Re-sprung

Wake at 6:30am to bright sunshine and clear blue skies, already the garden and the fields are steaming in the sun. Make cream cheese and fresh chives on rye toast with black coffee for breakfast and then drive to Cherry Burton, only to be told that Sarah has taken Louis to school. So take the dogs out a little earlier, it is very pleasant this morning, and with the extra time, take the dogs round the loop past the golf club. The May is not out yet but will be in a day or so, but the wild apple trees on the railway line are in full blossom. At the Golf Club Dolly decides to throw a wobbler and runs across the road, I manage to get her back in one piece. As we walk down main street from the Malton Road, the field to our left is a picture of the pastoral idyll. Lambs are playing in small groups or gathered around their mothers.
After tea and biscuits in the garden, drive to the Leisure Centre and run to the "Millenium Orchard" down Shepherds Lane. The run is about 10k and takes just over the hour, I feel smooth and fluent, my legs fresh from not having run for almost three weeks. It's too wet to run off road and so find a route on roads and pavements but away from major traffic, focussing on running tall and relaxed, whilst counting my breaths. Afterwards warm down on the exercise bike and a swim a few lengths in the pool. What a change from yesterday.

The Swimathon

Wake at 6:30 to pouring rain and high winds, a pigeon has taken residence in the garden and he's pottering about on the lawn looking for food, the gusty winds are ruffling his feathers. He's a big, grey, handsome chap with a white ring around his neck. Usually he sits on the garden shed. Breakfast is rye toast and honey with black Italian coffee, the broadband is playing up again, the only downside of living in the country, so yesterday's blog is late going up, though I don't believe anyone reads them. After washing, dress in my trunks and pull on a track suit over them, grab a cagoule and hat against the rain, and drive to the pool for half past eight. Everything is a bit chaotic, but eventually I find myself in lane two with five other swimmers, all women. In fact out of sixty charity swimmers only eight of us are men. Eventually we set off about twenty minutes late at 9:20 and an hour later it is all over. I have swum faster than expected, perhaps because of needing to sprint every three or four lengths to get past the ladies who ended up bunched in a group. After changing, pick up Leslie and drive to Caffe Nero for coffee and pain au chocolat and our usual chat. On the way home pick up a bottle of Hock and some apple sauce for my roast pork lunch that I prepared last night. When I get in meditate for a long while, letting all the tension out of the muscles and then reflecting on the experience. Creating deadlines for oneself is not very zen, but helping others is. Generally speaking the less "i" there is in our lives, the more content we are. After lunch, lie down and listen to the wind and rain for a while, before falling asleep. When I awake it's six o'clock, the wind and rain have eased, and I make tea and read in the garden room. Perhaps tomorrow might be a running day?

The Rest Day

My body knows it has to rest and doesn't wake up until eight. Outside it's dry but overcast, but nothing ever deters the rabbits! Breakfast is the full English, with Cumberland sausage that I bought on "special offer", and then found out they weren't at the check out. Still they were very nice and after breakfast and a shower, made my way into town to meet friends for coffee at the "Poppy Seed". Felicity never arrived and we were worried as she hasn't been well, but it transpired that she had simply fallen asleep in the armchair after walking the dogs. Later wandered around the market saying hello to people, everyone commenting on how cold and wet April has been. Returned home with my shopping and listened to Hull lose to West Ham 2:1 in the last match of the season as I prepared lunch. I have roasted a joint of pork with roast winter vegetables, potatoes and sprouts, which are steamed, " al dente", in the microwave. Lunch is served with the last glass of Hock from a bottle in the fridge, the sweetness of the wine perfectly complementing the pork. Slice some more pork and cover this and the remaining roast vegetables , with cling film before storing it in the fridge for lunch after the Swimathon tomorrow. In the evening, after mass, read a book about Leonardo Da Vinci by Javier Sierra until bedtime.

Gambler's Luck

Woke to another wet morning, but no rush today as there are no taxi or dog walking duties. Made a full English breakfast and sit in my dressing gown as I eat it listening to the news. On my second cup of coffee Sarah texts asking me to taxi Louis, she is still ill, and it's already eight o'clock. Quick electric shave, wash and brush my teeth and out the door dressed for ten past. Louis is still upset because he hasn't seen his mum since Sunday, but a hug and a promise she will collect him tonight and he soldiers on. After dropping him at school, return home and do some chores before heading to the pool for ten. The pool is busy, but I find a space to swim on the other side of a lane rope. Today's training session is a repeat of yesterday, but my muscles are responding and it seems easier. Still breathing every two strokes, and remarkably holding to 13 strokes per length for the first two 500m sets and 14 strokes for the last three. Out of curiosity I time the fourth set and it is taking me 38 seconds per length. Without breaks for water that would be 62 minutes dead for 100 lengths, but allowing for breaks and other swimmers in the lane with me, it will probably be between 65 and 70 minutes. I'm also relieved that the compressed, heavier than usual training, hasn't caused any other problems. I know that I've been gambling a bit with my health in order to prepare for the Swimathon. Nothing left to do now but rest up until Sunday.

Left, Right, Left

It is raining when the curtains are drawn, the trees and plants are loving all this rain. My rhubarb seems to have grown six inches since Monday! Make cream cheese and smoked salmon on rye toast for breakfast again, the salmon had to be used before it went off. Sit and watch the rain whilst eating breakfast, there is something soothing in simply watching the patter of raindrops on the path. After washing and dressing in my rain gear, drive to Cherry and take Louis to school, Alice is there as well, as my daughter Sarah is down with a stomach bug. Later just walk the dogs round the village in the rain, stopping now and then to gather the "treasure" they lay and deposit it in the next available waste bin. The cherry and the apple trees are full of blossom and the new leaves on the beech and chestnut seem almost luminous in this dull light. Unfortunately it is beyond my powers to capture this on my camera phone, but the colours are transcendentally beautiful.
As it's a shorter walk than usual I arrive poolside for ten, there are several lanes roped off and the one marked, "fast lane", is free. I used to be fast once upon a time, and as everyone else in the pool seems slower than me today, decide to use it and yield it later if some flying youngster joins the lane! After yesterday's revelation of having to swim with at least four to a lane on Sunday, decide to practise two stroke breathing today and to balance the muscle use by breathing alternately left for the first 20 lengths and then right on the next 20 lengths, etc. etc. As I'm planning to swim 100 lengths freestyle this morning, the last 20 lengths will be swum breathing left for the first ten and right for the last ten. This way 50 lengths will be completed breathing to left and right. To my surprise the first four lengths hold to thirteen strokes, but this then climbs to fourteen, it's much easier breathing every second stroke, as you get a third more oxygen, and I will need that in a crowded lane on Sunday. Today my luck holds, no fast swimmers enter the lane, and I am able to complete the session undisturbed. I also find, that by throwing in one three stroke breathing pattern per length, that my last breath is just before the tumble turn. This makes the turns much more comfortable, however it will depend on the competence of the other swimmers in the lane on Sunday, if they can't tumble turn it is unlikely to be safe for me to do so. These are issues to be resolved on the day, for now, considering the illness, things are going as well as can be expected. There is just one training day left tomorrow, as I shall rest on Saturday before Sunday's event.

Three strokes or two?

