photo

This photo was taken by one of our running club members who wasn't running but cycled round the route.  It was great to see his smiling face.

Can't believe I am saying this but............................

.........today I ran my first half marathon.  I have run further in training but not a race.  Having had a really busy week I haven't had chance to think too much about it which is a good thing.  But the nerves certainly kicked in at the start line.  Not sure I hydrated enough yesterday and it was really warm today for running.  It is a lovely course, 2 miles around a harbour town and then out onto country lanes.  There were a few sneaky hills  tucked in and I found it really hard. It was a hot day and that made it harder.  However, I did it and came in 2 mins under the time I knew I would be happy with.  It feels so good to have finished it.
I felt a bit shaky afterwards and sick so had to sit in the car for 20 minutes when we arrived at friends' house.  The running club were having a BBQ at our coach's house and that was lovely in the nice weather.  After I sat in the car for 20 minutes I got out and had a shower and a cup of tea I felt much better.  Obviously the whole thing was a bit of a shock to the system but I feel much better now!!
Great to have that one in the bag.

blessings

I am a very blessed person.  I have a God in whom I can trust completely.  I have a wonderful husband, six incredible children and a fantastic job which I enjoy very much.
I can also run (after a fashion) and tomorrow I am running a half marathon race for the first time.  Have done the distance before but not very fast!!
Hey ho! It can just be a training run.

Induction and PB!

This has been a very busy week.  I have been travelling to and from an induction course about 50 miles away and it has been very full on.  Everyone has pulled together and we got through the week.  Rick is also doing some revising this week so 19yos helped with meals.  The course has been helpful in many ways and should equip me for some of the responsibilities I will have!
On Friday night we had our first running club handicap of the summer series following out time trial last month.  It is a 5 mile course, quite a nice run really although the last 2 miles are a bit monotonous as we run alongside a busy main road.  On my time trial I took 58.47 mins to run the 5 miles and I didn't think I would get much faster than that.  However last Friday I managed it in 56 mins which is knocking around 2.5 minutes off my TT!!  Not sure I can get any faster next month but we shall see!
On Saturday I had a day out with three other home educating friends and we had a lovely day just relaxing and chatting.  Much appreciated.  14yos went paint balling with friends and had a great time, although I think he is feeling the bruises this morning.

Away and back again and running all the while!!

We are home safe and sound after our travels. It is good to be home but we  had a great time away, doing lots of things.  After spending a lovely day with the cousins we had a lazy morning the next day.  The weather is better further south and it was nice to be able to hang washing out to dry.  Using my nephew's house worked well.  We also managed to have tea one evening with a very dear old friend and my sister was there with her grandchildren so it was really good to see them, an unexpected surprise as well, as I thought they were away.  We spent a whole morning packing and cleaning my nephew's house and it took a good half hour to wipe the dog hairs off the lounge rug but I know he is a dog lover and won't mind that.  

We went to stay with Rick's parents on the Thursday, calling at a park we used to frequent for 14yos and I to have a 3 mile run around the park.  I made good time and 14yos seems to be getting faster by the minute!

On Friday 12yod and I and Rick's mum went to a craft exhibition with some friends.  One of the few advantages of city living is having access to large events like this (not worth us moving back to city life though).  We had a great day and bought some beading, card making and sewing supplies.  A big advantage of home education - 12yod got quite a lot of hands on experience that day.  Rick took his dad, 18yos, 14yos and 7 yos out for a Chinese buffet as a treat for his dad and 14yos' birthday a few weeks ago.

On Saturday morning we got up early to do a Park Run which is a 5k run around the same park we ran round on Thursday.  These are great events taking place in city/town parks all over the UK every Saturday morning. You don't pay, just register in advance and then you can turn up at any park run to do it, presenting your barcode at the end to register your time.  We don't have one anywhere near us but we try to do one when we are away on a Saturday if there is one near. Rick, 18yos, 14yos and myself ran it and we were all pretty pleased with our performances.  Rick stuck to his marathon training pace, 18yos and 14yos ran together and did around 23 minutes.  I knocked 2.5 minutes off my 5k PB so was very pleased.

On Saturday evening we went out to dinner at a very good friend's house.  We hadn't seen her new home and it was lovely to be there and see her settled so well.  We split the dinner in two, having Tina's delicious curry with rice first, then going for a 5 mile walk, coming back to coffee and dessert.  Below is a photo of some of us munching our way through apple pie and cream.

 On Sunday, after our morning meeting, Rick and I headed off further south for two nights away together as Rick was running a marathon on the Monday, leaving the children with family. We arrived at the hotel around 4 pm and, apart from slipping out to MacDonalds for our tea, we spent a lazy evening in.  It is nice to spend time together!
Rick was up early the next morning for his nutrition/hydration routine, and we set off at 9.15 to park the car and walk to the start.  Picture below is Rick pre-marathon.

It was a really hot, muggy day with no breeze.  I had intended to do a 10 mile run but ended up only doing 5.  The marathoners really suffered; I saw 2 collapse.  Rick did really well and came in at 3 hours 17 minutes and 40 seconds.  It was a PB by 10 minutes and although he had trained and hoped for a bit faster, given the conditions it was really good. 

We spent another night away and headed on home the Tuesday morning.  The dog went crazy when Rick arrived at his parents' home.  Daft dog!!

 

It was Rick's mum's birthday that day, so we stayed on for dinner and Rick's brother and family came as well.  It was chaotic but nice and we enjoyed a lovely birthday cake baked by my sister in law.  Above is a photo of Rick's mum with most of her grandchildren.  Two of our children are missing from the photo.
We travelled home late on Tuesday, arriving around 11pm.
Yesterday I spent the day unpacking and food shopping and visiting parents etc.  In the evening was a 10k about 1 and a half hours from here.  It is one of my most important annual runs as it is the first 10k I ever did and this was the third time to run it.  Six of us went up from the running club and 5 of us got PBs.  My running partner wasn't 100% and missed a PB by a couple of minutes.  I took 7 minutes off last year's time and 6 minutes off my overall 10k PB so pretty chuffed with that!

Above is the picture of the runners from the running club.  Below is a photo of me after I came in.  My good friend Yvonne ran it again for the third time and did a superb time even though she doesn't get much chance to run.

 I start my induction next week for work and then life will get even more crazy.  Looking forward to it though!! Got my uniforms today which is exciting.
Last but not least, below is a photo of 22yos with his lovely girlfriend at her university ball - I think this is a lovely photo!