Oh Stop Blubbering!

Gutted is an understatement.

Yesterday, Duncan, Ruby and I drove to Otley and camped over night as I was due to run the Blubberhouses 25 today.  I had altered entered in advance and spent a while painstakingly highlighting my map a couple of days ago with the route of the run.

I even overcame my fear of number 2s on campsites (or in any public toilet really) and was in the midst of constructing my 'race plaits' hairdo when I got a ping on my phone from Facebook Messenger.  It was my mum asking me to give her a call when I woke up (this was at about 6.45 in the morning).  I rang her straight back and she was surprised I was up this early on a Sunday as I hadn't mentioned that I was camping and doing a long run.

She told me that both mine and my brother's garages, which are at my parents' house, had been broken into over night.  They had smashed up the roofs and gone into the garages, leaving the up and over doors open.

As my garage is such a mess (because Duncan took ownership of it - if it was down to me it would be immaculate) mum didn't know whether anything had been stolen but did say that my brother's entire tool box had gone.

I have a classic mini in my garage (my beloved Horace) and he isn't painted at the minute and is partially in primer.  This mean that, as it was raining, he was getting wet due to the hole in the roof.  I told my mum I'd speak to Duncan and let her know what we were doing.  When I told Duncan, he was insistent that we had to go there because he would have to fix the roof and if he waited until after my run it would be too late - I wouldn't be finished until around 2pm and then we'd have a 1.5 hour drive, not to mention any time I spent refueling after the run.

The event start was on our way home so I asked Duncan if I could quickly stop there to tell them that I wouldn't be competing.  I knew I didn't have to and it wouldn't matter but, as I had only entered a few days ago, I thought it would look odd me not turning up and just wanted to let them know as a matter of courtesy.

I wish I hadn't though because, as soon as I saw everybody ready to go (I arrived ten minutes before the start), I started to well up and feel chocked up.  I know how ridiculous sounds but I was really looking forward to this run as I hear it's a good one and I just felt an empty feeling inside.  When Duncan drove off to turn the van around, as I was in full race gear and had my backpack packed, I was really tempted to just go anyway and not tell him.

We drove to my mum and dad's and Duncan and my brother then spent hours fixing the roofs and having to go to B&Q for materials.  By the time we let, it was gone 6pm.  I had just sat on the couch all afternoon and then felt guilty that I hadn't gone out for a run from my mum and dad's.  I just kept thinking Duncan would be done soon and could drop me off somewhere to run home because I'd rather not run around Radcliffe, but it just kept getting later and later.

By the time he was ready to leave, I had barely any time left to run because we still had to walk Ruby, unpack the van and sort out tea, etc, so, just to ensure I got some kind or run in, Duncan dropped me and Ruby off on Scout Lane and we ran home from there around Walker Fold.

It was only 3.1 miles, which is an eighth of the run I was supposed to do but at least it was something.  I felt really depressed when I set off but, by the time I got home, my spirits were lifted.  It's amazing how good a run, even a very short one, can make you feel.

P.S. Sorry if there are any spelling/grammar mistakes above - I'm currently on my third glass of wine!!!

Total distance 3.1 miles (1/8 of the distance I should have done!!!)