Wake at 6:30 am feeling a little tired, but put it down to yesterday's exertions. It's a dry morning outside with a pale sun rising to the east. Make a full English breakfast with the usual coffee and eat this in the garden room whilst the day develops outside. The rabbits and the pheasants are in the field as usual. The hen pheasant's eggs will be hatching soon and I have developed an affection for her and her mate. As always affection is linked to concern, as the village cats stalk the hedges at night, as well as the usual more legitimate country predators. After breakfast, wash, dress and take Louis to school. The car radio forecasts heavy rain by late morning, so I pack a cap and a cagoule into a bumbag, before taking the dogs for their walk. It comes on to rain as we walk down the disused railway line and I put on the wet weather gear, but fortunately it is only a light shower, and we get back dry. Afterwards drive to the leisure centre and arrive poolside about a quarter to eleven. The pool is busier today and a lane to myself is not possible, so wait for a gap and push off. As I mentioned yesterday the thirteen stroke to a length pattern is the most economical for me, and as there are a hundred lengths to swim on Sunday, both stamina and economy are required. This pattern is a delicate balance because breathing every three strokes means only five breaths per length, and at long distance pace, this means one breath every seven seconds. As yesterday I swim 100 lengths broken into 20 length repeats. The first and last to the 13 stroke pattern, but the middle two to a 15 stroke pattern breathing every 2 strokes, as the lane gets more crowded and extra effort is needed to navigate around other swimmers. Nevertheless the objective is achieved and another training session is in the locker for Sunday. Later, in the cafe over tea, the centre manager tells me there are sixty swimmers taking part in the Swimathon, and that there are likely to be four swimmers per lane. So it looks like 2 stroke breathing and lots of patience may be the order of the day. As forecast it is now raining heavily but I feel OK.

A little more like zen

This morning the sun shines as the curtains are drawn and the bedroom window opened to let in the cool fragrance of the country air. In the garden a blackbird splashes in the birdbath and the cock pheasant and his wife stroll between the rabbits in the field beyond. On such a spring morning it is good to be alive. Health is such a precious and often precarious gift. Breakfast is cream cheese and smoked salmon on rye toast with a hint of lemon juice and cracked black pepper. The food and the aroma of the filter coffee assault my senses, now at last, freed from the taste of catarrh. Wash and dress and then drive to Cherry Burton to take Louis to school. He has had a bath this morning and his skin and hair shine with health. After dropping him off, walk the dogs down the Hudson Way, the weather remains bright and dry but there is a cool wind. The hawthorn trees are almost ready to blossom, another week at the most, and the hedges are alive with birdsong. Oh to be in England now that spring is here. Walking back to Cherry resolve to mow the lawns for my wife if it stays dry, and hope to still have enough energy to swim afterwards.
It stays dry, the lawns are mowed, and I arrive at the pool at eleven thirty still strong enough to train. In the pool some lanes have been roped off and one, designated the fast lane, has only one other swimmer, who leaves as I climb in. This looks like one of those days when all the traffic lights turn green! Nevertheless with only four days left to train and recover some condition before the Swimathon, I resolve to use the good fortune to best effect. This means concentrating on maintaining my thirteen stroke bilateral breathing pattern, but to ensure I don't become too tired, decide to break the swim into a series of 500m repeats, (20 lengths). This will allow me to take on water and clear any deep phlegm loosened by the exercise from my recent illness. The plan works well and the thirteen stroke pattern is maintained for 1800m, only on the last eight lengths of the fourth 500m repitition, does the stroke count slip to fourteen. Unlike yesterday, my lungs are sufficiently clear that it is possible to still hold the tumble turn without too much discomfort. The training is also much more fluent today and there were no distractions. The work completed, swum a further twenty lengths for fun, in a mixture of strokes. Some days conditions are good other days not so good. One learns to enjoy the good and endure the bad, in any event they change and pass away of their own accord.

A spluttering start

Woke early, about six, and found another dry but cloudy morning outside. Made a pot of black coffee and then a full English breakfast, by the time I have ferried Louis to school and taken the dogs for their walk, four hours will have passed before my swim. I feel OK again, but this is the last of my seven days of antibiotics, and whilst there is still some phlegm and congestion the sputum is clear. I will have a better idea of how I am once in the water. The morning passes uneventfully, and arrive poolside for 10:40, there are no schools in but the pool is quite busy. In the last three lanes people are swimming laps, probably, like me, preparing for the Swimathon. One leaves and I replace him in the lane and push off immediately before someone else seizes the opportunity. Decide as I swim down the first length to adopt the same pace and style that I plan to use for Sunday's swim and see how it goes. Swimming front crawl and breathing bilaterally, (every three strokes), is normally my most efficient technique. Taking 13 strokes to the length means that my last breath of the length occurs on the twelfth stroke, one stroke before my tumble turn. At first, feel short of breath and tight in the chest, but hope that this will ease as the warm up phase progresses. It does, a little, but the effects of ten days illness and lack of exercise are also apparent. Using meditation techniques I consciously relax and focus on the stroke and decide to swim forty lengths before stopping for a drink. The swimmer to my right is causing some problems as she is wandering into my lane from time to time and my concentration keeps being broken by this. However, it's likely that I will be sharing a lane with several other swimmers on Sunday, so it's something I shall have to live with. The good news is that after twenty lengths my chest and airways have loosened but the bad news is that my stroke count has climbed to fourteen. My muscles have weakened whilst I've been laid up and I try to maintain the same breathing pattern but the extra stroke plus the tumble turn, dolphin kick and glide, mean that I'm gasping for air by the time I surface. Eventually I'm forced to adjust by taking an extra breath before the turn and this means increasing the stroke count to fifteen. After thirty lengths have to stop, as a coughing fit is brought on as some deep phlegm is loosened off. Take advantage of the break to take on water, then resume swimming for another thirty lengths of freestyle. It's OK but not fluent, after another drink swim ten lengths easy backstroke and feel better and then finish on ten lengths front crawl. Eighty lengths in total in just under the hour, thirty years ago that would have been under the half hour. Still, can't complain, whilst it wasn't smooth, I wasn't particularly tired either. If my health holds, and I swim every day, rather than running alternate days, it should be OK come Sunday.

Catch up Sunday

Woke early, at about quarter past six and after pulling back the curtains, throw open the bedroom window, it is dry outside and a pale sun shines from a cloudy sky. The rabbits are playing in the field and a gorgeously plumed pheasant is watching me from over the hedge. I feel OK and after putting on my dressing gown and slippers, hang the damp shirts from yesterday back on the line to dry, before making breakfast. Fancying a change from the full English, just make rye toast and honey with the usual black coffee, whilst listening to the news on the World service. After showering and dressing, I just have time to read the gas and electricity meters, to download to British Gas, before driving to Saint John's for 9 O'clock mass. After the service I pick up my old friend Leslie from Molescroft and drive to Caffe Nero in Saturday Market. We didn't meet last week as the bronchitis had laid me low, so we had much to discuss before later dropping him back home. Before I left he very kindly wrote me a cheque for £25 for the Marie Curie swim, this takes the total to £115, less than I had planned, but there is still a week to go. Back home my shirts are dry and the sun is shining, so take advantage of the weather and my returning health, by giving the place a clean through, vacuum cleaning the carpets and washing the floors in the kitchen and bathroom. This done I strip the bed and put on a fresh white linen duvet cover and clean sheet and pillowcases. I need new flowering plants for the Garden Room, but Sunday is a bad day for plant shopping as everywhere is crowded and prices are at their highest. It also begins to rain heavily, so Eat the last of the beef casserole for lunch. Afterwards put the used bedding in the washing machine and hope for a few hours of dry weather to hang it out tomorrow. Later Meditate for about an hour and then set too to make lunch for tomorrow, a hotpot of minced lamb with onion gravy, laid between alternate layers of sliced potato, swede and carrot. A sort of Yorkshire Mousaka but without the aubergines and tomatoes! After washing and drying the shirts, find there is a backlog of fifteen to iron, not my favourite pastime, even when practising mindfulness. Manage to get through about half of them whilst listening to an audio book of Mark Twain's experiences on the Mississippi river. Another day of good health and the house will be back in some sort of order, it's good to feel well again. I make smoked cheese and tomato sandwiches on rye, and then settle down with a book until bedtime.

