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Week 17 (end of) - Week 18 (start of): I think Mum may explode soon



Mum says that tapering makes her feel like this.

After last week's weather scare Mum avoided looking again until Monday.  The weather forecast seems pretty sure it's going to be chilly, which is good, and breezy, which is not ideal but better than windy.  It may also be sunny which Mum thinks would be nice if it's cold.  I think it would be nice to lie in the sunshine to wait for Mum to get back, so we agree there.

Tapering is runner talk for not doing much running.  Mum is restless, fidgety and very grumpy.  Apart from her parkrun on Saturday where she had a little leg stretch if not a big one, she says she's just shuffling.  She managed to shuffle a few miles in company a couple of times this week which definitely left her in a better mood, but it didn't last long.  Worse still, Mum says, her legs are still far too sore and tired and she's worried about recovering properly in time for the race.  Mum is now resting properly.

Mum is just starting something called "carb loading".  I've seen Mum carb load before but normally she only does it for a day.  This time she's clearly taking it very seriously.  To keep herself occupied Mum has been baking.  Trays of flapjack and porridge bars keep appearing, and then by magic they disappear just as quickly.  Malt loaves have been lined up and and nice pasta has been bought.  Mum has it all planned out and is determinedly munching her way through a daily increasing amount of special food all designed to make she she doesn't run into a wall on Sunday.  I thought it would be easy to avoid running into a wall.  Walls are big, and Mum isn't so fast she wouldn't see it right there, but apparently it can happen when you've run a long way.  I wonder whether Mum's new glasses aren't as good as she thinks they are.  I wonder whether Mum will be able to run at all come Sunday after all this piggying.

Finally, today, to try and do something about her tight and sore legs, Mum went to get a massage.  Not any sort of massage, a special sports massage.  I thought a massage sounded nice, but Mum didn't look happy.  Apparently a sports massage involves paying someone to squeeze and prod and tug your sore legs until you squeel.  Mum said Dawn is very nice, but I don't like the sound of anyone hurting Mum.  I may need to give her a very good sniff next time I see her, I might even nibble her trainers.  I tried to understand how it worked by giving Stinky Mr Otter a sports massage, but it didn't end well.  I was then very worried Mum would end the same way and I wuffed and paced until she got back, a bit waddly but in one piece.

So, Mum is busy trying to make doing nothing feel like doing something to attempt and feel more in control of something that's now totally out of her control.  I am very worried that, just like Mr Otter when he had his special massage, Mum might explode.

Mum and I are both over the moon that we have passed £2,000 raised for Vizsla Rescue, and thank everyone who has donated; we appreciate it very much.  If you haven't and you would like to, please hit the big red button at the top.


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