In fact, I'm feeling so normal that I went out for a run, my first one for exactly a week. And seeing as how, for the rest of the month, I've been going out more or less every other day, not being able to go out for a week was rather unfortunate, especially as I've only got a week to go until my first ever 'proper' run.
But, I'm pleased to say, it actually looks as if the unwelcome week off from running has done some good - I decided to just do 3 miles today and even with a couple of walking intervals I was thrilled to see when I got back that I'd done it in the fastest time yet - 15:08 mins per mile. Considering that when I restarted running again this year back in February I was doing about 17 mins per mile, I'm pretty pleased with this improvement.
The run on Saturday 21 April is only 4km/2.5 miles and I'm confident that I can do that in under 40 mins, Inshallah. After that I'll start looking for another race. It'll probably be a 5k and as they're more common than 4k races, I shouldn't have much difficulty in finding one to join. I know there's one in Godalming for the Queen's Jubilee on 4 June but I checked the website and it said the ominous words 'hilly' and 'undulating'. Now I like going for a run but I'm not a masochist - you can keep your hills, so I think I'll give that one a miss. The furthest distance I have gone so far, when just out for a run on my own, is 4 miles/6.5km, so I may start looking for 7k races as well. But we'll see, I don't want to push anything and end up injured.
And while I'm here I'll give you an update on the broad bean scenario - I took the wise advice of the eminently sensible Alienne and got myself some growbags, picked them up in the middle and created two smaller, rounder bags from each one, and planted the broad bean seedlings into them. They've been there about a week now and seem to be very happy:
I've got about two dozen Sugar Snap Pea seedlings that I need to plant out as well when they're a bit bigger. They're a little wee still:
I have some quite large pots that I can put these in, or I may get more growbags.
Also, this morning I rang the local Adult Education Centre and discovered there were two spaces left on the Beginners' Drawing and Painting Class so I've enrolled! Hooray! I love taking classes and it's been absolutely far too long since I did. I need to get an A3 pad of cartridge paper (I already have one of watercolour paper but I don't think that will do), some pencils (I'll have to dig my ones out from when I did my archaeological illustration course about 10 years ago - blimey, ten years ago already....) and a 'graphite stick'. I'm not sure what that is but I think it's what they use these days instead of charcoal. No matter, Godalming has a fantastic little art supplies shop so I'll find all I need there.
Finally, we've had a series of extraordinary weathery things happening this week. Yesterday we had the most tremendous hailstorm with thunder and lightening, that left at least an inch of hailstones in about 30 seconds! It was amazing. But a couple of days before that we had a rain shower of monsoon proportions that left us with a rainbow that started in the garden of the house opposite me and a sky that looked like it was on fire:
4 comments:
Amazing photo's of the rainbow and sky. I'm glad you are still growing stuff. You should get a decent crop in the garden if the bags are kept well watered.
Glad you feel more like you, Mrs Jones... Your last post was troubling to read, but getting it all out into the open is the key, I feel...
We (British) do much holding it all back and putting on a stiff upper lip (still).
When my Dad died six years ago, I cried everywhere, from supermarkets to the office, from the car where I could scream out loud and not be heard, to the shower, where the water(much like your towel) muffled the animal-like cries.
Take good care of you, and I'm very proud that you're finding things to do that will help with distracting the mind from our negative thoughts cycle. Well done you! (Tries not to sound patronising, as I don't intend to.)
Fhi x
Maureen - I'm now back to where I was a few years ago before I got the allotment - I was growing French climbing beans in huge pots, one of which I've still got, so I'll be roping that back into use. I will miss not having the space to grow cucumbers, courgettes and, especially, butternut squash but compromises have to be made where space is an issue.
Fhina - You don't sound patronising, sweetie. This hormonal upset has taken me by surprise because - of course - I thought I wouldn't have it as bad as everyone says. Ha ha. I've never had much in the way of PMS so I thought this end of it all would be easy. I certainly wasn't expecting the depression and emotional instability. I can definitely recognise it for what it is when it's happening but it's very hard to get out of the negative thought spiral. Very hard. I can easily see why people self-medicate. If (more likely, when) it gets bad again, I shall try to remember how well Skyrim worked as distraction therapy this month. This is all very tiring though and makes me feel, well, not me.
I have been away for a few days and am just catching up. I am glad the grow bag suggestion works for you, and I am sorry to hear how you have been suffering. My menopause coincided with being widowed so although I spent hours howling I don't really know how much of it was hormonal and how much was just sheer misery. Like Maureen I did a lot of my crying in the car, on the way home from work.
Misery of any kind is awful, and it took me a long while to dig myself out of my personal hole. Hopefully yours is shallower and you are obviously finding new things to occupy you which can only be good. Best of luck hon xxx
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