The slow road back

Lie in until 7:30, no dogs to walk or taxi duties, a day left to my own devices. Outside it's dry but overcast, nevertheless I take the opportunity to hang ten days of washed vests and pants on the line before making breakfast. The lawns are in need of a mow because of all the rain and my inattention during illness, if it stays dry for a few hours it may be possible to cut them later. After breakfast and a shower drive into town and park outside the bike shop down Norwood before walking the half mile to the Poppy Seed cafe. It's impossible to park in Beverley on Market day. At the cafe meet up with some friends and sign them up for my sponsored swim on April 29th, another £30 towards the total! Afterwards potter about the market and the town, but only buy a loaf of rye bread from the Ukrainian bread stall. Dark clouds are gathering so head home to get my washing in and, with luck, mow the lawns. Manage to achieve both accompanied by spots of rain, but then the clouds blow over and I hang out a line of shirts before eating lunch sat in the garden. A beef casserole that was popped in the slow cooker yesterday. Then suddenly, I run out of steam, rest, then meditate before listening to Hull v Forest on the radio. As I do the heavens open and my shirts get a second rinse. Hull win 2:1 but I decide against pushing my luck with a swim as I am still coughing up phlegm and my energy levels are still not 100 percent. Make smoked cheese and oat crackers for tea and then read until bedtime. Recovery is proving slow.

A brighter day

At last, the antibiotics have really kicked in and although I still have a cough and some phlegm, my energy levels are much improved. No taxi duties today, so took the dogs on the Westwood in Beverley for a change, we parked on Newbald Road opposite an area of woodland known as Newbegin Pits, so called because chalk used to be quarried by hand here. You can still see the depressions left by the quarrying, but that was hundreds of years ago and the land is now a mixture of deciduous woodland and meadows. The kids call the meadow "Telly Tubby Land", because here the chalk mining left mounds that are almost round and now fully grassed over. The going underfoot is soggy but all the trees except the ash are in leaf now and the birds are singing their heads off. After a short while we pass a fallen tree that I made a fairy story about for Louis, in the story a wizard is turned into a dragon by a wicked witch called Griselda. The tree looks quite like a large monitor lizard and we call it Louis' dragon. It helps that it's not raining today, so we take our time walking round our circuit of a couple of miles. The dogs are able to stretch their legs and socialise with other dogs as they form temporary packs and scamper about. After taking them home I call on an elderly friend to drop off some large print books and then spend a happy couple of hours just pottering about the town. After returning home, meditate for a while and then make a start on all the chores that have been put off by illness. If the improvement continues I may try a gentle swim tomorrow.

More April showers

It feels like one step forward one step back, today I don't feel too good. Breakfast on rye toast and honey with the usual black coffee. Outside it's raining again and I suspect the damp cold weather isn't helping much either. Shower and dress and then take Louis to school, we are counting the days to his 5th birthday, 50 days to go, and still counting! After delivering him safely to St Mary's, return to Cherry and take the dogs round the village in the rain. The blossom is out on the trees and even in the wet they are beautiful, we stop here and there so the dogs can have a toilet break, and I wrap the treasure in kitchen roll and place it in one of the strategically placed bins. If I feel better tomorrow we will venture farther afield. As we pass by the pond half a dozen tiny little ducklings are scooting across the water, new life is arriving everywhere. After taking the dogs home, do a little shopping but feel very tired at the check out and am glad to get home. Lunch on Camembert and bread and then sleep the whole afternoon. This may take longer than I'd hoped.

Turning the corner

Wake up this morning a few minutes before the six thirty alarm, and don't know if I'm feeling better or not. After a stretch, get up and make some rye toast and some Italian filter coffee, before checking the fridge and finding some Parma ham that I decide will go nicely with cream cheese on my toast. Certainly don't feel better than yesterday, but decide that I'm no worse either, so that's at least positive. Outside it is dry with a pale sun just breaking through the clouds that lie above the fields to the east. Heavy rain is forecast by late morning. Shower, dress and drive to Cherry and take Louis to school, we chat about the summer weather that we hope will be here for the May Day bank holiday and we provisionally arrange to see the pirate caves at North Landing on Flamborough Head. After dropping him off, I retrace my steps to Cherry Burton and swap cars to take the dogs on the Hudson Way. They didn't get out yesterday and are desperate to get off the lead, it is still dry but heavy rain clouds are banking high towards Market Weighton, a few miles to the west. With luck we may get back before the weather breaks. Everything goes well until we are nearly back to the car and it's time to call Teddy back to the lead. Suddenly he shoots off after a rabbit along a hedge that lies at right angles to the track, and that leads to the farm about half a mile away. And that's it for over an hour, he catches the rabbit and every time I approach him, he picks it up and runs off just beyond reach. Of course the rain arrives on cue in great squally sheets, whipped along by a cold westerly wind, but fortunately I'm dressed in anticipation of the wet. Eventually Teddy returns looking like a drowned rat and probably wondering whether I had enjoyed the "rabbit game"! After taking the dogs back I drive to Beverley and thaw out in Rolando's cafe over strong tea and a buttered scone. Decide I must be feeling at least a little better as Teddy's antics would have had me on my knees yesterday.
I am back home in the warm again now and enjoying looking through the rain spattered patio doors at the sodden weather outside and trying to decide whether to make a meat pie for dinner. It's that kind of day!

Doctor, doctor

Wake at 6:30am to the alarm, outside it is raining heavily and I still feel terrible. Make cream cheese with fresh chives on rye toast for breakfast, with black coffee as usual. Later shower and dress to go to pick up Louis from Cherry Burton and decide it is time to see the doctor, so phone and make an appointment for 10:40am. Louis is happy to be seeing his friends at St. Mary's again and has smuggled his new Nintendo DS past his Nana. His teacher, Miss Hart, admires it when we arrive at school and then hands it to my safe keeping. After dropping him off make my way to Morrison's cafe and read the Guardian and drink tea until it is time for my appointment. The doctor's surgery is packed but I only have to wait a few minutes before seeing Dr. Martin, who confirms acute bronchitis and prescribes a seven day course of chlorethromycin. I take one tablet immediately and then drive home where I make a batch of oatmeal sultana biscuits. The rain has stopped and the sun is shining, so make a ham and tomato sandwich and a pot of tea and take this into the garden with my paper and enjoy the sunshine. Perhaps it's the weather, it surely can't be the antibiotics after only an hour, but suddenly I am starting to feel better. After lunch, I read for an hour and then meditate for an hour. Outside it is still sunny and in the field the rabbits are still playing tag. Hopefully my health has taken a turn for the better. Perhaps the Swimathon on the 29th might still be possible?

Bumping along the bottom

Woke this morning still feeling ill, but after eating some soft boiled eggs and rye soldiers, showered and dressed and felt a little better. Drove to Cherry Burton and ferried the dogs to the Hudson Way in Pip's micra, and then let them off the lead one at a time as I walked slowly up the path and then back. About 3/4 of a mile each way. Today is the best day of the week according to the forecast, it's sunny and dry but the cold wind is still keeping the temperature down. The turn around point is where a farm track intersects the old railway line and I would like to sit on the grass in the sun and enjoy the view over Etton Wold to South Dalton church, but the grass is sodden with all the rain, so just linger there for a few minutes. I have the line to myself this morning until two women on horseback come riding by. When I take the dogs home feel done in but have agreed to fill up the micra at Morrisons, and whilst I'm there top up with two more loaves of rye bread. On my way back to Tickton stop off at the library and change my books, WG Sebold's Austerlitz, the biography of a Czech child refugee sent on a kinder transport to England, that I finished last night made a profound effect on me. When I get home make a cheese and tomato sandwich and then sleep until 5pm. Later prepare dinner using an Italian recipe for lambs liver on a bed of slowly sautéed, caramelised onions, which I serve with buttered spinach and new potatoes. The lamb's liver was really tender but my taste buds are still trapped beneath this pernicious catarrh, so everything tastes the same at the moment. Perhaps I am not quite so tired as yesterday, but there are no other obvious signs of improvement yet. Tomorrow my grandchildren, Alice and Louis, are back to school so I will have to be up early for taxi duty.

