  • Suffolk weekend away with FSC

Thanks for your patience as I catch up with things.  You can always follow me on Instagram to keep track of what I am up to in real time.  If there is anything in particular you would like to know (training tips, recipes, travel stories), leave a comment below and I will schedule it in.  Have a great week!

^Complimentary stay gifted by Field Studies Council.  Blog post review coming soon.

*Entry to Athens Marathon was gifted by organisers.  Thank you!