Cursa de Bombers and Winter Hours

The hour change this weekend wasn’t that bad. It’s made it a little easier to get up thanks to it being lighter in the mornings. It’s the getting dark bit around 6pm that’ll take some getting used to. Thanks to the shops already starting Christmas, at least the nights now darker earlier will have light and colour. Until January when you’re plunged into darkness for what feels like the longest month (us in the Northern Hemisphere anyways. The other side of the world’s enjoying summer. Lucky buggers) of the year.

Anyways you know the score. 1st post of the week’s usually a catch up one, so why change it just now….

Friday

Planning my day with help of a lap cat.

Warmish, few people out and the waves gently lapping the shore line, I didn’t want to leave the beach running.

I made the zoo! It’s getting tricky making the gates now they’re on winter hours. All the more reason to make it. With most residents were tucked up in bed, some were sitting out or having dinner. Like the gibbons.

Table for 2 please!

The day didn’t quite go plan Saturday, not that there was plan to begin with. Being the last day of light until around 7pm for 6 months I wanted to be outside for at much as possible. That didn’t happen as we made it out the house about 40 minutes before sunset. The usually Tone It Up Beach Babe 4 workout selections (I need new Saturday workouts. During the week I do my own, Saturday, I do other peoples. Any new suggestions welcome. I’m curious about the NTC), trying to work on blog and to do list that just doesn’t get any shorter, just longer, before cycling around Parc Cuitadella and trip the local mall. I wouldn’t usually mention going to the mall, except remember don’t leave unpleasant surprises in the bathroom.

Seagulls circling the zoo

Up bright and early Sunday for the Cursa de Bombers, 10km. This is one of the biggest 10km runs in the city and this year it was bigger than I remember. I ran it for a few years before moving to France and missed out running it last year. It always used to be held in the Spring and the past 2 years they’ve held it in Autumn. It was only remembering a few months ago that it was around this time last year, I caught the end cycling back one night to check to see if it was on. It also always used to be sponsored by Nike however this year no mention of them. This year it was back to it’s usually course around the city and time after last year changing the route and time to late afternoon/early evening (I think it was a mobile run, with start and finish in different locations with a mobile cloakroom).

Though I finished 2 minutes slower that my 1st time running it in 2009 (sob! There were more people to work my way through!), I felt a lot stronger. I’ve been training for Spartan so haven’t been working at speed. It was also kinda nice to run in a straightish line not jumping over or climbing over things! I still prefer running on the sand!

The city was holding it’s annual Big Draw, a day of drawing and craft activities held at various locations throughout El Borne and other parts of the Cuitat Vella. It’s aimed at kids, with all ages welcome with local artists and designers helping get people creative. The Cursa de Bombers started and finished in El Borne so after we got changed, we checked out a few activities. Some had long queues and lots of kids taking part! P wanted to partake in one and after checking out how busy the Picasso museum was (queuing down the street! Another day!) we ended up in the Picasso museum shop in Fundacio Gasper. There they were holding draw and erase session. Some pieces were amazing and I resisted the temptation to be completley original with ‘Nat woz here.’ A bird will do instead.

More drawing than erasing. 

Getting hungry and remembering I didn’t give the cats their medicine before leaving we headed back. After lunch and what seemed like endless laundry we took a motobike trip to to St Pol de Mar. We’ve been before but as it was so close to getting dark, it was the only place I could think of outside the city  you could walk around.

Fog still lingering around cycling back.

St Pol de Mar

Halloween reverse sunset was kinda cool. 

All Souls Day sunset. Somehow I made the gym and got everything done in time before closing early being Tuesday a festivo. 

Celebrate Halloween or All Souls Day? I don’t celebrate either. My mum didn’t believe in Halloween so it was always cancelled. All Souls Day isn’t a public holiday in the UK so we didn’t celebrate that either. Have a great week!