Upping the mileage and seasonal colds

7yos and 11yod arrived home quite late last night having been to listen to the African Children's Choir in the evening.  They really enjoyed it and I was really pleased that they had managed to get there.
This morning 11yod woke with quite a bad cold so she spent most of the morning reading in a chair.  13yos is really working hard at his academic work (and getting up each morning to do a paper round) and we spent a lot of time this morning discussing areas of cubes and cuboids.
After lunch I went for the longest run I have ever done.  Went with my running partner and we had a great time in the forest.  I was even allowed to borrow Rick's Garmin which I have never used before.  It was really useful as I felt like we had done 5 miles when we had only done 2!!  Without a tracking device it would be impossible to measure mileage on the trails.  As usual it was great to be running in the forest - I really do love it, and I feel as though I have got to know it in the last few years whereas before it was just a nice place for a walk.
We did a massive 8 mile loop quite slowly and stopping to admire the fantastic view over the fields and hills. It feels so good to have achieved that.  My pace was around 15 minute miles which is quite slow but I am not really bothered about that - I just want to get miles in the legs and build up the mileage endurance.  8.5 miles next week.
Rick took the children out into another part of the forest to collect some wood from the pile allocated to us when we bought the permit.  They love going up to do that - they get to ride in the trailer a little which is very thrilling.
When they got back 7yos went for a trial at a choir which has started up after school in one of the primary schools.  He seemed to enjoy it a lot so will keep going for now.
11yod is feeling under the weather this evening with her cold so she is snuggled up by the fire with me.  Her nose is looking really red and she is very bunged up.  Hope she feels better tomorrow as she is supposed to be playing the clarinet in a concert!