Coffee and Chocolate in Ikea Carpark

The beautiful weather dictated that we must run today, but we were pretty tired and had to pick up some oil for work surfaces at IKEA en route. I had the genius idea that if I got myself some kind of caffeine and sugar fix from the food market that I'd feel a lot better about the run to come. While Peter hurdled the Ikea furniture and storage units, somersaulted the Sunday shoppers and darted in and out between the shopping trolleys, I went to the Bistro at the exit and found a big bar of hazelnut chocolate amongst the smelly fish paste and meatballs, and got us two coffees and retreated to the car.

It worked well. I was still slow as hell on the run but I was in a much better mood. We ran a variation of the Red Moss race again but this time taking in West and East Kip and Scald Law as well. As you do, at the foot of West Kip we decided that we had to run every step - which was tough, and made me work. After that, obviously, we also had to run East Kip because its much easier - and after that it seemed evident that we'd have to run all of Scald Law. This hurt like hell but opened the lungs up and woke up my hill running muscles and made us feel we'd worked.

It was a beautiful day, sunny and still and cool. Peter had left his camera battery at home charging and so cursed every time he saw something nice.

Another hilly 9+ miles. I am quite glad that I'm too busy to run tomorrow because I am knackered.