A Friday post for you! And I’m ranting and raving… sorry for the complete randomness of this.
Rave: Well I really have no excuse not to go to the local 5k race that takes place literally at my work. We have this lovely lake right next to the big office building (which is why it’s called Lakeside…) and there is a 5k series (Lakeside 5k) that goes on on some Wednesday evenings during the summer. I’ve never gone before because I’ve never been able to get back from work in time and then get there…and it’s a 5k. I hate 5ks. However it was my friend’s birthday and he was going and it is literally at my work so I figured I best make an appearance! I’d probably only run 3-4 miles anyway on my own. It’s always nicer to run with other people.
Anyway, loads of my running club turned up which was nice and my birthday buddy, Joe, so it was a lovely social evening. I did a 1.5 mile warm up round the lake with a couple of the guys and convinced myself a fast run was not happening. Why do warm-ups always feel so crap and you feel so sluggish?
But weirdly as soon as we started going as the race began my legs were like “let’s do this”. I managed to maintain a decent speed and chip away at my time as the miles continued. 
I overtook some Hedgies in front of me and tried to encourage them with me (without sounding like a cocky so and so). My friend, Robbie, was ahead and I caught up with him and we raced to the finish together. I was dying a death inside but Robbie managed to sprint ahead of me (I was barely maintaining my final burst of speed!) and slam dunked the finish. What a sprint finish! Super impressive. Apparently the fastest 5k he’s done in ages, so major kudos to him!
I’m also really pleased with my time. I got 21:26 which is definitely the fastest Ive run in a good while. But jeeeeze, it was tough! Glad I went though as it was some good speedy miles that I’d have never done on my own.
Rave: I’ve now been to the cinema three times in the past two weeks. This is incredible for me. I love watching films and I do love going to the cinema but with my (old) commute and needing to get back for Alfie…well, I just had no time in the evening to really do anything but walk Alfie, make and eat dinner and chill a little before bed! Now that I have more time in an evening and more time in the morning (so less ridiculously early mornings) I’ve been able to get out a bit more. Ahh freedom!
This does unfortunately mean spending more money. And this is both on eating out and the actual film. I’ve been eating at Nando’s each time before the cinema because it’s a) easy, b) relatively cheap (OK it’s not really for just chicken), c) I love it and it’s always a consistently good meal for me. It’s also not something super indulgent on a weekday (all about that balance). I can’t always avoid the temptation of a pudding in other restaurants, whereas at Nando’s I feel fully satisfied after my meal (always a whole chicken, plain, with a side salad and sometimes a corn on the cob depending how I feel) to be content with just a main (I say “just” but we all know it’s a ridiculous meal for a girl my size).
Anyway so recently I’ve seen The Black Tower, Logan Lucky and American Made. The Black Tower was tolerably interesting but ultimately I wouldn’t recommend at all. Logan Lucky was hilarious, quick-moving and definitely worth a watch. American Made was a good watch but it dragged a little. It’s Tom Cruise’s new one and he basically plays Tom Cruise. A fun evening though anyway.
This also means that when I listen to my two movie review podcasts (Empire and BBC Five Live Kermode & Mayo) I actually have an opinion on the films for once!
Rant: Ahh Game of Thrones is over. The last episode was really good and made me feel more positive towards it then some of the other episodes. I really can’t wait for the next two books to come out though to see how George R.R. Martin will deal with the different characters and story-line.
Rave: The Great British Bake Off is back! OK yes it’s moved to Channel 4 (overseas readers, this is such a bugbear for us Brits as it used to be on the BBC, so there weren’t any adverts and it had the very British charm and gentleness that the BBC bring to TV, whereas Channel 4 is a bit more racy and ‘different’). But this does mean that every Tuesday evening I’ll be craving cake *sighs*. I haven’t actually watched the first one yet due to my busy evenings but I’m excited to catch up.
Rave: Speaking of cake…We recently had a successful big project complete at Wiggle so cake and fruit was brought for everyone in the office.Now THIS is how you get and maintain good levels of morale in a workplace. OK, not just bringing in food, but the fact that the workforce is thanked in such a nice way. It’s the little things that really help keep things consistently happy in a workplace.
The cakes were really good as well. Lots of different flavours. I had a chocolate one (not normally my flavour of choice when it comes to cake but it had a wedge of Galaxy chocolate in the icing…) and a carrot cake one. SO good.
Rant: It really annoys me when shops try to upmarket something that you can get somewhere else for like half the price. Popcorn kernels are easily available and far more affordable in supermarkets!
Don’t be won over by the fancy packaging. Believe me, as a girl who regular pops her own popcorn. They’re the same kernels!
Rant: OK not really a rant but just a bit of a “what?”. These fluffy things seem to be everywhere… I see them all over people’s handbags.
And don’t get me started on those weird furry sandal things (sliders?) that girls are wearing. They look like slippers! What is going on!?
Finally… Not sure if this is a rant or a rave. But on my walk with my dad the other day we walked past a farmer’s field to find a load of pumpkins appearing. 
Summer is definitely over!
Are you sad summer is coming to end?
Do you adorn your handbag with fluffy things or similar?
Does your work treat you to fun things and cakes?
Despite having had popcorn last night, at the cinema, I now want popcorn again. Piggy…. 😉
I have a tassel which my Japanese Mummy made for me on my handbag. And that’s about it. Previous handbags have had charms on them – that was a Big Thing about 10-12 years ago. Gosh. I feel old now.
Work does treat us to cakes, and fruit – and (and this is awesome) we have two nutribullet machines. We bring our own blades/plastic cups, and we can make smoothies. It’s brilliant.
Autumn is my favourite season, so I’m actually kind of looking forward to it. That said the darker mornings and nights are very sad!
Lauren (@poweredbypb) recently posted…Hanson’s Marathon Method Month 3
Nice work on the 5k- super speedy!
That fruit platter looks good too- it is nice when a workplace thanks the workers like that.
NO idea what those fluffy things are- someone I know has one as a keyring as she always loses her keys in the bottom of her bag so she needed something big to join to them, but not hanging on the outside.
I love it when I have seen a few films that they review on the radio- it means I can agree (or disagree) with them or the people emailing in. I’m going to see the Skid Row tomorrow which I am really looking forward to- that’s my first cinema outing in what feels like ages. I have been looking at Logan Lucky but not booked anything yet.
Maria @ Maria runs recently posted…Running in France (including some shoe surgery)
Those fluffy things are literally the new trend! They are on EVERYTHING. On shirts, backpacks, earrings – no joke I see them everywhere and just don’t get it at all lol
kat recently posted…Words to my younger self
These are great. I am so jealous that you have the 5K so close to your work. And I totally agree about fancy packaging making something more expensive. UGH.
Elizabeth C. recently posted…Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Training: 9 Weeks to Go