...and not a Pina Colada in sight!!

Last Thursday afternoon and I had arranged to do a training walk with my friend, Val. The mid-week walks are only 3-4 miles and the once-a-week long walk is (supposed to be) getting longer but it is also getting harder to fit in as they take longer as the mileage increases...

We are averaging 4mph so the 14 mile walk we had planned for this afternoon was due to take us 3.5hours ... trouble was that we hadn't planned for it to rain!

The walk was good to start with, although pace was a little slower than anticipated we did get into a rhythm and set off.

About half-way through the walk it started to spot with rain but this was soon replaced by a definite shower and then a much heavier rain which certainly qualified as a downpour!

We had no choice but to soldier on ... cars passed us and looked at us as though we were totally mad! The rain persisted and Val found her glasses nigh on impossible to see through!

We strode on with our clothing soaked right through, our joggers were so wet they were plastered to our legs and it made the walk hard going! The rain was stinging our faces and the wind was howling round our soaking wet clothes - good job we were active otherwise it would have been seriously cold!

As we followed our chosen route the rain eventually slowed and stopped. For three miles we had walked in the rain, about 50 minutes! But now the sun was trying to shine and our joggers, although still moulded to the shape of our legs, even started to dry a little!

We walked the final stretch of the walk, alongside the main road, turning away from the big trucks who thundered past with a strong side-draught and showered us in muddy water from the roadside!

Eventually we arrived back at mine where my thoughtful boy found us each a big bath sheet and handed us each a steaming hot drink!

We removed our squelching wet trainers and sat down wrapped in our towels and felt the heat from our drinks as it ran down inside us...

Energy was distinctly lacking and so I was very thankful that I'd had the forethought to buy a pack of pink iced doughnuts that morning - they absolutely hit the spot and gave us the boost we needed!

Training is fabulous on hot sunny days but we needed a day like this one to remind us that it is possible that it may rain for the big event and it was good that we have had the experience - but it also made us add 'spare set of clothes' to our list of stuff to take ... just in case :-)

I have now set up my Justgiving page for donations and so if you would like to sponsor me for this event then please visit www.justgiving.com/dianewass

P.S. Yes I did have a white T-shirt on and yes it was very wet but no - it didn't qualify as a wet t-shirt competition (sorry guys!)!

Just big kids...that's all!

On a Sunday John & I usually go for my long training walk - it's the only day he can come with me and the long ones take too long to be out alone...

But this week we had planned to use Sunday to visit Brimham Rocks - a place I first remember from a primary school trip at a very young age!!

We always seem to pick a grand day and today was no exception. The sun was shining and the wind was pleasant and not too strong! The car park was busy but the queue didn't take long to go down and we found a space and parked up!

Walking boots went on along with fleeces and we took our rucksack with flask and nibbles and of course the camera (always the camera!!)...

As soon as you set off along the path you see the rocks and they just kind of pull you in... you can't help yourself but want to walk on them, jump between them and climb to the topmost level...

Emilys boyfriend had come with us today and he and Isaac were all over the rocks, scrambling and clambering in the race to the top - Jayson is taller than Isaac and like a mountain goat he leapt about and always took the summit first!

We gradually made our way to the shop to buy a cornish pastie for lunch and munched it hot, perched on an obliging rock :-)

A cuppa and a biscuit later and we were off again - remembering the rocks we had climbed on our last visit and laughing when we found the one that rocked when we stood on it!

The afternoon was happily spent in this carefree manner - persuading Emily to do a little climbing even though she had refused to don her walking boots convinced that ballerina pumps would suffice ...

The afternoon passed by and the sun sank lower and so we decided to take our leave and head home ...

Not being inclined to start thinking about cooking, I took an executive decision and announced that we would be going to Pizza Express for tea! Tesco Clubcard vouchers are valid for Pizza Express so I was using my head really :-)

Sure enough we stopped in York and the five of us had pizza/pasta for tea followed by a pudding for two of us ;-) With Tesco vouchers we only had to pay for drinks and so the whole meal cost us the princely sum of £7.20 BARGAIN!

And so another weekend over ... facebook has been updated with the photos and suitable comments made, blog entry done, and so now I shall allow myself to snuggle in the corner of the sofa with a hot cuppa and think about making my way up the dancers...