Cold baths

On Tuesday my intention was to run for 8k and have a cold bath.  When I woke up there was torrential rain and a Force 8 gale.  What I really wanted to do was go back to bed with a packet of chocolate biscuits...  But having said I'd do it, I did run.  Not as far as I'd planned - my knees were so stiff that I wimped out and just did 6.5k.  When I got home I was soaked through, absolutely freezing (something to do with not moving fast enough, I'm sure) and filthy muddy.  I stripped off in front of the washing machine to save walking mud through the entire house, hoping against hope that the postman didn't choose that moment to arrive (he didn't, which I'm sure was a big relief for both of us) and went to sit in my cold bath.  Guess what?  It was very nice!

I have to confess to something of a history with cold water here - years ago I had M.E. for nearly 20 years and one of the treatments I tried was Cold Water Therapy.  Completely lying down in a cold bath.  Very good for the immune system.  Apparently Barry Sheene does it.  Or did it, at any rate!

I was so comfortable in my cold bath that I even washed my hair in it - yep, head under and everything.  Took me hours to warm up afterwards though!

On Friday I ran again - finally doing my 8.5k including the Tardis (it's bigger than it looks) which was made more difficult by loads of fallen trees blocking the path - they probably came down after the massive snow dump in January.  Mostly I could jog round them, I only fell over once (steep bank, legs of jelly, went splat coming off it, nothing broken) and I didn't stop all the way up.  Or on the way home.  Yay!  I must be fitter than I thought...

Just look at this for gorgeous countryside...

This time my running trousers were so utterly revolting that I decided the only way to take them off was in the bath itself.  The water was so filthy that I couldn't actually see my feet.  Bleugh!  So I had a hot shower afterwards to actually get clean (Mad Mick, is that allowed?)

And we have today seen our THIRD dog behaviourist for New Running Dog's freaky behaviour.  This one does seem to have some theories.

So now we're going to carpet the kitchen...