Still Poorly

Had hoped to wake feeling better but it seems it is not to be, if anything feel weaker and more tired than yesterday. This may take longer than I originally thought. On a more positive note I slept well after the hot bath. Although I don't feel like it, make and eat a full English breakfast, washed down with strong black Italian coffee. After breakfast phone my wife to let her know that I can't take the dogs and then Leslie to cancel our weekly coffee morning at Caffe Nero in Beverley. Felicity phones to see how I am, it's her daughter, Melissa's birthday and they are all going to the Westwood restaurant.
Outside April continues, sunshine and showers under a cold northerly wind, in the field beyond the garden hedge, the rabbits play unperturbed by the elements. Play a recording of Simon Schama's interview with the 94 year old historian, Eric Hobsbawm, on the BBC I player. I have his four part history of the 19th and twentieth century, despite his advanced age he remains remarkably lucid, and I can't help but agree with his belief that we should hold on to enlightenment values, liberty, equality and fraternity. Despite their contradictions. Having cleared my diary there is little for me to do except read, prepare lunch and get well. On Friday I bought a smoked ham in Tesco's and soaked this overnight to take out some of the salt. I put this in the oven after draining it and bake it slowly over a low heat. Then peel potatoes and take out some carrots and broad beans from the freezer to defrost. Realise that I'm out of potatoes, onions and fresh vegetables so put on my coat and drive to Tesco in Beverley, whilst I'm there pick up some more Italian filter coffee and paracetamol as well as a bottle of Hock to accompany lunch. I have supplies for a week if I don't get better, feel very tired as I get back to the car and drive home. Have to rest for a while when I get back but then set too and prepare lunch. Put the vegetables in a steamer in the microwave and whilst they cook make a white sauce with milk, butter and flour. Slice the gammon, plate the potatoes and veg, and then chop fresh parsley and mix it in the sauce, pour myself a glass of nicely chilled Hock. The slight sweetness of the wine and compliments the gammon, and the parsley sauce helps bring out the flavour of the broad beans and carrots. If only my sense of taste wasn't buried beneath this cloying catarrh. After lunch clear the pots and cover the left over gammon slices with cling film, I have reserved the crackling to go into a lentil soup in the slow cooker for later in the week.
After lunch meditate then sleep until five. Make tea and a couple of my homemade, sultana, oatmeal biscuits and then read for a while.

Shetlanditis, (feeling a little hoarse)!

Woke feeling worse than yesterday, my voice somewhere between a croak and a deep bass. Made a full English breakfast as part of my cure and ate it with some difficulty, assisted by black coffee. After washing and dressing drove to Cherry Burton to take the dogs but had to borrow Pip's micra to drive the 3/4 mile to the Hudson Way. The April weather continues and we caught a shower whilst we were out but were sheltered from the worst of it by the banking on either side of the track. After taking the dogs home, drove to Beverley and managed to park in New Walk before making my way to the Poppy Seed cafe. I should be driving Felicity and Rosemary to Kingswood to see a live performance of La Traviata, beamed from Covent Garden this evening, but my health is not up to it. It wouldn't be sensible to expose two elderly ladies to this infection either. Felicity hadn't yet arrived at the cafe but Rosemary was there and said she would drive in my stead, so gave her the tickets and made my way back to the car after first buying some catarrh pastilles from Superdrug. Got caught in another heavy shower as I made my way back down New Walk and was glad to get back indoors.
Nothing to do now except wait until the infection clears. My routine a combination of rest and good food and paracetamol for the fever. Made lamb mince, jacket potatoes, peas and carrots for lunch. Then meditated and slept most of the afternoon. In the evening read a hundred pages or so of WG Sebold's Austerlitz, before making a cheese and tomato sandwich on rye bread accompanied by soya milk. The evening concluded by a hot bath and an early night.

The patient patient

Awoke this morning still tired and achey and with a familiar tightness in my chest. My old friend haemophilia influenza is back, otherwise known as catarrhal bronchitis. It bedevilled me for four months last winter, but I have learned how to deal with it from experience. Avoid antibiotics, rest, low glycemic loading diet, paracetamol for the fever, and patience. With luck it should subside in four or five days and the warmer weather will help. The bug lies dormant permanently, but irrupts as a secondary infection after a virus, or more probably after over exerting myself swimming and running. Increasing the training load too quickly in pursuit of my Swimathon goal has undone me. There never was any doubt that I could complete the distance as I am an expert swimmer, the hubris lay in the ambition to complete the 100 lengths in the hour. It was, it is, totally unnecessary. As long as I recover within the next week the swim can be done. If not my sponsors will surely wait until it is feasible. As long as I don't exert myself and get plenty of rest, normal life is just about possible.
This morning switch to low GL diet and make a full English breakfast with Italian coffee, then showered and drove to Cherry after first taking 1,000mg of paracetamol. Took the dogs, at an easy pace, down the Hudson Way, enjoying the quiet calm of being alone with nature. The blackthorn still in full bloom and the hawthorn buds ready to burst into flower at the end of the month. The dogs behave impeccably, perhaps sensing that I'm not quite myself today. As we re-enter the village a large hawk flies across us with a pigeon in its talons. An angry woman emerges from her bungalow enraged that the hawk has taken the pigeon off her lawn. I point out that the hawk wouldn't discriminate between her lawn and the adjacent fields, but she seems determined to take it as a personal affront. The pigeon would have felt no pain, as the hawk strikes so fast and no doubt it has chicks to feed. All animal life feeds on other life of some kind.
Afterwards call in on Felicity, down Albert Terrace, the old girl always makes me laugh and that is medicine in itself. Call at Tesco and buy lamb's liver and spinach that I shall cook with onions, garlic and potatoes for lunch back at Tickton. It only takes ten minutes to make, the spuds and spinach cooking in the microwave whilst frying the liver and onions on the hob. Some butter and nutmeg in the spinach, butter and parsley in the potatoes "et voila le dejeuner est pret"!
Eat lunch sat in the garden in the sun but a shower drives me indoors, just as I clear my plate. After washing up the pots, meditate and then sleep until 4:30pm. Get up and make tea and homemade oatmeal biscuits, before printing off some Swimathon sponsor forms and then reading until bedtime.

Under the weather

Wake this morning feeling tired but, after yesterday's long swim, this is not too surprising. Breakfast on cream cheese and Parma ham on rye toast with strong black coffee. This revives me somewhat and do a bit in the garden and hang out some shirts before driving to Cherry Burton to take the dogs out. Sometimes tiredness evaporates once you get going. The weather this morning is bright and sunny but there are dark clouds to the west once more. The "Hudson Way", which is the old railway line's official name, is starting to get a little boggy after all the rain over the last week, but it is still very pleasant. The blackthorn is in blossom, there are still daffodils and primroses flowering and wild garlic. Although my tiredness persists, my spirits are always lifted in the fresh air surrounded by nature. By the time we get back the clouds are threatening rain, so drive back to Tickton to get my washing in before it starts. As I bring in the shirts great pellets of hail strafe the garden and this is followed by heavy rain. My running gear is in the car, packed in case I felt better, which I don't, but the weather clinches it. Today has become a rest day, hopefully I am not coming down with something and can swim tomorrow.

