63 days to go: Berlin, Barbie and Skimping on Sleep

It’s been a hectic wee week. I was in Berlin Monday to Thursday with work. Euan got his exam results - he did well! - and it’s Caelan’s birthday party on Sunday. My big lesson for this week is that sleep is important. Bet that is news to you!

On Monday I was up at 0330 and Thursday was 0345. Work days were long with early starts. So I reckon Monday to Friday I averaged about 5-6 hours sleep a night. However, Paul and I knew going into this week that there would be additional life load. I had two rest days baked in. And Saturday’s saw me in bed for nearly 11 hours Fri into Sat. That is one long lie!

Running in Berlin was amazing. It is a city steeped in some immense history. Which is about as obvious a statement as my sleep is important one. It is humbling to run alongside remnants of the Berlin Wall and the Holocaust memorial is unreal in its eeriness and atmosphere.

My mileage was down on the weekly average, just 68 miles, but I did do a really pleasing quality session on Thursday and this reduction in workload was by design. As it is I have a lot of pulls on my time between now and Toronto between work and life.

It’s now 9 weeks today till Toronto. That means the really fun weeks are ahead. Big miles, tempos and hard efforts. This is what we sign up for. I have Kirkcaldy half in a couple of weeks and just want to run that at MP effort. It is exciting to have some races to get ready for. I am probably 2kg heavier than I wanna be too. Another thing to focus on.

Aside from Euan’s exam results the highlight of the week was going to see Barbie in the Lanternhouse Cumbernauld. It is a local cinema of about 125 seats. Small screen with intimate feel. Supporting these local facilities is important. If we want the arts to thrive locally having a place like this is brilliant.

Barbie was a blast. The production and visuals were incredible and the narrative really enjoyable. Many a lesson in there. Including the boys asking what the joke at the end meant. If you know, well, you know.

That’ll do for this week. It has been epic seeing races like the Devil, The Wall, Race Across Scotland, Gloucester 24/48 and more take place. Inspired me to do more! But first, TO.

Thanks for reading!
(Written by James Stewart)