My new travel companion

Today was the first day of work in 2011 and the fourth day of Janathon. The alarm went off at 5:45 and it was as dark as night. The consolation prize was that I’d left my running kit on the radiator to dry so it was toasty warm when I pulled it on. Just as well because it was rather fresh outside. Earphones in, woolly hat on and I was away for day 6 of the running.

It was a little eerie, just a couple of cars about and a few other runners pounding the streets. I planned 4k today as this route was the safest and most well lit. My calves felt really tight and my knees were aching so I was pleased I was only doing 4k. It felt more like 40! I nipped round as fast as my legs would carry me so I could get home,  get showered  & dressed as soon as possible and then on the tube to work. Why the rush I hear you ask? Today was the first commute with my new travel companion. Meet the Kindle. I look pretty pleased to meet it on Boxing day.

I love it! I love the way it feels, the way you can buy a new book in less than a minute and the way that you turn the page at a click of a button. You can hold it in one hand and still turn the page easily without the risk of ripping it. Don't fret if you lose your page either as this companion will remember exactly where you got to.  I did feel a little like a kid showing off, whizzing up and down the street on my new bike on Christmas Day but I didn’t care as I was in my own little bubble of calm  when everybody else had their knickers in a twist about fare increases.

 I’m normally a bit of a traditionalist and thought I’d never tire of flicking the paper pages in a book, being able to see how far through the book you’ve got to encourage you to read more. Kindle has even mastered this with a percentage bar along the bottom that just wills you to read a few more pages and the way the print looks like ink on a page. Purely magical! It’s official to say, I love my Kindle and I haven’t even had the pleasure of taking it on holiday yet.

The first day back to work went swimmingly and talking of swimming I was planning on going to the gym for a swim tonight. I confess that by the time I got home, after a little detour to the apple store for a gift for my brother, it was 7:30 and I was starving.  I opted for a little action on my lounge rug instead. 135 sit ups, 10 planks held for 20 seconds each and 60 press ups later, my sofa was calling me and who was I to ignore it?

It is ages since I’ve done some treadmill running. I enjoy running outside so much more but I think tomorrow will call for a gym session just so that I can get the distance in. It’s so dark in the mornings and it’s already dark by the time I get home so the longer routes that I started running in the summer just aren’t a good idea for a lady on her own in the darker winter months. The gym means I can wallow in the Jacuzzi as a reward too and I think I deserve just a little wallowing. If I’m really good I may even throw in a little steam room sesh.