Swimus interruptus

Wake at 7:45, breakfast on rye toast and honey with strong, black Italian coffee. Outside the weather seems to have improved as it is bright and sunny. Wash, dress, pack my swimming gear and drive to Cherry Burton to take out the dogs. As we walk down to Etton Bridge and the railway line there are rain clouds to the west but the wind has dropped a little. We get back at 10:30 without incident and then drive into Beverley for tea with friends at the Poppy Seed cafe. Afterwards drive to the leisure centre and arrive poolside at 11:45, where I find a single lane with one other swimmer.
After a few minutes breathing meditation, push off to swim 70 lengths front crawl. Today I deliberately resist the temptation to go too fast and instead focus on a three stroke breathing pattern, breathing first right, then left. After ten lengths, have settled into a thirteen stroke per length pattern, this is ideal as I breath on the twelfth stroke before tumbling into the turn for the next length. The other person in the lane is a teenage boy swimming breaststroke, he stops every couple of lengths and rests well to the side of the lane end. This means that I can tumble turn without problem, which is important because I'm breathing only five times per length, and this is a delicate balance between stroke efficiency and getting enough air. In order to manage the length count, I'm counting them up to ten and then beginning again. In this way it is possible to keep track, ten, twenty, thirty, forty lengths etc.
After forty lengths or so a woman swimmer joins the lane and I have to swim round her as I overtake. Perhaps because the delicate balance is disturbed, or perhaps because I may be tiring slightly, my stroke count climbs to fourteen. The significance of this is that I have to swim two strokes before the turn and feel short of breath coming out of the turn and glide. Find that if I breath after two strokes after the turn before going back to three, it works OK. Fifty lengths passes and I am confident of reaching my target of seventy, but am interrupted at 56 lengths as the pool is cleared for a life saving practice. Take a drink and then recommence the swim after a minute or so, and 8 minutes later finish the swim.
An aerobics class arrives, and they and the life saving class take up half the pool, squeezing the rest of us into four lanes. Nevertheless, manage to swim a further thirty lengths easy backstroke and complete the hundred. With two and a half weeks to go, or seven more swims, I'm confident of being able to complete the hundred lengths front crawl.
After showering and changing retire to the cafe for a tea and a scone. Tomorrow is a running day but the showery April weather looks set to continue for the next week.

April Showers

Woke to a typical April morning, sunshine and showers. After breakfast drove to Cherry Burton and took the dogs for a walk down the old railway line. A shower came on as we passed the farm on Etton Road and so put on the foldaway cagoule from my bum bag. There is a cold gusty wind from the southeast. On the line the dogs chase rabbits, as usual, and we find the first bluebell. Soon there will be thousands. Afterwards drove to the leisure centre and changed into trackster bottoms, thermal top and gloves. Decided to run round Beverley Parklands again because of the wind and rain. The shower passes and so run across the sports field, through the gate and on to Sparkmill Lane. The dirt track studded with puddles from all the rain over the holiday weekend, low clouds scudding along in front of the strong wind. The wind penetrating my top when exposed to its full force and I am glad to be wearing my gloves. Turning right at Cherry Tree farm, make my way between the hedgerows towards the level crossing at England Springs. The blackthorn in full blossom now, interspersed with hawthorn that will bloom at the end of the month and herald the month named for it, May. The old Yorkshire saying, "cast not a clout til may is out", refers to the hawthorn blossom and means you should stay warmly wrapped until the hawthorn blooms. The sun appears brightly as I cross the railway line, it's as strong now as in early September, it's warmth a contrast to the chilly wind. Still weaving around puddles make my way onto Long Lane, a metalled road and settle into an easy rhythm, picking up the breathing meditation, counting the breaths round from one to seven and back to one. My legs feel much lighter than last week when I ran down here, but they have had a few days rest. My neck and shoulders are still a little tight after yesterday's swim so try to run tall and loose and let them relax. There are a few walkers coming the other way and we exchange greetings, several cars pass, usually slowing a little and giving me a wide berth, but inevitably, one driver in a BMW whizzes past within an inch. Obviously in a hurry, mind in neutral. Run along for a mile or so noting the alternating feel of the wind as I pass a gap in the hedge, or the warm heat of the sun as it occasionally breaks through the clouds. Turn right on to Shepherds Lane and run round the hairpin bends between fields of oil seed rape that have come into bright yellow blossom since last week. Then turn right again, just past the farm onto the path across the fields that leads to the Lincoln Way estate. Surprisingly the path is not too wet and there are no puddles, perhaps because we are on a slight slope and about fifteen feet higher than Long Lane. The larks are still singing wildly, fearful that I will trespass too close to their nests that are built on the ground. The Minster, in the distance has scaffolding around its twin western towers, probably some repairs to the clock face. Soon I am running on the path that borders the estate and only about a mile from the Centre, moving well and easily. Turn right through the gate down Willow Lane and past the Jersey cows still snuggled up in their byte full of hay. A car towing a caravan turns onto the lane and squeezes past me on its way to Willow Tree Farm campsite. Then turn left onto Long Lane once more, run round the bend and into Hall Garth, past the bungalows and back onto Flemingate. The level crossing's gates are down and I wait with the motorists whilst passengers board the diesel in the station to my left a few hundred yards away. After five minutes it trundles past, the gates lift, and I am across and turning left on the path that leads to reception.
It is warm back inside, retrieve a towel and a water bottle from my locker, before warming down on the exercise bike. Then swim a few lengths to cool off, the pool is packed again, perhaps I may come first thing tomorrow for Swimathon training.

A cunning plan

Woke to proper Easter Bank holiday weather, grey skies and pouring with rain, so after a light breakfast figured I will be first in the pool to resume Swimathon training. No one else is going to be daft enough to venture out at 9:00 am in weather like this. Unfortunately when I arrive at the pool it opened at eight and there are quite a few people in there, including an aqua aerobics class which is using up 3 of the 8 lanes. Nevertheless find some space in the lane next to the bouncy ladies and run through my breathing meditation for a couple of minutes before starting my distance freestyle swim. Last Friday completed 1,000m in 2 x 500m repeats with a break for water between them, so today intend to swim a straight 1200m front crawl, (48 lengths).
Push off and adopt alternate 3 stroke breathing, but find myself going quite quickly, my body has obviously enjoyed its Easter holiday. After 8 lengths start to feel a little short of breath and so either have to slow down or get more air. Opt for the latter, and switch to breathing on my right side every second stroke. There is a penalty for the extra air, and that's a decrease in streamlining and efficiency, my stroke count per length goes up from 13 to 15. Still feel good though, and find that it's taking me 70 seconds to swim two lengths, the second sweep clock on the pool wall is visible as I breathe after coming out of the tumble turn at the far end of the pool, so able to monitor how long it takes. The significance of this is that if it were possible to maintain this, the 2.5k challenge, (100 lengths), could be swum within one hour. To put this in its proper context, Olympic 1500m swimmers are completing 50m, 2 lengths, in 30 seconds, more than twice as fast.
Unfortunately whilst thinking about this lose track of how many lengths have already been swum, but remember that it was exactly 9:13 when pushing off and calculate that if I allow 72 seconds per 50m, or 36 seconds per length, a 36 minute swim will give me 50 lengths.
Still swimming well, and maintaining a 35/36 second per length pace, settle down to it, and the lengths drift by as my focus is on rhythm, breathing and stroke count. When the clock says 9:49, finish the length and find 3 other people in the double lane with me and that the aerobic ladies have left and a life saving class is about to start. With so many people in the lane, and more arriving, we agree to swim in a clockwise rotation up one lane and down the other. So, after a long drink, push off to finish the eighty lengths planned, by swimming an easy 30 lengths backstroke. This will also loosen my shoulders after the long crawl swim. After ten lengths the life saving class starts and they need an extra lane, so our double lane becomes a single lane, and there are now eight of us sharing it. Backstroke is no longer sensible, so switch back to front crawl and just keep pace with the other swimmers, who all seem to be under thirty. Finish my swim and climb out of the lane to find the pool as busy as I have ever seen it, well over 50 swimmers in the 4 lanes not used by the lifesavers. As I get changed lots of families with young children arrive, the pool is the only place open on a wet Bank Holiday Monday. So much for my "cunning plan". Nevertheless it was a satisfying swim, as my body found an extra gear.
It isn't until I'm enjoying a drinking chocolate and a toasted hot cross bun in the cafe, that I realise that 36 seconds divided into 36 minutes equals 60. I have swum 60 lengths front crawl continuously, (1500m). Sixty per cent of the swim on the 28th of April, leaving me feeling rather pleased. Tomorrow is a running day and the forecast remains wet!

