Bob's Bits.

Hobbies & Pastimes Hobbies & Pastimes: Chat / Discussions
1201

Still no snow in Doncaster this morning so it was out on the road at seven while it was still pitch dark. I like to get my run done early so I can get on with my day…If there is anything left that is. Zero degrees C when I set off, but soon warmed up once I’d covered a mile or two. I was feeling pretty good after the halfway mark, and carefully made my way past the farm where the ‘Hound of the Baskervilles’ lives and to my relief, all quiet…:cool:

From that point on though my lower back muscles began to tighten and by the seven mile mark was struggling to keep up a pace. I just managed to make it home and do some stretching which seemed to have done the trick. This is what happens when you miss a couple of runs, so I hope it doesn’t get any worse…:frowning:

Thanks for my ‘Nick Name’ Sweetie Pie’ but Old Grey Fox is how I feel…Emphasis on the ‘Old’…

1202

Sorry I nearly forgot about this thread.

Ok I will call you Foxy - Stop with the Old
I hope you are still running and enjoying yourself.

I saw some snow in London! No snow in Bournemouth, just rain today.

1203

Do you ever run on grass? I hated that,it feels like running in mud. Often events finished with a lap of a playing field , gruesome. I didnt mind cross country as long as it included some paths and a bit of clambering ,. but never just on flat grass. Some wonderful uphill events here, idiots run up to the top of a mountain:-(:!::lol:
Keep it up and get your application in for London Marathon YES? NO:-D:-D:twisted::twisted:

1204

Yes, Foxy is good for me Sweetie…:smiley:
Still running also, it never stops if I can help it, as long as I can stand and breathe, you’ll find me treading the tarmac…:cool:

1205

During my running career Norway I used to prefer the fells and moors, the rougher the better, and I loved hills and good climbs. I competed in lots of fell races and they were all over 20 miles.
My favourite was called The Lyke Wake Race, 42 miles across the North Yorkshire Moors from Thirsk to Ravenscar. I raced this for nine consecutive years. Then I got friendly with some road runners who introduced me to the marathon and I fell in love with road running.

Following my first Heart Attack in 2004 my family banned me from running marathons and other long distance runs, I was allowed to run half marathons on the road and I have since got used to running on flat hard surfaces and very rarely run on grass or rough stuff. I’m still prone to running up mountains though and earlier in the year I took on Mount Snowdon, and succeeded in just under two hours. But the London marathon was never my favourite but managed 3 hours and 13 minutes back in 1989…I’ve even been banned from doing half marathons now Norway so I’m on the slippery slope…:frowning:

1206

Tell them you are going away for a couple of days they will not notice , they are so used to you going off running:-D

https://www.fjordnorway.com/planning-your-trip/whats-on/eggenipa-opp-uphill-race-p901933

If that comes out in Norwegian try google translate , I can book you for it next year:twisted::twisted::twisted:

This is another one the idiots do:-D:-D

1207

Foxy you ARE missing a lot of fun!
Christmas section - A Christmas story.
Get your running shoes on - You will love it.

1208

If I could, I would spend most of my days on the forum Sweetie Pie, but unfortunately this is a very busy time of the year and time is at a premium, so I try and frequent my favourites - Bob’s Bits, obviously, and the Fitness and Exercise thread, with regular dips into Science and Technology and General Gossip. I try not to spread myself too thinly over such a large topic filled forum.

Having said that, I suppose I’m a bit of a shrinking wallflower (shrinking being the operative word) and I’m not much of a party animal and much prefer the quiet solitude of the open country. I’m more of a one to one man, or just a small gathering of close friends (Especially runners and Walkers) where we can exchange tales of heroism and triumph in the face of adversity…:cool::cool::cool:

So as soon as time becomes available Sweetie Pie, I shall cast my net accordingly…:smiley:

1209

Excellent Norway, once upon a time they would have been my kind of event, thanks for posting them…:smiley:

And…Never say never…:wink:

1210

Sorry, Foxy I forgot again.
I don’t run, so I am useless.

I came back to ask about your visit from your lovely daughter.
Did she like the spider?

1211

She took to it eventually Sweetie, after adding some underwear to the laundry basket…:shock:

1212

You guys do like to scare us:-D
Are you ready for Christmas?

1213

Question is Sweetie, is Christmas ready for me?..:smiley:

1214

[CENTER]So let’s Recap
[/CENTER]

Here we are, in just one weeks time the house will be smelling of Turkey with discarded wrapping paper festooned around the lounge, and without sounding ungrateful, I’ll be adding my new pair of slippers to the ever growing collection I now have on the top shelf of my wardrobe. So barring the Christmas Dinner, the Queens speech, and the repeat of Zulu that I’ve never seen the end of (too busy sleeping off all that food and drink) that will be that for another year.

