‘The Last’ by Hanna Jameson

A really good book – not what I was expecting.

A thriller set in the aftermath of a nuclear war. A group of people are holed up in a hotel. Then a body is found. The race is on to find the killer, and survive.

I’ve a few books on the side to read – not decided which one is next 🤷‍♂️

‘26.2 Miles to Happiness’ by Paul Tonkinson

I really liked this book – I nearly gave it 5 stars – not sure why I didn’t. I’m still slightly confused with my own star rating system!

It follows the comedian Paul Tonkinson on his journey to a run a sub-3 marathon. no spoilers here – although you can probably guess the outcome. 😳

It is structured with paragraphs covering the running of the marathon, interspersed with stories of training up to the big day. It’s an inspiring, comic odyssey of running redemption.

I’m definitely off to book in a marathon!

In the postscript Paul references that time back in 2020, after he had run the marathon, when things were very different:

In a world suddenly tipped into chaos, running offered a means of claiming control. In a world where we exhorted to stay indoors to save other people’s lives, we took the invitation to burst outside and save our own. During this time the experience of running was visceral: I had never needed it more. That hour of sweat offered a startling reprieve from the spiralling panic of the news cycle. In the woods, alone, there were moments when I forgot the madness.

Paul Tonkinson, ‘26.2 Miles to Happiness.

I know exactly what he means.

Next book: The Last

‘The Runner’ by Markus Torgeby

Yep, I know, it’s another running book. But you don’t like running books I hear you say. You always say they are monotonous and repetitive. Well…I suppose I have a love/hate relationship with running books.

I love to read about people running and overcoming obstacles in life as they do, it is inspiring.

But I just hate the whole ‘I got up and went for a run. I was very tired. I wanted to stop. It was never going to finish. It was impossible….oh I just got a world record’ thing.

This book didn’t disappoint on both counts.

I loved it: it is about a fella from Sweden who loves to run on his own. He actually went off into the forest and lived in a wigwam for four years. Just running and getting really cold.

I hated it: there was a lot of running and a lot of getting cold. Not so much of the running and winning races – which is great. Just not a lot about his life. But a lot of running in the snow and getting very cold.

Put on your shoes, open the door and go out on the streets and the paths. Run through the woods. Run without a watch. See your heart. Let your blood circulate. Think big thoughts.

Markus Torgeby

Next up: TBC

Done ✅

It took 12 days to run all the roads in ‘The Triangle’. The Triangle is made up of three villages: Wheatacre, Aldeby and Burgh St Peter.

Just two roads were needed to be run – it was just short of 6 miles in the end.

A couple more pictures:

Stat Attack!

Number of miles run over the 12 days = 58.66

Mileage of roads in total = 24.37

Highlight of today’s run? With the weather forecast, this house name seemed apt.

A little bit more red, not much more to do…

It’s half-term so it was a lovely morning run to cross off some more roads in ‘The Triangle’. For those reading this for the first time, ‘The Triangle’ is an area made up of the three villages, it forms the shape of a sort of rough triangle. The challenge was to run on all of them.

A couple more roads crossed off this morning…

Highlight of the run? I was joined on today’s 6-miler by Frank Turner’s new album ‘FTHC’.

It was a 4 mile run this morning so just a little bit more red added…

And a few more roads ticked off…

It was very windy this morning! I’m on half-term next week so hoping to finish the challenge. Probably only half a dozen or so roads left to run.

Highlight of the run? Spring is on the way…