Weekend Recap, Camera, Movies, Spartan Prep

It’s almost been like Spring the past few days. The light’s getting warmer, losing the crisp winter light, with the temperature around 17-19C. Before you get excited and shout ‘shorts’! No, it’s still not short weather. Maybe for the odd tourist, but March can be fickle. One day warmish, the next, grey, overcast, cool. I’m not swapping my winter coat for my jacket just yet! For the next few weeks, if the quality of my photos, aren’t what they have been for a while, it’s because my camera is currently on its way to Olympus Portugal. I noticed last week a black blur in the bottom right hand corner of my photos, which turned about to be dirt/sand/fleck of something on the main camera lens. I couldn’t remove it and decided it’s under the lens. To cut a short story short, the workshop said, no it’s stuck on, we can clean it, leave with us over the weekend. Yesterday, the ‘pequeno problema’ is that it’s under the lens. Minimum wait 3 weeks. Don’t worry readers who visit for the photos. I have plenty to choose from! On a side note I’m glad I returned the two jackets I couldn’t decide between, the camera’s more important. I did find however a great denim jacket again, from Zara Kids at a steal, €22.95.  Black blur bottom right Hope you had a great weekend! Saturday, I had a the gym nearly all to myself again. Just a handful of people when I got there. When I left, it was busy, but for a blissful 20 minutes I had space to play. TRX squat to flys, resistance band rows and 180 degree box jump squat in the mix. After a sprint cycle back and inhaling a late lunch, I made it the cinema just in time. Well, no, I missed the first 5 minutes, but I got the best seat in the house for Kingsman, The Secret Service. I asked for a row at the back, however I when I was looking for my seat number, I noticed the back row against the wall was virtually empty. So I switched seats, sat slap bang in the middle with loads of leg room, no heads in front as it’s the main walkway aisle. As for the movie, I loved it. 90% British cast, Colin Firth channels James Bond, loads of cheeky Lundun accents. Samuel L Jackson’s fantastic too, but he always is. If you get a chance to see it, go! Version Original with Spanish subtitles. Sunday, I decided get outside my comfort zone for 16km/10mi run. Spartan Race preparation. My longer runs are normally around 14km. I think the gym monitors want the enter the 13km Spartan run. 13km I can run no probs. 13km with obstacles is completely different game to 13km straight. My thinking, longer runs to build endurance and strength, both mentally and physically for 13km plus obstacles. I did my usual run over and jump up along low walls, but I still got bored and a bit agitated. The headwind coming back didn’t help! Any of you long distance runners have tips on how to take away the boredom? In a month, to most of my runs, I start adding obstacles. Namely kids playgrounds. When I’m out and about, walking or cycling I’m always on the lookout for ‘obstacles’ to incorporate into my runs. Pull ups I’ve given up waiting for the assisted pull up machine to be free and concentrate on unassisted. Progress, 3 sets x 1 and 3/4. I have to be able to lift myself over walls as there might not be anyone around to push me up during the race which our team leader confirmed yesterday. He also gave me ‘cheat’ pointers for pulling up over walls. Now I’m on the lookout for 6ft walls or fences with no police around.Pretty mural on my run.  As if 16km wasn’t enough, to clear my head, a short bike ride. Short as my legs started talking! I had enough energy in the evening for a Kathryn Budig, Yogaglo, fun hatha class, ‘long, slow, deep’, which did the trick as my legs weren’t as sore as I thought they’d be yesterday. As usual Aj and I had a difference over whose mat it is. Diesel’s more interested in sunbathing or front row balcony seats watching magpies nest. The excitement to be had! Do any of you long distance runners have tips on how to prevent boredom? I tried to think of maths problems (I know, I don’t like maths), my do to list, but they didn’t work! What was the last movie you went and saw? Do you prefer the back, front or middle seats at the cinema? Have a great week!