What is it with Tonys and Tumours?

On Friday I met up with an old friend and colleague Tony for a bike ride in the forests south of Bracknell. I hadn't seen Tony for several years and recently I spent a whole year thinking he was dead after the last email I received from him said he was going into hospital for a major operation to remove a tumour from his gullet and then I heard nothing. I assumed the worse and was too much of a coward to get in touch with his wife to confirm my suspicions.

Eventually Tony resurfaced having had a successful operation and recovery. This all occured in the same period that my brother Tony (see previous posts) had his fatal brain tumour, so to find that my friend Tony had survived had a great impact on me having thought I'd lost both Tonys. It was as if he'd literally come back from the dead to my enormous relief.

After many months emailing trying to arrange a gettogether we finally managed it on Friday. It was great to see him in the flesh. So off we went into the forest catching up on our different but equally life affirming sagas. The weather was warm and sunny and we lapped up the simple pleasure of biking through the trees with the sun streaming through the trunks. Bliss.

Inspired as I was by the bike ride, later on the same day I took the dog out for a run round Wendover Woods. I chose an up and down course and was pleased with the way I'm handling the hills. I'm tackling them very differently than I was a year ago. I reckon that the Jungfrau experience has not only put the Chilterns into proportion mentally but that I've actually grown stronger since last year. I can actually attack the hills now which is a new experience for me. Another factor I believe is my improved knowledge on hydration and nutrition.

Still can't shift that superfuous 5 kilos though.