Just a quick afternoon update whilst I’m in front of the computer. The title today is both physical in terms of racing and metaphorical in terms of where I’m at with life.

Been one of those weeks where it’s never quite got out of the starting blocks – one step forward, a pace back again. Still I had my first meeting with a bereavement counsellor which went OK but made me realise quite how much was yet to be resolved in my head. The next few weeks, with the first anniversary quickly approaching, are going to be a challenge.

It’s been very ‘Blue Peter’ in the study as I try to plan what the kitchen *could* look like (sans B&Q, whose phone call this morning woke me up). Scale plans of the room, cut-out scale units to place on the plans, about half a dozen brochures and absolutely no idea what I’m doing. Can somebody pass me the sticky backed plastic…….

No race this weekend but with a lack of endorphins in my system I decided a quick gym trip would have to suffice. I must say I’m a bit out of the groove for outdoor training at the moment, but this happened last year to be fair and then things did settle eventually. I still enjoy the racing though, even despite not really finding the zone at Chester. So today I managed a 1 hour session consisting of an 18km bike ride and 7km run. Hopefully that’ll keep my legs working ahead of Buxton next weekend.

Last summer, after getting back from Cambridge having sorted out the house and Mark’s affairs down there I got back home with the camera and did a self portrait – a sort of ‘this is me now’ look. In theory if I was going to do this annually I’d keep tabs on the dates, but it’s hardly important. So yesterday, with the camera I did the 2013 equivalent.

On the whole, more colour in face and generally much healthier and fitter, which is hardly a surprise after last year! And if you look carefully, there’s even some colour in the flower borders as the recent frost doesn’t appear to have killed off my marigolds – yet!