Easter Sunday

No exercise today, went to 9:00 AM Mass at St John's church in Beverley and then had coffee with an old friend at Caffe Nero in Saturday Market before driving over to West Yorkshire for Easter Lunch with my sister Jackie and family.
What is a Buddhist doing going to mass you may ask, and even taking communion? Last year, during a deep meditation an experience occurred that is not too uncommon. A feeling of great peace came over me and the sense that all manner of things would be well and the world and myself were not separate entities. The experience cannot adequately be described in words, it is rather ineffable, a feeling.
Words come afterwards. It seemed to me that this feeling/realisation, could equally well be described as "the love of God". The realisation dawned that the practical teachings of Jesus and the Buddha were almost identical, so I returned to my catholic faith. Now I'm a meditating catholic. The whole that we are part of is beyond my comprehension, and I am comfortable with that, secure in the knowledge of his presence and infinite compassion.

Comic Opera

Today marks the end of week two of the running comeback and so far, so good. No injuries or illnesses. Today, being Saturday, is market day in Beverley and after a leisurely breakfast, made my way to the Poppy Seed cafe in North Bar Within, where a group of friends meet for coffee every Saturday and Wednesday morning around ten thirty. Afterwards did a little shopping before returning home for routine chores, washing, cooking and cleaning the car, which can also be enjoyable when there is no time pressure and they can therefore be undertaken mindfully.
Afterwards meditated, showered and changed and picked up some older friends to drive to the cinema at Kingswood in North Hull. We are going to see Anna Netrebko in Manon, beamed live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York. We have complimentary tickets because, on our last visit to see "Romeo and Juliet" from Coventry Garden, the system failed and we were given complimentary tickets, which we have used for this show. We arrive at the cinema half an hour before curtain up, as one of my friends is physically infirm, and find ourselves second in the queue. As time passes my friend has to sit on an adjacent seat, and the doors are still not open. Finally at five O'clock the management admits the system has failed again and we receive yet more apologies and complimentary tickets. We now have future tickets to see, or not to see, Rigoletto, La Traviata and La Fille Mal Gardee. I have a suspicion that the problem may be financial as Cineworld are no longer listed on Orange Wednesday web sites.
Consequently we decided to drive to the coast for a late afternoon tea and arrive at the Marine Expanse Hotel on Bridlington's North Bay just after six. The evening light reflecting from the chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head, are silhouetted against a calm, milky blue sea. The Expanse is a "time capsule", left over from a more gentile age, and within fifteen minutes we are tucking in to sandwiches and scones served on a silver platter, with accompanying teapots, milk jug, and spare hot water. The waiter, in his fifties, is courteous, prompt and efficient. The lounge, is oak pannelled, well appointed and most importantly, lacking any piped music. In short it is calm and delightful, the view from the window of the late evening seascape provides all the tranquil ambience the heart could desire. It is enchanting and we spend a lovely hour chatting and enjoying the food before driving back to Beverley in the fading light over the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds.
To quote John Lennon, "life is what happens to you whilst you are planning something else." long live serendipity!

Taking The Plunge

Have entered "The Marie Curie Swim", on the 29th of April, and signed up for the 2.5k, (100 x 25m lengths). My sister Jackie is going to assist me to set up a Facebook page for collecting the sponsorship. No taxi or dog walking duties today so, after breakfast retrace my steps to Eske Nature Reserve, it seems it may be possible to make yesterday's run into a 10k circular route by connecting the riverside path to Eske Lane, which terminates less than 200 yards from the reserve. I'm walking today and take some photographs of the river and the lake with my phone, that I intend to post with yesterday's blog. The weather is much cloudier today, so the light is different, and the colours less vivid. Arrive at the nature reserve after half an hour. Since yesterday two swans have arrived and a flock of Canada geese. The path that seems to lead to Eske Village is marked "No Public Right Of Way," and lies across private land. One of my old running club friends, Rob Byass, has a farm up here somewhere, so shall ask him if access is negotiable when I see him next. Wander round the reserve again enjoying the peace and tranquility until this is interrupted when the geese and a local rookery set up a calling competition. Arrive back at the Crown and Anchor by noon and then drive to the pool for my swim.
Having committed myself to the charity swim, realise that it will be necessary to change my training from short distance medleys, to long distance freestyle swimming. The pool is quiet as its Good Friday, so find a free lane and practise my breathing meditation for a few minutes before beginning the swim. Decide to start with 1,000m freestyle and set off at an easy pace. I prefer to breathe alternately to the left and then to the right, this means breathing every three strokes. It aids streamlining, as it balances the stroke and halves the strain on the neck and shoulder muscles. This can be problematic on really long swims.
Soon settle into an easy rhythm, taking 13 strokes to each length, this allows four breaths per length, the last of which is taken just before the tumble turn. After 400m, start to feel very thirsty and decide to break the swim at 500m to take on water. The problem is that the pool temperature is 30 degrees, not far below blood heat. Normally I take a swig from my water bottle between medley repeats and get through at least half a litre of fluid each session. After taking on water, complete the next 500m without problem and, after another long drink, set off on the next 1,000m using backstroke. Ideally I would like to complete the whole distance using just freestyle, as I suspect there will be several swimmers in the lane with me on the day, so backstroke may not be practical. Backstroke is the easiest stroke to swim, because breathing isn't a problem, the face is clear of the water most of the time.
Still practicing meditative swimming, only counting strokes not breaths, soon settle into a seventeen stroke rhythm for each length, rolling onto my front to tumble before each turn. Breaking the swim into two 500m halves again in order to take on water. On completing 2,000m, I see it has taken about 55 minutes and so swim a further 100m freestyle and then an easy 100m IM to warm down and use up the rest of the hour.
It should be possible to complete the 2,500m within the hour, if it is all swum freestyle. The event takes place three weeks tomorrow, about 9 further swimming sessions, so if the freestyle distance is incremented by 200m per session, another 8 sessions will get me there, and still leave a spare day in case of the unforeseen.
After finishing, do a breathing meditation for a few minutes, then shower and change and head to the cafe for tea and a bun.

Nature Cure

Today, I am taking my two grandsons out for the afternoon, as the forecast is good, we will probably head to the coast. After breakfast, packed my gear for the day, put on my Ron Hill trackster bottoms and Helly Hanson thermal top, and drove the half mile to the Crown & Anchor at Hull Bridge and parked on Weel Road, near the pub. My run this morning will be along the riverside path to Eske Nature Reserve, a wetland area a mile or so to the north. The approach lies through the pub car park, the path passing under the road bridge that carries traffic from Beverley to Leven. Once past this bridge, I contour diagonally up the levee and run along the path on the top. The River Hull to my left and open farmland to the north ahead of me. As on Tuesday, my legs feel stiff and heavy as I start out, but quite soon, the sound of the traffic behind me fades into the background, and the beauty of this sunny spring morning lifts my spirits. There is hardly a cloud in the sky and the morning sun can be felt on my back, in contrast to the cold northerly breeze on my face and chest, to which I am exposed as I run on top of the river bank. This is the sixth run of the comeback and the routine remains the same, exercising as a meditation, concentrating on relaxation, balance and breathing. Continuously scanning the body for tension and trying to ease away any that is noticed through relaxation. Once again practising the circular breathing technique of counting breaths up to seven and back to one, in a continuous loop. In this way awareness of heaviness in the legs does not distract
or discourage. There are no pains or injuries and, at this stage of a comeback, stiffness is not unusual. It will either clear as the muscles warm up, or it is something that will have to be put up with.
Today, fortunately, it eases after a mile or so, and gradually the concentration on feedback from my inner world opens the door to a greater appreciation of the world beyond the confines of my skin. As Eske Nature Reserve appears ahead, acute awareness of the environment enfolds me, to the right are freshly ploughed fields, the colour of tobacco and the hedgerows and small copses have vivid green spring leaves bursting with new life. It is impossible not to be inspired. The river takes a long easterly bend and the nature reserve is a large lake formed by allowing the it to flood the land between the bends. Passing over a stile the path leads between rows of willows, many of which are rooted in the water, which sparkles in the morning sun to my right. One has blown over in yesterdays gale and it is necessary to stop and weave a way through the leaves and branches lying athwart the path. The only waterfowl in evidence today are a squadron of eider ducks performing fleet manoeuvres, the drakes resplendent with iridescent green plumage around their heads and necks. The path tracks the easterly bend of the river and sheltered from the wind, it is pleasantly warm. Near the northern end of the lake is a wooden screen with viewing holes cut out so that the wildlife can be observed undisturbed. Just past this observation area is a small bridge, after which the path turns sharply east along the top of the lake, before bearing south after a hundred yards or so. The eastern bank of the lake is raised in a levee to protect the farmland beyond. Running south now I can see past the lake where the river curves away, and Beverley Minster is prominent once more about four miles away. The sun is full in my face and my legs are moving more easily and have settled into a steady rhythm. Moving perhaps pathetically slowly, compared to times past, but who cares, it is still a joy to run alone with nature. A quicker pace may come with time and practice, as long as injury and illness do not intervene, and the best way to avoid those is not to strain. Faith in the body's ability to adapt, at its own pace, is a lesson hard learned. For older athletes in particular, there are no shortcuts.
The path completes the loop round the lake and then retraces my steps back to the Crown and Anchor. I arrive back feeling better than when I set out. The run between four and five miles. Afterwards drive to the leisure centre for a warm down on the exercise bike and an easy cool off in the pool, before collecting Clement and Louis and heading to the coast.

