By the Skin of My Teeth

I realised last week that, with a little bit of effort, I might actually hit a total of one hundred miles for this year’s Juneathon. It was a close one. But this evening’s run got me over the line.

My Juneathon wasn’t all running miles, of course. There were three bike rides in there, including last night’s critical ten miler.

Critical, because it left me with just an eight mile run to do to pull me over the 100 mile mark for the month of June.

It was the best excuse yet for a long slow run. Naturally, I headed for the flattest route I know-down by the river. I clicked into a very slow meditative pace and rambled on for hours. It reminded me how much I miss-and need-these kind of runs.

So, I’m happy with my Juneathon mileage. Not so super impressed with the quality of my blog posts. But very, very happy that Juneathon is done.

And delighted that I got my total mileage up over the one hundred mile barrier, if only by the skin of my teeth.

Juneathon Day 30: 8.45 miles

Juneathon Total: 100.65 miles

Are We There Yet?

Whey, hey, fellow Juneathoners! We’re nearly done! Thirty days of non-stop (unless you’re me!)running/biking/exercising of all descriptions are near an end.

Oh, that makes me very happy indeed. It’s hard to sustain the daily blogging/jogging effort. So, of course I didn’t.

I have got very close to running/biking 100 miles this month, though…To get even closer to the 100 mile a month mark, I went for a cycle today.

 

This is my bike

I admit. It feels sorta like cheating.  There is no way that my kind of biking equates with anything I do in running. Even running one mile is tougher than any mileage I have ever put up on a bike. I hasten to add that’s just me. I like to ride in low gear and take the whole countryside in.

And that’s what I did this evening, hit for the hills of county Meath.

It was rolling green countryside for most of the journey and so a delight for the senses. Honeysuckle and fireweed clamoured for space along the leafy hedgerow, the great tit warbled all kinds of variations on his “teacher, teacher” song, while milking machines hummed in farmyards and cattle stomped and moaned.

A Very Pretty weed. But what is it?

And there are delights everywhere, carelessly and abundantly scattered.

Ten miles of this magnificence and I should be satisfied but no. I am hungry. Again. Damn this runner’s appetite.

But I am home and these days, there is plenty of this to look forward to…

Blackcurrant and redcurrant crumbleAnd one last day of Juneathon frenzy.

And one final day of Juenathon frenzy.

Great!

Juneathon Total for Today: 10 miles

Juneathon to Date. 92:02 miles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Berries

Gooseberries

Elderflower

Blackcurrants

Redcurrants

It was a day for the garden in this neck of the woods. Nothing too strenous, mind. Just plucking pounds and pounds of berries.

Yes, the Chook House garden has the most amazing crop of blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries, this year. The elderflower isn’t such an odd fellow in the whole mix as I tied up a bunch of them in muslin and cooked them up with the blackcurrants.

There’s a mighty good bunch of blooms on the elder tree too, so I’m thinking that this might be the year that I finally get around to making elderberry wine. Teen Son is very keen to help…

Pots of blackcurrant and gooseberry jam are stowed away now, ready to unleash their plump sweetness in the depths of winter. Redcurrant jam or jelly to follow.

Meanwhile, I am high on vitamins having stuffed myself with berries today. And high on a parkrun time which saw me, by dint of clever planning and race strategy, beating last week’s time….by twenty five seconds!

Hmmmm, maybe I should just stick to gardening and jam making….

Juneathon 28 Mileage: 3.2
Juneathon Total:82.02

Juneathon Day 24: Ode to Sir Garmin

Juneathon, Day Twenty Four
Running mileage:Three.
I may have managed a little more
But had depended on technology
To let me know the miles, the speed
And, of course, the elevation
But my damned Garmin would not concede,
Much to my consternation.

We have a mixed relationship
Really, its a marriage from hell
I am his Lazy Ladyship
who never quite runs that well,
He’s happy to be seen on my arm, of course,
When we are out and about
But then, he swiftly loses his charm
When his battery soon wears out.

Or else he’ll start to bleep and bleep,
And when I tire of his teasin’
Suddenly, mid run, he’ll fall asleep
For no apparent reason.
Well its not my fault, how could it be?
Plainly Sir Garmin is to blame
I play my part, dont you see?
Now he should do the same.

I turn him on every day
like any good wifey would.
I cater for his energy needs
Whenever I’m in the mood.
Oh it’s hard to fulfil his electricity demands
He really is very greedy.
And I am the independent sort
Who detests a man so needy.

So maybe we’ve reached the end of the line
the end of the road, if you must.
It seems certain to be just a matter of time
Before our marriage turns to dust
So Sir Garmin, a chroí, wake yourself
Don’t be such a sleeper.
Or soon I’ll be off out that door
With your rival, Mrs. Runkeeper.

Juneathon Day 24: Mileage Threeish

Total Juneathon Mileage: 63.24ish miles.