Two weeks before running the Ealing
Half Marathon, I went to Bournemouth for the weekend to visit my auntie Helen
and her husband Tim. This would be my last drinking weekend before going on the
wagon in preparation for the race. The three of us certainly made the weekend
count. I arrived Friday night after work and we stayed up until 4am on Saturday
morning. Despite feeling a bit rough when I finally surfaced out of bed around
9am, I was still keen to stick with my plan to go for a 6 miles run along the
beach and then go for a dip in the sea.
I ventured down the stairs of my Aunt's
apartment and on to the road beside the beach. I did my usual dynamic stretches
before embarking on my run. As I was about to strap my phone to my arm I
noticed that I had a message from my cousin Neal to say my Grandma had passed
away. The news wasn't too much of a surprise as she was in hospital and had
some health issues after a successful hip operation. However, it was still sad
news to receive. I contemplated cancelling my run but I decided to go ahead
with it to help process my thoughts.
As I ran I felt it was quite fitting
that I should learn of the news in Bournemouth. This seaside town amongst
others such as Dymchurch and Weymouth, are where I have my fondest memories of
my Grandma. Every summer for two weeks we would go down to one of these seaside
towns with my Grandad driving my uncle's Yellow MK2 Ford Escort…oh and let's
not forget Sooty! The family dog who lived to almost 18 years old...as Grandma
would often remind us. Sooty would happily sit in the front. In the later years
my cousin Neal would join us on holiday too.
As I ran along the beach that morning
all the memories from our holidays came back and it was like I was there with
them. I could picture Grandma sitting in one of the beach huts we used to rent,
she was never a fan of the sun and the hut gave a chance of some shade. But
when the weather was cooler, Grandma would happily go for a paddle in the sea,
with her straw hat and wearing one of her flowery summer dresses (it's the
yellow one I can picture). Grandad loved to swim out deep and I could picture
his head bobbing in the background as I worried he went out to far.
My Grandma loved her ice cream. Her
favourite being a Knickerbocker Glory. For those that don't know, this is like
an ice cream sundae served in a tall glass, with ice cream layered on top of
fruit, a sprinkling of nuts on the top and a strawberry sauce covering the
inside of the glass. The best bit was when you reached the bottom of the
glass…as the melted ice cream mixed with the syrup of the tinned fruit. As I
ran back I wondered if I would be able to find an Ice Parlour in order to have
one in my Grandma's honour.
As I returned from my run, Helen and
Tim were waiting for me on the beach. Tim and I stripped down to our shorts and
eased ourselves into the icy cold sea. Once we started swimming we soon forgot
about how cold it was. It was very refreshing and relaxing, I could feel my
hangover just drift away with the sea's current. Tim and I had a good catchup
in the sea as we bobbed about but I was unsure whether to mention my Grandma's
passing as I didn't want to put a downer on our weekend.
Amazingly we spent about 20 minutes in
the sea. Then the three of us headed to the apartment to have a much needed
Full English Breakfast (with black pudding). Over breakfast Helen asked how my Grandma was doing in
hospital, I didn't want to lie so I told them the news of her passing. It was a
relief to tell them and it felt good to talk about things.
The news of my Grandma's passing never
put a downer on the weekend. In fact, it helped to be in a happy place with lots
of fond memories from the past and with many new memories created of time spent
with Helen and Tim.
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