Catch up

It feels like I've been playing catch up with everything since coming back from the Olympics...and writing blogs has just slipped out of the net! I can't believe it's been nearly 2 months since my last post! So what's been happening...lots of training (running and strength work), lots of work, lots of reading, lots of blackberry picking and jelly/jam/chutney/sauce making, just lots of stuff. The blackberry picking was brilliant - I still have about 2.5kg in the freezer for use later and lots of jars of various delights to sample once they've matured.

blackberries starting to simmer

blackberry jelly being jarred up!

I've also made red onion chutney that should be matured enough to tuck into over the festive Christmas period...along with our jointly made blackberry vodka, gin and whiskey. After dabbling with blackberry vodka last year we realised we'd not made anywhere near enough to last until this year...so we've remedied that this year, and some. The pantry is well stocked.

My running is going well. I'm still following a training programme designed to build up my endurance and I am currently enjoying a recovery week. I was amazed to look at my stats the other day and see that I've totted up 1,160km, ascended 26,292m (that was the shocking one for me) and spent about 160hrs out running. I've never really stuck at running so consistently before moving to Glossop so seeing some facts like that has helped me realise I have achieved quite a bit. My last long run was on Saturday - a lovely 24km route on Derwent edge and around the reservoirs. Good to see the water flowing over the dam walls, a true reflection of the wet weather we've had.

So what is coming up in the next few months...I have another month of building my fitness which is going to include specific hill training. I'm torn between looking forward to getting better at ascending and fear of the pain that it will bring in the short term. There's a few events coming up for work but those will be written about over on the Global Therapies blog.