This will be my sixty eighth Christmas, although I don’t remember much about the first half dozen or so, but there have been many changes to the festive period in my lifetime. It was after I started attending school that Christmas became such an eagerly anticipated event, the thought of having a fortnight off school was enough of a gift for me (I didn’t like school much, as you have probably deduced from my writing) but I suppose an influx of new toys wasn’t to be sniffed at either.

And then in my late teens it was just a good excuse for piss-ups and lock-ins down the pub.
After I was married, started a family, bought a house and became sensible, Christmas became more of a time for somebody else. The look on my daughters face when she opened her presents was the best present I could receive, a time to catch up with family, neglected through the year from work commitments, and for two or three days, the house was full of laughter, friends, family and music.

Although I’m not religious, I enjoy accompanying Mrs Fox down to the village church at midnight on Christmas Eve. What can be bad about meeting neighbours and others folk from the village whose only glimps of me is when I flash past their houses at the crack of dawn in shorts and running vest on cold frosty mornings. To be honest, I’m neither one or the other about religion, all I can say is; if there is a superior being responsible for my existence, I should be eternally grateful for the superb body he supplied me with during my brief stay on Earth.

We drink to absent friends now as Mrs Fox and me will spend this Christmas day with each other, the last of our parents passed away this last year. But our daughter and her fella will be looking in, and the grandkids also, so it won’t be all that sad, but it just seems a perfect time to find a quiet moment to stop and think about our life so far amidst the retail circus that has kidnapped Christmas…

And finally…I would just like to wish a Very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and prosperous New Year to everyone who has visited Bob’s Bits over the last year. You have made an ageing runner very happy and given him a new dimension to his life…Love you all…

[CENTER][SIZE=“4”]-Merry Christmas- [/SIZE][/CENTER]

1215

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your wife too, Bob. x

1216

How very lovely, Bob. It is as if you have invited us into your home and shared a bit of Chrstmasses past and present. I hope you and Mrs. Fox have a lovely day remembering Christmasses old, but mostly forming new memories with your daughter, the man in her life, and your grandchildren.

May you have the merriest of Christmasses!

1217

Aww, that was a lovely post Foxy.
Keep on running is all I can say, well apart from MERRY KISSMASS:-D
Have a wonderful time with your family.:lol:

1218

Mags, Sweetie Pie and Surfermom, thanks for your festive wishes, and all three of you would always be very welcome at Foxes abode…Sending hugs for all of you and wish you a very Happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year…

By the way, Mrs Fox and me went shopping in Sheffield on Friday, what a wonderful city it is, the walk from the station to the city centre is quite remarkable with water fountains cascading down each side of the walkways. All the countries of the world are represented here which make it so vibrant and exciting…Love it…:cool:

At 3.38pm A tired Mrs Fox and me slumped back in our carriage seats for the journey home as the pretty Christmas lights were just coming on when a voice crackled out from the PA…“Welcome to the 3:38 service to LEEDS!”…:shock::shock::shock:…LEEDS? Bugger…we’re on the wrong train. Fortunately we just had time to scamper back onto the platform as the train pulled away…:blush::blush::blush:

1219

Leeds? Leeeeeds??? I can only imagine the few seconds of panic. It’s a darn good thing that Mr. and Mrs. Fox are spry on their feet!

It’s ever interesting to read about the cities and villages in your part of the world, OGF, and while I know shopping is not at the top of your favorite things to do, it does sound like it is quite an interesting to place to wander about.

Thank you for the kind sentiments. You, Mrs. Fox, and your daughter’s family have my kindest wishes and thoughts for the new year!

Next report from Scarborough?

1220

All the snow had long since disappeared in my bit of South Yorkshire but on our journey to Scarborough we climbed over the wolds to a world still full of winter. There was still plenty of evidence that Scarborough had its fair share of the white stuff too. So we have arrived safe and sound and checked into the hotel. After the compulsory hour or two round the shops we returned to a frosty room, so my next hour or two will be spent trying to fathom out the thermostat on this radiator…Failing that, plenty of dinner tonight…And snuggling up to Mrs Fox under the duvet…Errrrrrr

Sheffield is a marvellous city Surfermom, and I don’t need much of an excuse to visit there. Like Rome, Sheffield is built on seven hills and was a powerhouse of industry during the Eighteenth and early nineteenth century, producing steel and fine cutlery exported all over the world. Together with the ‘Bessemer Converter’ (removes impurities in molten Iron) it’s production of high quality steel and stainless steel was second to none…