Super Woman

Weekends for a new father are obvious by far the best part of the week. Getting loads of cuddles with Leo is wonderful, but also getting to sit and chat with Sarah for hours.

This weekend I've been fell running with one of the NCT guys on Saturday then paragliding on Sunday. Busy and hard work on the legs. Today I can barely walk which is super fun!

Saturday's run was planned a month or so ago when Stuart decided he wanted to do Tough Mudder this weekend and I suggested fell running instead as it was £125 cheaper and much harder. He agreed despite not running much recently and going on holiday last week. I planned a 12 km run around Macclesfield Forest and climbing to the top of Shutlingsloe which is just over 500m high. It was punishing in a way Tough Mudder just isn't, in that there's no let up, almost from the moment you start.

The weather was mostly acceptable for running, warm enough and either foggy or raining. We finished the whole thing in just over 100 minutes, but somehow got waylaid 10 km in by meeting with Sarah, Emma, Sheila and Nicola at a pub for lunch. The last two kilometers was very gentle thankfully, and almost entirely downhill. Beer and burger is not the perfect running snack FYI.

Paragliding was my birthday treat from Sarah last year, and 51 weeks later we just managed to get it done. We've tried at least 10 times, only to be thwarted by the weather. Talking to the instructors yesterday, they have missed around 100 days of flying so far this year, so it's not surprising it's been difficult to organise!

We met on a sunny hillside just outside Ilam in the Peak District, and spent the day learning from Paul and Jim from Parapente about how to handle a glider and making 20+ short flights down the hill. It was incredibly addictive and a whole load of fun, and I may want to do that again!

By now you're either thinking "What shall I have to eat?" or "So what's the point of this damn it?!"

Well now. The point is everything I've done recently in terms of sport has been with the NCT boys. Not only is this an excellent advert for NCT as a way to meet other expectant couples, but my actual point is that it's taken 6 guys to replace what Sarah did as one person just to keep ourselves entertained at the weekend. She really is a super woman. And all the time I'm doing anything, all I really want is for Sarah to be by my side, kicking my ass downhill, making me a better person in every way.

I love you.