Tough week, tough weekend

Maybe a short post today, we'll see by the time we get to the end.

Sort because, well I can't say too much about why it was not good. The fact that the fear and stress of last weekend were not helping my sense of self though out the week.  I was not in a good place, and it stayed not a good place.

Then there was the weather over the last week.  Awful springs to mind. A couple of days have been OK, but the wind has been over the top.  To the point where on Thursday I could not even run (60kmph+ winds do not equal good running conditions for me!).  So I felt like I had failed in my work out routines because I missed one.  Hmmm....

And then a few things in the office have just not sat well this week. I've really not been happy.

And of course, that big, massive, scary phone call I was waiting for did not happen...  I called on Friday as  I had not heard anything and...  Nothing has been arranged yet, maybe next week.  Hohum. They are really busy at the clinic and I can handle another week, but I would have preferred a call to let me know...

And then the tough weekend...

It started on Friday evening.  Normally that is shopping and collapsing.  This week we managed to get hold of last minute tickets for Eddie Izzard in the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam.  We got there a couple of hours early to grab a bite to eat. In an area that has the Heineken Music Hall (>10,000 capacity), the Ziggo Dome (capacity 17,000 people) and the Amsterdam ArenA Ajax stadium (capacity > 50,000) all with high profile events (Eddie Izzard was sold out, Pink at the dome and Ajax playing at home) it was amazingly hard to find somewhere to eat.  By our reckoning there are only two real restaurants and then snack stands and a fast food take away place.  We got the last table for two in one of the restaurants for their Chinese buffet (which was expensive, but quite nice) as long as we accepted that we had one hour before they needed the table. But an hour was fine for the buffet, we managed a starter round, main course round and then even a bit of dessert (including fruit!) and left before time.

Then onto the Music Hall for Eddie.  We were nearly two hours early, but after 15 minutes the doors opened and in we went.

Drinks, chatting, finding out seats and then we saw the big screens where all of the tweets to Eddie were displayed (OK, I admit it I sent one :p).  But not the best, there was a guy trying to chat up a girl using Twitter and the big screens which raised some laughs whilst we were waiting.  Very funny.

And then Eddie came out and did his thing.  90 minutes of laughing followed.  It wasn't his best work, he seemed to loose the thread occasionally, and was not as sharp as we have seen him in TV and on DVDs. But.  He was still side splitting funny.  If you like stand up, and you ever get the chance, go and see him!

We have a house guest coming in a few weeks, and another a week after that and so spring cleaning moved upstairs in earnest.  A deep clean of the bathroom (looks wonderful again) and even some time spend putting quite evil chemicals (in a mask for the fumes) on the grout to try and get it back to the normal colour.  It sort of worked :)

But it was a long day and a heavy day to do everything.

And then today.  Phew, this is a longer post than I had planned.

Today was the Hilversum City Run. I used to do it every year for the company I work for, but missed last year.  I was not yet ready for the world to see a sweaty, nauseated Stace at the end of the race (nor sporty Stace at the start, if I'm honest).

But, this year I decided to take part again.  Interestingly it through up an amount of people who have under estimated what I am going through about now. A few people have said "Ah, but you'll have such an advantage against the ladies."  I had to explain that, actually, no, I'll have a bit of a disadvantage (the Androcur means I have less testosterone than the women I am competing against and, yes, it does actually make a difference).  Again, Hohum.

This morning I was fine.  I got up and had some very poor coffees (the milk foamer has stopped making nice cappuccino for some reason :O ) and then showered and got ready.  And then I started to feel really sick.  I was going to go in front of thousands of spectators and run.  In my running gear (which lets face it is not exactly flattering).  And run 5 KM at my best pace.  And get sweaty and exhausted.  In front of thousands of people.

When I run during the week I am not in front of anyone looking at me.  And when I am done the only person who sees post workout Stace is Mrs Stace (and she knows ;p).  It was not sitting well!

But I did it!  Photo with the team (dreading how that looks!) and managed 30 seconds faster than my training times.  27:05 official time, 177 out of 755 people.

Not a bad end to the weekend!

But now MotoGP is going to start, and I have rambled enough!  Goodnight all!