It’s cold.  The clocks have gone back.  The nights are getting horribly dark and I’m grumpy.  Coincidence?  Not a bit of it.

But a Thursday night Badminton session at Castle Leisure Centre and a short, sleepy but nonetheless enjoyable 2.6 miles this afternoon have helped to lift the mood.

It’s reading week so I’m not at university, I’m sat at home, typing this from the dining room table on my laptop.  The last few weeks have been really busy, the assignments are starting to pile up and the pressure is slowly mounting so it came as a great relief to go to badminton this week.  Those of you who know me will know that I’m terrible at most things that require delicate co-ordination so it will come as no surprise to learn that I’m an awful badminton player but the no strings sessions at Castle Leisure Centre are brilliant.  Serious players and total novices like me can play in the same session, you just make sure that your opponents are equally skillful (or not!), and away you go.  I’m slowly getting better at hitting the shuttle in vaguely the right direction but there’s a long way to go yet.

Running is a completely different kettle of fish.  I go out to run not to compete with other people nor to socialise, just to get some exercise and stay trim.  2.6 miles is a painfully short distance.  I’d much prefer to go on a long 10 miler but after a couple of weeks without exercise before Thursday night’s badminton and on a really gloomy and not very inviting day, I didn’t fancy it.  Today was also the first day that I ran with my long sleeve running vest – that is a sign that it’s becoming autumnal, although I did risk donning shorts instead of tracksuit bottoms!

The eagle-eyed among you will notice that I’ve not posted any mile splits for my runs in the last month or two.  I’ve misplaced my Garmin Ant Agent whilst repainting my room and now need to find it again quickly because the amount of data that I’ll have to transfer the next time I do find it is increasing steadily.

One of the nicer things about Autumn, to be completely fair, is that the world turns a lovely shade of orange for a short period of time.  Here in Manchester leaves have been falling on the ground in shades from zesty yellows to fiery reds since August, but now that the warm summer sun has disappeared for probably the last time this year, you really do appreciate the season all the more.  The air is just right, cool but not cold, not yet causing any problems for breathing.  Today, for the time that I was out running at least, it was also dry which makes running all the more pleasant.

Last week I bought Fifa 15 (PC), not because I’m a massive football fan, but because the game looked fantastic and it hasn’t disappointed.  I may post a review of the game if enough people are interested.  Suffice to say though that because I’m hooked on it, and because I’m determined to win the (virtual) Premier League and put (virtual) Manchester United back into their rightful position as (virtual) champions, I’m spending too much time on that rather than my two assignments that have to be in at the start of next week.  But the assignments are going well and one is very nearly finished so I’m not TOO worried.

As I’m off until Friday, when I’m back in work, I’m hopeful of a run or two more before the week is out.  I’m also hoping that the rain holds off, but that’s looking less likely!