Open Letters Review editor Steve Donoghue continues his Best Books of 2025 with this year's Fiction - see them now at his Substack, Stevereads:
stevedonoghue.substack.com/p/the-best-b...
In summer, sell a few balls and rackets a become the Merchant of Tennis.
Two finishers of the London marathon with there medals have a post run pint in Soho.
Marathon done yesterday, recovery day off today. Plans today, shave off the beard (named: run beard) and do some reading in the garden.
to the strange idea of continuous living despite
the mess of us, the hurt, the empty. Fine then,
I’ll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf
unfurling like a fist to an open palm, I’ll take it all.
that really gets to me. When all the shock of white
and taffy, the world’s baubles and trinkets, leave
the pavement strewn with the confetti of aftermath,
the leaves come. Patient, plodding, a green skin
growing over whatever winter did to us, a return
Instructions on Not Giving Up
by Ada Limón - 1976
More than the fuchsia funnels breaking out
of the crabapple tree, more than the neighbor’s
almost obscene display of cherry limbs shoving
their cotton candy-colored blossoms to the slate
sky of Spring rains, it’s the greening of the trees
Winter is officially behind us, and the March equinox has arrived! As Earth continues its journey around the sun, the seasons shift—sometimes so gradually that we barely notice. Get outside and embrace what our small world has to offer. #Running #SpringAwakening
Thank you for this it really made me laugh this morning.
Having said that, I found some excellent guff on the internet – so it must be true – about the “Angel” number 222: “Seeing angel number 222 is a powerful spiritual experience, reminding you that harmony, balance, and trust are essential elements for growth and fulfillment.”
PB tomorrow then!
A clock radio alarm with a red digital display “2:22”, the same number as my total parkruns and also about the same time I get up for a wee.
#parkrun 222 today, a jog round Rushcliffe, because tomorrow is a 20 mile run in Milton Keynes as my long run for the never ending London Marathon training and I’ll need some strength.
Well done dude, don’t leave it so long ‘til the next one.
Great photo.
A double run day Friday, #parkun Saturday, Nottingham 10k (plus run there and back) Sunday, the weekend was full of training for the #londonmarathon. Here's a commute video of the old canal, now an underpass at Crown Island. More info here about this daft bit of infrastructure: tinyurl.com/23j32aut
Glad to hear you’re on the mend, may you have a pleasant a recovery as possible.
Well done fella, keep at it and you’ll improve no end.
#parkrun reality check: Me pushing hard, giving it everything, then get lapped at the finish funnel. Him, effortless stride, animal grace, grabs the No.1 barcode, and speeds off for another lap (or two?!). I check my watch, shake my head, and cough. Some people are just built differently.
Looking west at the river Trent at sunset from Wilford Bridge, part of my commute home.
Wollaton Hall, (Batman's house in the Christopher Nolan films), looking pretty good in the late afternoon sunshine, part of my commute home.
Yesterday's double #running day to work n' back was way more scenic than last week. More kilometres banked for the ongoing #londonmarathon training. The weather's getting warmer and I'm not constantly running in the dark, but I've still got the "not doing enough training" anxiety voice in my head.
You still Strava that though John?
The thing about #running to work? You’re basically signing a blood oath to run back. No bus, no Lime bike—those are the rules. Today’s route? A detour through the Uni and a pitstop for a flapjack. Snacks aren't cheating. Besides, what’s the point of running if there isn’t a tasty reward on the way?
That's the nicest thing I've read this morning. Good for you.
Well done dude, don't leave it so long for the next one.
Alt text describes images for blind and low-vision users, and helps give context to everyone.
#running to work in school holidays mean fewer cars, fewer people, the rhythm of my feet on the pavement, steady breathing and an annoying sniff habit I have noticed listening to this video, sorry about that. It might not have been a picture postcard run but sometimes that's exactly what you need.
Mystery bucket becomes barcode scanning station
Clumber park parkrun start
Parkrun tourist photo session.
#parkrun day! Heading north to Harrogate today meant a strategic stop off at Clumber Park Parkrun. The weather was miserable but the people/volunteers lovely.
#Londonmarathon training today after a work day on my feet. Wasn't too motivated TBH, but ran until the pavement disappeared and I could go no further. Another 17k ticked off, #parkrun tomorrow, destination unknown. Podcasts-of-the -day was about gates, Rodin & Ghiberti's: www.classicalstuff.net
Parkrun sign, South Manchester
Some graffiti in Withington, Manchester
A big yellow street furniture pencil in Withington, Manchester
Lots of the wiring cabs in Withington, Manchester have artwork on them, this one is painted with comfortable looking cats.
#Parkrun day! A tourist day as I manoeuvred a parkrun on to an errand I had in Manchester. Planning life around parkruns is a sign I may have joined a cult rather than a morning jogging club. I'll give this some consideration and act like I just happened to be passing with my trainers in the car.
New runners’ briefing at Oaklands parkrun, Birmingham. The runners are next to a big yellow concrete “O”, one of many dotted around the park.
Volunteers at Oakland parkrun look on at the gathered crowd of parkrun tourists attending a new runners briefing.
#parkrun day! A tourist day today. Along with many others who had the same idea, we descended on Oaklands parkun, (it’s pretty close to the NEC Runshow, also on today). No probs Oaklands’ volunteers had planned ahead and were ready for the increase in out-of-towners, big thanks to them for hosting.
Text reads: Gotham Image: Image using Batman's costume colours. Washington Irving was the first to refer to New York as Gotham, referencing tales of a village in England where the residents feigned being crazy. Gotham actually means "Goat Town" in old Anglo-Sax-on. Text reads: Metropolis Image: Image using Superman's costume colours. It has been said that Batman's Gotham represents New York at night, with all its dark allure and perceived danger, whereas Superman's Metropolis represents bustling New York by day.
Text read: SantaCon Image: Pattern made of Santa hats Text reads: Every December thousands descend upon Manhattan dressed in Christmas costumes in what can best be described as a pre-holiday pub crawl. Text Reads: Women's March Image: Pattern made from many pink "pussy hats" Text reads: The Women's March was organized ad hoc from a Facebook post to protest the presidency of Donald Trump and to support the #MeToo movement against sexual abuse. Thousands of hand-knit-ted "pussy hats" created a sea of pink.
Text reads: Naked Cowboy Image of the curves of a guitar. Cincinnati native-turned Times Square busker Robert John Burck plays guitar in his signature white undies, boots, and hat under the moniker "Naked Cowboy." Text Reads: Carnegie Hall Image of the curves of a piano The old joke goes, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" with the answer: "Practice, practice, practice." Another way to get to this venerated music venue, built by Andrew Carnegie, is to go to the corner of West 57th Street and Seventh Avenue.
Cover of Michael Arndt's book, Minimal New York City.
Michael Arndt's - Minimal New York City
Mini book review: a graphic designer re-imagines New York's landmarks and details in bold colours and simple designs, then slaps them side-by-side to make you think, hopefully. A creative homage to a city through simplicity, shape and colour.
#booksky #review
Historian of fascism here. It was a Nazi salute and a very belligerent one too.
