10 and 11 September 2022 - A Weekend of running and visiting

Saturday morning at Wythenshawe Park - 293 runners and walkers assembled under the guidance of run director for the day, Dan. Sue dashed round the 5km course in a respectable 25:12, whilst I jogged round in 28:47, still weary after the Dales High Way walk.

Then Sue went bellringing and I caught up with a week's house admin etc.

Sunday morning found me at Wythenshawe Community run, where we vied for position with a 100km cycle ride. The cyclists won - we runners were directed around the side of their impressive starting tent. My jog was even slower than the previous day, but this time I was ahead of fellow septuagenarians Michael and Colin, who had exhausted their reserves of energy on Saturday!

Meanwhile, Isabella was enjoying her new pram, without which (we are told) she refuses to leave the house.

It was the first week at 'Big School' for Jacob, who today took part in a running relay race in Ormskirk - well done Jacob - and Jessica started a new year in a new uniform. We visited them in Bacup later.

Others were enjoying a coffee break on a bike ride in Cheshire.

After the run, Sue and I dashed to Cornbrook to pick up Julia (88), who I met on my first trip to the Himalayas in 1997, and her granddaughter Megan. We paid a leisurely visit to the RHS Bridgewater gardens, and enjoyed an excellent picnic, compiled earlier by Sue whilst I was trying to run. 

Here are a few snaps from the garden.

The picture below shows where the Yan Bo Zhi Shuang Pavilion, delayed by Covid, is intended to be built.

Then we dropped Julia and Megan off at a convenient Metrolink station (Whitefield) and headed to Bacup to briefly visit Kate, J & J (all rushing maniacally around) before continuing to Halifax, where Susan and Roy, our friends from Connecticut, were spending the night whilst on a Lands End to John O'Groats bike ride. It's a shame that they are whizzing along the route so fast that they don't get much time to appreciate the passing attractions.

Anyway, a trip to the town centre did give them a brief break. Halifax has an impressive Town Hall.

It's good to see that a golden postbox celebrating local girl Hannah Cockroft's olympic success in 2012 is surviving the rigours of a town centre position.

The two cyclists nearly had a nasty accident on a street bike that they found!

On the way to an acceptable Thai restaurant, we passed this ornate gateway.

It was good to see everyone today. Hopefully it won't be so long until next time.