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The tribe

Happy days - I love the weekend, particularly in the moments (sometimes it feels like it's a glimpse, other times it's hours) where everyone is in equilibrium. This week has been massively busy but also full of privilege. On Friday my role at Oxford University resulted in a day where we were shown round some of the oldest and newest libraries, both stunningly different in their architecture and history. We were also given a talk on some of the University's oldest governance records, including the earliest report of the University's inception dating from the early 1200s. What was funny was the realisation that some of the subjects being discussed in the 1930s are still up for debate today in the audit committee - life at Oxford doesn't move that fast!

This morning Glenn is out in his new enduro bike - apparently the last one (sold about 6 months ago) was 'never right' and this one is much better. I'm not sure whether he was disappointed or reassured when he asked my opinion, to which I replied "good colour" - I think they're all orange aren't they? The good news is that this change of bike is due to a change of plan and no racing this year - hooray! Glenn decided that him being away 6-8 long weekends in the year was too much for all of us and so the race bike has gone and the enduro riding, a fort nightly Sunday morning local ride is back and much more convenient. Can't say I'm at all sad about the new plan.

So what else is new - well, no silver bullet on my knee I'm afraid. After sport massage therapy (code for modern toture), gait analysis and many conversations we've concluded that it's ITBS that is causing the problems. The good news is that there is an immediate and total cure. The bad news is that this is not to run. I've 99.9% accepted this means no Barcelona marathon, although a very small part of me is harbouring hope of a final miracle. One suggestion has been to train like a triathlete and do 'brick' sessions where I do the required amount and effort of cardio work, but in a mix of a running session followed immediately by a bike session. So I tried this yesterday and did an hour of running with no knee problems (as expected, the pain kicks in after about 90 mins), then straight onto the spin bike. I managed a measly 30 mins before giving up through a mix of boredom and concern that the amount of sweat on the floor would be enough to allow me to swim at the end of this. It's certainly not for the faint hearted and I can see it would give me the fitness and stamina, if not the knee strength. I'm not sure I've enough time to rescue the situation anyway, but that 0.01% of me is clinging on for a week or so more if I'm honest.

On a final note we are beginning our plans for the new garden room which will become the official 'kids tat hosting centre' from here on. I can't wait, although I do worry I'll make all the effort to turn the playroom into a halfway decent space, only for it to immediately be turned back into a school / hospital / nursery before my eyes. At least if we've put the tat somewhere else it can't all make its way back into the house in one go... can it?!?

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