Tuesday started badly and went downhill. We were having an early meeting, with an even earlier start for me leaving Leicester for London. It was overcast and chilly and I walked out the door without a coat or cardi - my mind was elsewhere as my fingers slowly turned blue.
I was going to facilitate a joint venture meeting, bringing together two organisations for the first time after seven wobbly months of nurturing and persistence. It's a pan-London venture, involving £43 million pa turnover, with the potential for much more and sustainability for jobs and services.
Everyone was nervous. There was a lot to get through, relationships to be made, a new venue to negotiate, time to keep. It was an intense meeting, with new realisations dawning about what was involved. The good thing was that it had happened.
For me, as the facilitator, it was a different story.
The early start had disrupted my routine, I was cold, breakfast had been a long time ago. It was probably a mistake, but I had a strong coffee at the start of the meeting, water was not to hand the rest of the meeting, where I was focused on supporting everyone else. I was shaking by the end, with a head-ache and needing to eat. One party wanted a de-brief, so another foolish coffee combined with sugar-rush muffin.
Shaking turned to palpitations.
I made it home to a teenager downhearted about A level exams, of which there are thirty (four down, twenty-six to go) and needing solace. As the palpitations settled, a screaming migraine took over for the next eighteen hours. I can't remember much about that, except for finishing the paperwork from Tuesday for de-briefing the second group on Thursday. By four o clock on Wednesday, I felt like a damp dish-rag: wrung out.
Wednesday is a training day, I usually go first thing, but that hadn't happened (see above). The plan was for a 2.5-4k session where I continue to increase the amount of time running. My hips were still sore from the increased load in the Monday training session - more running didn't seem a great idea. I decided to swap sessions and do the longer 5k-7k walk run endurance session planned for Friday. I had to collect some travel tickets and the train station is 2.4k away. With a few diversions, I could easily extend the distance.
Victoria Park showing part of the route for the 5k Leicester #raceforlife on Sunday 8 July.
I set off. It was beautiful day. I took a detour to find the entrance to the Attenborough Arboretum. On the way I discovered some garages to let (I've always wanted a lock up). I love places like this, slightly battered and rundown, hidden behind well-to-do houses and busy roads, nature taking over harsh concrete and asphalt.
One of the garages, paint peeling but sturdy lock, and, at the end of the garages, luxuriant, flower-covered brambles, untroubled by scythe or secateurs.
As I bent to take a closer picture of the abundant blossom, this bee landed on a flower!
The leaves were covered in ladybirds, including this pair doing the fandango.
I made my way through the shops in Queens Road, picking up some wooden pegs on the way, across Victoria Park, where the #raceforlife will take place, and into the University, before the last walk down the hill to the station - 5.68k. I got the bus back. Life felt good.
The Leicester 5k #raceforlife takes place on Sunday 8 July 2018. All my 
