**Disclaimer: This latest selection of rants and raves may be slightly more moany than usual. I’m writing this after spending three hours trapped on a boiling hot train with some slightly interesting people. Hopefully, Wolves will cheer me up tonight. As always, all rants and raves and moans and groans represent my own views. Numerous other far less negative running blogs are available**

Good morning and Happy Friday. This week has been manic, so I’m looking forward to shutting down my work laptop later today. I’m aware that I tend to waffle on a little, so here is my latest selection of rants and raves. As always, I apologise for the repeat rants and raves, I’m getting a little predictable in my old age.

Rave: Four Oaks

A slightly strange one to start with, but I think I’ve finally come to terms with the fact I won’t be returning to Wallingford any time soon. I miss Wallingford and my old office, and I definitely miss my short commute to and from work. Spending between two and three hours a day commuting is tiring; I feel like I spend a lot of time minding the gap.

However, living back in Four Oaks means that I’m not having to spend almost half of my salary on rent and train tickets. Although Four Oaks isn’t as nice as Wallingford, it’s not a bad place to live. Sutton Park is a short distance from my front door, there are loads of restaurants – clearly a priority- and the area generally feels safe. A bonus as I have to walk to the train station when it’s dark. Most importantly, if I ignore my spending this month, I’m managing to save a lot of money each month.

Rant: Fireworks

With apologies for what I suspect may be a repeat rant, but I need to have a moan about fireworks. I’m writing this post on November 27^th and I can hear fireworks somewhere in the distance. History isn’t one of my strongest subjects, but I do know that Bonfire Night was quite a while ago. Don’t get me wrong, I love fireworks, but I believe there’s a time – around Bonfire Night – and a place – at organised events. I don’t remember listening to fireworks for weeks on end when I was younger.

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I feel sorry for people who find the noise of fireworks traumatic due to PTSD. I jumped out of my skin one evening when a firework suddenly went off when I was out running, I can’t begin to imagine how stressful the noise fireworks must be to people with PTSD. I also feel sorry for people who own pets who don’t cope with fireworks. My cats don’t seem to care but I can imagine it’s an incredibly stressful time.

So, why am I still listening to fireworks now? Answers on a postcard, please.

Rave: Friends and family

I haven’t been able to say a lot on here, but my life has been pretty shitty recently. I know I haven’t been the easiest person to spend time with. So, a massive “thank you” to everyone who has put up with my negativity and mardiness. I’m confident that 2020 will be a better year. I just need my knees – yes, my left knee is also painful at the moment – to settle down.

Rant: My knee, again

With apologies for sounding like a broken record, my right knee is ‘broken’ again. To make matters worse, my left knee has joined in with the injury party. I’m a bit miffed because I was sensible and followed a beginners’ run-walk training plan. I thought that if I started from scratch, didn’t increase my mileage too quickly, my knee would cope. In an ideal world, I’d be getting some answers, however, I’m not in an ideal world so I’m assuming the issue I had before has made an unwelcome reappearance.

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To add insult to (quite literally!) injury, my right foot also feels quite niggly and I have a horrible suspicion I may be about to experience my second episode of plantar fasciitis.

I’ll continue to cross-train and will make more effort with my stretches and my strengthening routines. I also need to improve my diet, but to be honest, I can’t see any major changes and improvements happening next month as I intend to enjoy the festive period.

Rave: Christmas

As it’s almost December, I’ve decided I can now mention the c-word on my blog. I’m feeling quite organised again this year as I bought most of my presents well in advance of Black Friday.  I made sure I searched for discount codes online and have managed to save quite a lot of money. I’m now left with the trickier family members who always say “I’ll love whatever you get me” but look disappointed with my choices.

This sign has been tempting me all week. I’d rather catch the Polar Express than the 07:43ish to Dorridge.

As it stands, I’ll be attending three Christmas meals through work – let’s not mention the one linked to the team meeting I’m meant to be organising – and a couple of reluctant trips to the German Market in Birmingham. I’m hoping that it will be a case of safety in numbers as I’m not a fan of the German Market to the extent it almost became the subject of a rant.

Rant: The weather

My family says that I’m never happy; it’s either too dry and we need more rain or it’s too wet and we’ve had too much rain. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve got soaked walking to and from the train station. Spending all day at work with wet feet is not a lot of fun. As for volunteering at parkrun when it’s wet, it’s fun but I do feel slightly envious of the runners as I love splashing through puddles.

Rave: parkrun

I’ll stop talking about it when this blog is published, but I recently became a member of the 25 parkrun volunteer club or whatever it’s called. My running and volunteering stats look far healthier than they did at the start of the year. I completed my 25^th volunteering stint on Saturday and a couple of days later received the email saying I could order my milestone t-shirt which I think is impressive. My next target must be ‘earning’ my 50 t-shirt, only another 17 parkruns and a lot of attempts to run up the ‘Hill of Doom’ to go.

I’ve got a bonus rant for you, information about a running site you may or may not have heard of; Running 101.

Rave: Running 101

Running 101 includes a seriously impressive selection of gear reviews, loads of training hints and tips – I suspect that I’ll find the articles on returning from injury useful – and a news section.

If you haven’t done so already, check out Running 101 site. I can recommend this Top 20 running blogs feature. You may recognise some of the bloggers.

Once again, if you’ve managed to make it to the end of my latest selection of rants and raves, thank you. I decided not to share my rant about the Brooks Run Happy team and train delays and cancellations. Maybe next time. Anyway, I hope that my rants were reasonable, and I’ve made at least one person smile.

Have the fireworks stopped where you live? I’m aware that I sound like a hypocrite as I enjoy firework displays, but I do think the sale of fireworks should be regulated.

Do you have tips for dealing with injury setbacks? I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I’m scared I may never be able to train consistently again. I’m also worried I’ll get a place in the Chicago Marathon through the ballot.

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