Gale force winds

One of the less remarked pleasures of retirement is listening to howling winds and rain lashing against the windows, from a warm bed, secure in the knowledge that there is no imperative to brave the elements. The worst of the storm had passed by ten O'clock, but had blown over bins and chairs outside. The dogs are impervious to inclement weather, the joys of rabbit chasing outweighing any discomfort from a wet coat. The same cannot be said for their owner, who duty done, was glad to return indoors.
Later drove to the Liesure Centre and learned something new, a young mother with a toddler pointed out a full length locker in which to hang my wet dryzabone coat. I have been using these changing rooms for five years and never noticed it!
Perhaps because of the weather, the pool was quiet and I had a lane to myself again. After running through my relaxation and breathing exercise, I warmed up with 4 x 100m mixed medleys. Taking things steady after yesterday's experience of stiffness and heavy legs on my run. Fortunately, whatever had been wrong, seems to have cleared and so followed this with 4 x 200 IM. This was my main session and my times and stroke counts remained constant as did the breathing meditation during recovery periods. I am almost certain now of doing the Marie Curie swim at the end of the month and so warmed down with 2 x 400m on backstroke and freestyle respectively, which I will use on the day. Swimming very easily, it should still be possible to complete the 2.5k swim within the hour,
The real challenge will be raising the sponsorship.

Around Beverley Parklands

Aboyne in Scotland, that had a record March temperature of 24 degrees last week, has had eight inches of snow this morning. The snow and cold weather is due here by early afternoon, but will probably be rain. I shall take the dogs out early and try to fit in my run before it arrives.
In the event it drizzled a little whilst I was taking the dogs but nothing too significant and I was able to arrive at Beverley Liesure Centre for eleven O'clock.
Beverley lies on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, which are quite hilly, but to the south, on the floodplain of the River Hull, lies Beverley Parklands, flat agricultural country, that separates the town from Cottingham and the northern suburbs of Hull which lie to the south. Today's run will cover this area, dressed in trackster bottoms, thermal vest and a top, against the cold and rain, I make my way out of the Liesure Centre onto Flemingate. Turning left, towards the soaring towers of the Minster, I am immediately brought to a halt as the level crossing is down. Fortunately, less than a minute later, the diesel train to Hull rumbles past and I am on my way again, turning left into Minster Avenue and through the small development of retirement homes and on to Long Lane, so called because it runs south for two and a half miles to the village of Woodmansey. After a few hundred yards I turn right off the metalled road and onto the dirt track down Willow Lane. I feel a little stiff and heavy this morning, so focus on trying to run lightly and to relax. It is raining a little and there are ominous dark clouds to the south and east, halfway down the lane I pass a byre where three Jersey cows are bedded down in deep straw chewing their cud . Being inside in the warm seems suddenly quite attractive! After another hundred yards I climb over a style and turn left onto a footpath that runs along the southern boundary of a large housing delopment off Lincoln Way. I have houses to my right and a bank of willow trees and fields beyond to my left. The path is macadam for the next quarter of a mile, so the running surface is easy, never the less I still feel stiff and heavy and I have already covered the first mile. Still some days are like that, so I settle into my circular breathing and scan my body, the stiffness is in the knees and ankles and at my age, could easily be related to the cold, damp weather. The macadam gives way to a dirt track as the estate ends and I am soon running by hedgerows across open fields towards Shepherds Lane, about a mile ahead. The dark clouds are still looming but the rain remains light and intermittent and my mood is lifted by the sound of the larks as I run through the fields. I feel hot and strip off my top and tie the sleeves around my waist before crossing a small footbridge over a ditch, that the council has covered in wire mesh to provide safer footing. A little further on I join Shepherds Lane and turn left. I think the new bypass will run close to here, so this route may have a short future. The road snakes around and rejoins Long Lane and I turn left and run back towards the Minster, which dominates the skyline, two miles ahead. By now I would usually be running loose and free but not today, it could be that I may be coming down with something. Nothing for it but to persevere, staying in the moment and focussing on balance, breathing and staying relaxed. Long Lane lives up to its name and I am glad to turn off the road and onto the dirt track that leads to the unmanned level crossing at England Springs. As I run between hedgerows of blackthorn in full bloom, a squally wind cascades a shower of petals like confetti over me, just as the bells of the minster chime the twelve strokes of noon. Even tough days have their consolations, an hour of travail for 15 seconds of magic is a bargain I would take any day. I cross the railway line carefully not wanting to be blissed out by a sixty miles per hour diesel. It's not far now, a hundred yards to Cherry Tree Farm and then turn left down Spark Mill Lane. Another two hundred yards or so and then I am turning left into the playing field that is part of the Liesure Centre, to my right a group of boys are playing on the BMX and Skateboard Park, I nod to them and trot across the field to the entrance. The run was between four and a half and five miles, and at least the heavy rain held off. I get my towel and my water bottle from my locker and then make my way to the gym, where I warm down for 15 minutes on the exercise bike. I don't want my legs any stiffer than they already are! The gym is quite full, mostly younger people, working out with their headphones plugged in, their faces set in grim determination. Even on a bad day I prefer to run outside, there seems to be little joy in here and certainly no chance of an encounter with cows or a noonday blessing with blossom. Afterwards finish off with a shower and an easy swim and then retire to the cafe for tea and a scone. Perhaps I will feel better tomorrow, time will tell.

