I was a teenage werewolf

MANflu

I didn't feel 100% on last Wednesday's club run but didn't think much of it, blaming it on a hard road run on the previous Monday and the wet ground. By Friday, the day we drove over to Suffolk, I felt terrible and as I think I blogged before I was dreadful on Friday night. I've not really got any better since if the truth be known!

My heart is racing, I keep breaking out in feverish sweats or more alarmingly, cold sweats, I feel weak and lethargic and I have zero appetite for food. There are no cold symptoms but I have a classic case of flu I think. Thankfully we have some data to process for work which can be done at home, which has meant I haven't had to go further than the dustbin since Sunday. Also Stef is away with work so she hasn't had to put up with my moaning

There might just be a chink of light in that I didn't wake up in a sweat sodden bed this morning and I feel marginally better. I've already missed Monday's full moon headtorcher and guess there's little chance of getting out tonight but hopefully I might be able to get out to play at the weekend! 

Surf's up in Suffolk

Stef and I spent the weekend in Lowestoft celebrating Stef's sister Jo's wedding with family. We were staying in a hotel on the sea-front and on Saturday morning we had 18 surfers enjoying the results a good in-shore blow. The photo was taken from the hotel window!

The wedding was a lovely and very informal occasion. The ceremony was held in a church by the sea and the reception started off with shepherds pie and gravy, followed by apple pie and custard. Jo and Tony love rock music so plenty of Status Quo, Led Zepellin and Motorhead featured later on the disco

The only real down-side of the weekend was that I struck down by MANflu. I was so ill on Friday night that I had to leave half a pint of bitter in the pub! I've been dosing myself up with paracetamol, which seems to have helped but it's very long time since I've felt so ill 

Sufferer

Pie at the Lion

A good running club friend of ours, Richard, has moved into the village and gave us a lift over to the Swan last night. The murky weather that started not long after I got home from a run out over the Beacon on Sunday afternoon was still with us, but we managed a good run, including our recently introduced short break for sweets. Brett provided us all with Celebrations last week and yesterday afternoon I rustled up some Haribos from the 'Bob Graham' cupboard in the kitchen

Ilkley Black was on the agenda when we got back along with a magnificent steak pie! Sadly it was gone before photos could be taken but it was a real thing of wonder. Large pots of mushy peas were a nice touch too; we are really getting looked after this winter!

I got chatting with Kev Hopkinson while we were eating and after updating him news from Darren's funeral, music was discussed at length. He's a big music fan and loves the Beach Boys, especially Surf's Up. It was a smashing evening after what's been a difficult time for us and a great many of our friends 

The Waves

One day like this

The joy of living

Darren's funeral

On a beautiful autumn day family, friends and fell runners came from far and wide to pay their last respects to Darren Holloway. Even the big chapel at Bramcote, close to the A52 between Derby and Nottingham, couldn’t hold everyone who were there in spite of dozens of us standing at the back, including a group of cyclists who arrived fully kitted out in Lycra on their bicycles 

The service was relaxed and very much a celebration of a sadly too short life (Darren was only 42 when he passed away), but a life into which had been packed a hell of a lot. There was music played, only one hymn sung but several eulogies including wonderful words from Pennine fell runner Andy Howie and Fell Pony Steve Taylor. A slide-show was shown with images of Darren racing, training in the Peak, in the Alps cycling and on his successful 2008 Bob Graham Round

After the service ended everyone moved on to Morley Hayes golf club, where sandwiches were eaten, beer drunk but with broad smiles now replacing the earlier tears. Stories were told and great races and challenges discussed including Borrowdale, Ben Nevis, the Tour of Pendle and the Tour de France

To be honest I always have mixed felling about going ‘home’ to the Midlands (my life is very much in Yorkshire now) but I’ll never forget yesterday. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch-up with old friends, make some new friendships, plan future adventures and be part of something that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss for the world

Morning of my life