Yesterday's run was seven miles, down through the woods by the river, under the M60 and back up through Chorlton park. It was grey and overcast but mild and despite the mud I enjoyed it. i didn't feel as if I was making very good time but didn't take any longer than the six mile the week before. Some kids were playing on the monkey bars in the park so I didn't do my crunches. Later on Caz and Em came over and we took our spokes bikes down to the park - first time out on them this year. Forgotton how much fun it is to be razzing along in a gang on little bikes. We dared each other to try the skateboard ramps - much screaming from Em - and had a play on the monkey bars - I can do ten crunches now! (although the last three involve a lot of grimacing and a sort of straining sound as if I'm trying to poo a pineapple)
Wheelies weren't happening - not for me and Em at any rate. Caz and the BMX fared better but I don't think it's something we'll be introducing into the routine anytime soon.
On Saturday night I attended the 'Reclaim the night' march - not really my cup of tea but wanted to see mates and show support as the Manchester group have been 'excommunicated' from the national 'Reclaim the night' group for allowing penis weilding oppressors, sorry men to join the march. One of the things I really like about protests is the consensual decision making that goes into them and the fact that each person and group (generally) actively encourages each other to define their protest according to what matters to them. This does mean that sometime there's a lack of focus on one main theme but it means that everyone owns the protest and for a bunch of southerners to tell my mates that they're wrong to do what feels right to them - well it just got to me a bit is all. It was all fairly fun and I got to hold a big burny torch thing so that's alright. Em had set up an 'I bike MCR' stall including some cupcakes decorated with spokes slogans and wheels which she was selling for donations. I had been saving my other 'eat out' of the week for something grand, or at least something involving an entire meal but seeing her (completely justified) pride in her creations I had to have one. The post march party was cancelled as the student union refused to keep the bar open until it was due to kick off and the organisers felt that everyone would probably drift off which of course following that announcement they did. Fuelled only by a cupcake and some guiness it was probably as well so I went home and had some pasta with a sauce made from a jar of doritos dip, the end of a tin of tuna with the oil it came in and the last few olives out of the jar.
Today I had venison sausages and mushy peas for lunch, pain au Chocolat for breakfast, courtesy of the team briefing meeting and started looking forward to CIBSE sandwiches on Wednesday night at a talk on thermal storage using phase change material.