A little further

The weather this morning is bright and sunny and about the right temperature for early April, 10-12 degrees. The dogs and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the Hudson Way, a long distance path that runs 10 miles from Beverley to Market Weighton. We walk from my wife's house in Cherry Burton to Etton Bridge and then along the path. The distance is about 3 miles and usually takes an hour and a quarter. This morning the cherry trees were just coming into blossom and the blackthorn are in full show, blazes of white flowers along the hedgerow. The dogs are Jack Russell and Yorkshire Terrier cross breeds and they are avid rabbit hunters. As a consequence I let them off the lead one at a time, if they both get off together they hunt rabbits for hours. Dolly gets off outbound and Teddy on the way back.
After walking the dogs, Drive to the leisure centre, arriving about eleven thirty. The school holidays have begun and the pool is quite busy, but manage to find a double lane with only two swimmers. One swimming on the right, the other on the left so they are happy for me to swim medleys in the centre. (The normal rule is for everyone to swim in a clockwise rotation, which we agreed we would revert to if anyone else joined the lane.)
Today with some juggling of lanes manage to swim a 2000m medley programme. Starting, as always, with a breathing meditation to prepare both mind and body for the practice. Then warm up by doing 4 x 100m mixed medleys. This is an advanced drill and consists of swimming two strokes butterfly and two strokes breaststroke alternatively on the outward length and four strokes backstroke and three strokes freestyle alternatively on the return length. On the second 50m, the order is reversed, breaststroke first then fly and freestyle first then backstroke. In this way each stroke gets equal attention.
This drill is both technically and physically challenging, because it necessitates seamless, streamlined transitions between strokes during the length and breathing only occurs on the breaststroke and backstroke elements, so the 100m is swum on only 16-20 breaths. However, Once mastered it is both aesthetically and kinaesthetically satisfying. It also provides the most complete full body work out and warm up.
Between efforts it helps to repeat the breathing meditation until the heart rate and breathing is smooth, relaxed and settled again. It is important never to swim when feeling tired and always try to do the practice 100 per cent correctly.
The main intention today is to extend the distance on the medley from 100m to 200m, whilst keeping the strokes relaxed and smooth. The 200 IM and the 100 IM are identical, except the former requires 2 lengths in each stroke rather than one. Technically I swim them differently, breathing every stroke on the butterfly leg in the 200 rather than every other stroke on the 100. It is a trade off really between streamlining and oxygen intake. Of course it is only really nerdy swimmers, like me, who concern themselves with this sort of detail. The physical and technical challenges of the medley help to keep the concentration on the present moment, as there are so many things to pay attention to. Between efforts the same breathing meditation is adopted and this is an integral part of the practice. After the first two repeats, the single stroke breathing on the fly leg becomes second nature again and then everything else falls nicely into place. So much concentration has been required for this that almost half an hour has flown by. Then warm down with a leisurely 200m backstroke followed by 200m freestyle.
A really satisfying practice.

Five miles round Swinemoor.

Conditions change again, and I woke to a lovely sunny morning, had a leisurely breakfast of soft boiled eggs and rye toast soldiers, washed down with Taylor's Yorkshire Gold tea, which I enjoy builder's strength. Showered and dressed and then picked up an old friend and neighbour, Leslie, for our Sunday morning coffee and croissant at Caffe Nero in Beverley. This is a routine we have maintained for 20 years. We used to walk the dogs together before coffee, but Leslie will be 90 in July, and so we have had to adapt. He is still bright and alert, but has to manage his energy budget judiciously, this afternoon he is working as a guide in Beverley Minster. After coffee I dropped Leslie back home and then returned to Tickton and changed into my running gear. It is sunny today, but the cold wind persists, so wore shorts and a thermal top and gloves. Ran to Carr lane, past the stables and farm and down to the little wooden bridge over the drain. I had put on my shoes in the garden and composed myself first before setting off. Running as lightly as possible, scanning my body for any tightness as I warmed up. Today's run is about 5 miles over flat but mixed terrain, and I shall try to complete it with as little strain or effort as possible. After the bridge I turned into "nearly straight wood", and enjoyed the experience of running through the trees. Turned south and then west and then ran alongside another plantation until the track joined Weel Road, which as I mentioned before, runs south alongside the river Hull, and beyond which, lies Swinemoor. Weel Road is a single track, metalled road with passing places every quarter of a mile or so. Today there was little traffic, just one or two cars ferrying garden waste to the municipal tip near the village of Weel. The road is shielded from the cold north wind by the levee, and in the midday sun I soon feel quite warm, so roll up the sleeves of my Helly Hansen vest. Once on the road I began my circular breathing practice, which, combined with the flat firm road surface, soon helped me to establish a nice, rhythmic, easy pace. Arriving at Weel bridge I turn west and cross the river, running a further 100 metres before turning north off the road, along a path that leads to Swinemoor. This path runs alongside Barmston Drain, which bisects Swinenoor common from north to south. After five minutes I have to climb over a wooden stile and then turn sharp right, over a metal footbridge that crosses the drain, before turning sharp left again and then running up the path on the eastern side of the drain. The north wind is more apparent now, but seems to have slackened in intensity. In a few weeks there will be hundreds of ponies put out to pasture here, but today there are just a few walkers and some gleaming jackdaws. The path is firm and dry, if a little uneven, but conditions for running are nigh on perfect and I am really enjoying my outing. After half a mile I arrive at "Brickie Bridge", which spans the drain and was made famous by the artist Fred Elwell, (R.A.) he painted a group of local children swimming and paddling by the bridge in the 1920's or 1930's. We Beverlonians are very proud of Fred and there is an "Elwell Trail", around the town centre, with weatherproof prints of his work at strategic points. "Brickie Bridge" is hung on the Guildhall, opposite the new law courts. I have posted a photo of it below, but as it was taken in bright sunlight, the shadow of an adjacent tree falls across it. Running past "Brickie Bridge", I proceed to the Northern boundary of Swinemoor and then turn east, running alongside the hedgerow, before climbing the levee and then running north towards "Hull Bridge", but first climbing over another stile opposite Tickton Boating Club as I exit the common. A few people are sat outside by the boats enjoying the sun. From here it is only a few more yards to the footbridge over the river, but before I cross, a small dinghy powered by an outboard motor passes me with three bird watchers on board, all armed with binoculars. They are probably heading for the wetlands further north. As I climb to the top of the footbridge, a group of people, sat on the riverbank outside the Crown and Anchor, give me a wave. So I wave back as I descend the bridge and continue east on Weel road, back towards Tickton and home. It is just less than a mile back to my house and I strip off my gloves and tuck them into my shorts, as the wind has died away and the sun is hot. I am moving well and can feel the first signs of an increase in stride length, but resist the temptation to pick up the pace, because this is still too early in the comeback to do so without risking strain or injury. Just before the village I give way to an elderly gentleman on a mobility scooter coming the opposite way. Probably heading for the pub! Just past him I overtake a young girl on a pony and give her a wide berth, in order not to startle the horse. I am in the village now and turn right past the Post Office, south down Butt Lane, through the snickett onto Green Lane and home. The run has lasted an hour. I put a towel round my neck and cool off sat in a chair in the garden. Tomorrow is a swimming day and cold and rain is forecast.

Conditions change

As forecast, the weather this morning is back to normal, cloudy and cool with a bitter northerly wind. Today is a rest day from exercise and I also have no dog walking or gardening duties, so slept in until eight and then had a leisurely breakfast of smoked salmon and cream cheese on rye toast with Italian coffee. Rest is just as important as exercise and allows the mind/body to recuperate. My day is devoted to seeing friends and family, but I also have a little shopping to do on Beverley market, where most of the townsfolk go to shop and to accidentally bump into each other. It is where we go to socialise and buy fresh produce and plants, hardware, textiles, second hand books and goods from other artisanal little stalls. In many respects Beverley is like Britain in the 1950's, but without rationing. It is also significantly less cosmopolitan than the rest of the country.
As well as buying all my weekly vegetables on the market, I also found two bonsai pots and trays in a charity shop, one green the other blue. I have found some suitable saplings that need to be removed from the garden and thought I might train one into a bonsai tree. As I found two bonsai pots, I shall now have to train two, one might be a nice present for someone in about ten years time! Later had a cup of tea with some older friends before collecting my grandson, Clement, for lunch at our local Thai restaurant, which is his favourite. As I mentioned, yesterday was his birthday, and lunch and a football match, are part of my present to him. Lunch, as always, was excellent. After driving into Hull We found somewhere to park at the end of Springbank West, and walked about a mile to the KC stadium. Hull were playing Coventry, who are bottom of the league, and on paper we should have won. Instead we lost 0:2, our fourth defeat in a row. Walking back we consoled ourselves with a tray of fish and chips, trying to warm ourselves through. We had been sat in the upper west stand and were exposed to the bitter North wind. We found ourselves suffering temporarily from "Reality Friction", that state of unhappiness that occurs, when reality differs from what you hoped or expected to happen. Coventry City couldn't really be expected to lose because of Clement's birthday. We soon recovered in the warmth of the car. A cold, but good day.