Winter Ends, Another Begins

Forrest was keen to go for a run this morning and enjoy a little competition. He's recently embraced Strava and is loving being at that stage when he can chart rapid improvement. I'm less keen on the technology myself, since it only charts my own steady deterioration. It occurred to me the other day that we could hold virtual fell races using Strava to allow people to run during an agreed time slot of a few days and log their times. Forrest found out that someone was already there and had set up a section on the route of the Ilkley Incline, an uphill mile. Forrest surprised me with his pace. He's come a very long way in the last year. Once I'd caught him up we ran on together over the moor. A lot of people were out, mostly individuals and couples but a couple of larger groups. A few stopped to give us a wide berth as we ran past on the flagstones; in other cases, it was up to us to create the space. An etiquette is developing.

It was such a beautiful afternoon that despite feeling incredibly tired, I couldn't help but take a ride out to Burnsall. It seems to me that cycling is just about the safest activity that any of us can pursue at the moment. I stopped for a few photographs but my heart wasn't in it. Unusually, my head never really got into the ride, a sign once again of how distracted I am. It's hard work stopping my thoughts from going to places that are very scary.

I've not brought my Face by Face project to a halt. It's a record of my life and I still find myself interacting with people from a safe distance. If an opportunity arises, I will take it. If it doesn't, then we'll have to see. I might need your help.

It was hard not to feel today that just as one winter is ending, another is beginning.