Training day 2

Wednesday is often my day that I fit in a mid week run; but today I was busy first thing. (My god daughter had an interview at Manchester University; so I met her for a coffee and then was interviewed by a student for her dissertation.) My friend (who is seasoned long distance walker) advised me to walk sometimes instead of running; so with a bit of time to spare; I decided to walk home from the University. A very different walk from the walk on Sunday; it was all on roads and surprisingly cold.  The trip from Manchester University back to the south of the city; feels like a trip through my past life as a student. Much of the campus has changed; but the stretch past the medical school and the hospitals is largely the same it as it was 30 years ago. The Oxfam and flower shop opposite the medical school were there in 1987. I was tempted to stop at the Whitworth Art Gallery but continued on my journey into Rusholme. Most of the curry houses have changed hands in the last three decades; the Kwik Save has been replaced by a World Foods store; piles of beautiful fruit and vegetables outside it.  The next stretch of my odyssey took me past Platt Park; lots of memories here; the boating lake; hen nights (years later) and most recently a couple of park runs. Then on to Fallowfield; some old memories; singing beautiful Palistrina Masses at Holy Innocents; meals at friends' student houses; and more recent memories; nights out at the Greek restaurant with my lovely friends that I met when I was pregnant. The stretch from Fallowfield to Withington includes the first drive in MacDonalds in the country; and lots of hotels; which have faded over the years. We had a work do at one of them a decade ago; it looks as if it has suffered a bit from the down turn in the economy. Withington brought back old memories again; my student house on Yew Tree Road; and a Polka up Davenport Road late one night after a few beers in the pub. A pizza place that had seemed very sophisticated in 1991; but less so in 1999. The final stretch from Withington to Didsbury has more recent memories; the wonderful Syrian restaurant Aladdin; the venue for many celebrations; leaving does; maternity leaves; nights out with friends. An hour and half later I was back home; toast pittas for lunch; and 18,000 steps done! Probably 4-5 miles in distance.  - Added a few more steps with a trip into town later in the evening!