Then, what a weekend! (part one)

As a bit of a sideline, I work for twenty Saturdays of the year, coordinating a Science course that aims to encourage bright children from deprived backgrounds into continue studying science subjects to higher levels at school. It is a worthwhile and rewarding project, but it does make organising weekend training a bit harder, and managing weekends with events in, quite challenging (not least because many of the long distance events are scheduled for Saturdays).

This last weekend was a perfect example of where having that little extra on top of the working week only served to make life a touch too stressful. To be fair, Saturday was just one of those mornings where everything just seemed to go a little awry; from missing staff and incorrect equipment, to my husband's delayed football match (which meant we would be running late for the remainder of the day). It meant we were both doing pretty good impressions of headless chickens when it came to loading up the car for the journey up to the Lakes, with the intention of being in time to get me to the evening talks being given as part of the weekend recce experience. I guess I have a tendency to exhibit mild OCD characteristics when packing for races; making sure all my kit is just perfect and packed in a certain way, but for this recce I was less bothered. It wasn't a race, so I took less care, and also, I had Benny's kit to pack for the first time too. This lax attitude was to come back and bite me on the bottom later...

We drove up to Ambleside through driving rain and gale-force winds and I began to lose my faith in the weather report that had forecast calmer, sunnier weather for Sunday. I think I already knew at this point that it would be too much of a rush to try and make it to the lectures too, which was disappointing. When we arrived at our B and B (The Old Vicarage) on the edge of the town and I immediately recognised it as it is actually on the Lakeland 50 course and I had last seen it as I stumbled past around midnight on a warm night in July! We could not have wished for a warmer welcome; a pot of tea was put straight on for us, we were upgraded, free of charge, into a deluxe room and the hounds were appropriately fussed. It is a wonderful place and we are already contemplating making a booking for the weekend of the race, as I cannot think of a place I'd rather be, near to the finish in Coniston, where I will be able to get clean and dry and have a mighty breakfast. They also have a small swimming pool, hot tub and sauna - perfect for post-race relaxation (better than porta-showers and an airbed in a tent, anyhow).

Lectures abandoned, dogs fed and weather subsiding a bit, we decided to wander in to Ambleside in search of beer and food (we are avid fans of the local micro-breweries). However, wherever we found dog-friendly pubs, we were thwarted by lack either of seating or food service. This didn't stop us sampling a little bit of ale, and we headed back to the hotel, armed with fish and chips, and finally feeling relaxed. Nicely full, warm and sleepy, I did succumb to my OCD and started to lay kit out ready for the morning; rucksack with spare base layer and waterproofs, all required safety kit, water bladder, maltloaf, road book and map, Benny's harness and lead, favourite clothes to run in, best trail socks, water proof socks - all there, ready for our adventure. Trainers? Turn to dearest husband to ask why he's left my trainers in the car? Cue, only vaguely panicked, searching of the car. You must have them in your bag, dear? No, really, I put them on top of all the bags that were to be loaded into the car...you loaded them in to the car...didn't you? No, I didn't. Oh.

It was not a good room to be in at this point. Possible solutions? No purchase options before the recce start at 9am and though we tried, there was no way on earth I could have used my husbands Karrimors. Remaining options were simply - either not to run, or for someone to do the round trip back to Manchester to collect the trainers. I was resigned to option one, disappointment aside, it had just been 'that' kind of weekend, but my gallant husband couldn't bear the wasted opportunity/energy so off in the car he went, stumbling back, many pairs of trainers in hand (just in case, bless him) at 2am. And because of his efforts, the recce for Benny and I was on!