Ha well - I haven't started a new challenge yet but I have blagged some roof space for my very exciting experiment. It was looking shaky but then I reminded myself that Frances says I am 'very charismatic' (this was not meant as a compliment but was offered up as a reason why somebody had done something very stupid purely because I had said to) so I repeated it in my head like a mantra and hey presto! I was the epitomy of charm, cool and professionalism and I got what I wanted. So now my confidence is running free and unfettered by logic, rationality or personal history.
On Monday I 'came out' to the Spokes as a bin diver and received the usual affirmations and a recommendation to join the I bike MCR bin dive bike ride the next evening. So I went along and found several people milling around. I milled with them and chatted and gleaned some good stories and top tips - several from a guy who had funded a holiday in Cuba for two from his bin exploits! It was funny to see people shiftily asking 'Ermm..are you here for the ermm...the bike ride?' carefully avoiding any mention of the purpose of it.
After twenty minutes it became apparent that no -one was turning up to run it and so I called Em and Nes and established that if there had been anyone, there wasn't now. I bike MCR is a month long cycle festival and happening involving a staggeringly varied amount of rides and bike related events but due to it's anarchist nature occasionally veers into chaos. So I gathered everyone and explained the situation and then got the people who'd been most informative to share their stories and we had a bit of a disucussion and I gave out my email and offered to set people up with a bin buddy in their area. So I now have one and when I get back from my jollies will be organising some group runs.
I blasted off for the comedy night and later, on my way back through Chorlton, saw somebody rummaging in one of my favourite late night shopping spots so I went over and said 'Anything good tonight' and went away with a bag of barbeque charcoal, a six pack of pepsi max, four yoghurts, two turnips, an egg whisk(?? - random), a bag of monkeynuts, and joy of joys a wedge of BRIE!!! Free Cheese - all of my dreams have come true.
I have ventured back into shops for essentials but have found I have a completely different attitude to the experience. Instead of merrily picking up anything I vaguely fancy and throwing it in the basket (as was my wont previously) I find myself assessing each item on it's origins and how much I really need it and whether I need it right then or not. It feels very strange but I think it's a good thing.
We've just had reminders out on the Manchester 10k which is three years away and so it must be time to start running again after my post half marathon break.