Longest race ever!

Had a busy week since being offered the job on Tuesday.  Some more paperwork to fill in plus reviewing the local drug policy/ward protocols took me quite a bit of time.  I am really enjoying this journey back to nursing and can't wait tao get back in uniform.  It's also been a busy week taking 7yos back and forth his swimming lessons and sports lessons and also 14yos and 12yod had friends over for sleepovers so it has been busy.  We have also at last had some sunshine which is making the snow melt.  Still very cold but at least blue skies.
Yesterday afternoon I took 12yod out for a hot chocolate at one of the local tea rooms and it was nice to have some girlie time.  We also managed to pick up some clothes in one of the charity shops and generally had a good couple of hours.  It can't be easy for her growing up with 5 brothers and a mum who isn't very girlie!
Today was a big day for me.  My longest race ever - 10 miles.  I was both nervous and excited about this one.  I have done more than 10 miles a few times on my runs but a "race" is very different.  We were really happy that our wonderful 23yo son is still with us and was willing to stay here with the younger children so that Rick and I could make a day of it together.  I slept well last night thankfully which helped, although I did dream about trying to run and not being able to!  I got all my stuff ready last night and we left at 0915.  We travelled the 60 miles to take the boys home who had been staying and Rick got out to run 5 miles to the race start.  As usual 10 miles wasn't enough on Rick's training plan so he was running 5 miles to the race and 5 miles after finishing before I got in.
I arrived at the race start, registered for both of us and then joined the long toilet queue.  Why do so many races not provide enough toilets at the start?  As a result I only just managed to catch the race briefing.  Anyway - I tucked myself in at the back of what looked like a massively athletic group of people and asked myself what I thought I was doing there!!  I had a plan to take it easy for the first 3 miles, pick it up a little for miles 4 - 6 and then push hard for the last 4 miles, which were supposed to be down hill.  The plan sort of went out of the window and my first mile was 1 minute faster than my usual mile pace!!  I fully expected to be last although was spurred on by the chap behind me who told me he had picked me out as his target at the beginning of the race!!
It was quite hilly for the first 5 miles with a  big long hill between miles 4 and 5.  The miles went by quite quickly and before I knew it I was at mile 5.  I had a jelly baby plan but didn't even eat more than half a jelly baby.  The run was on quiet country lanes, past farms and virtually traffic free.  It was really lovely.  You could see all the way over to the Lake District once you turned back towards the village.  The last 4 miles were more or less down hill and I managed to pick up the pace again.  I had walked some of the hills although ran more than I expected to.  Rick came out and met me when I was at 7.5 miles which was nice.  He took my hydration belt from me and that made me feel a little easier.  It was sunny and quite warm and altogether a brilliant running day.  My target time was 2 hrs 10 min and I came in at 2 hrs 6 min 22 sec.  I am really pleased with that - and enjoyed not being someone's target as my follower came in at 2 hrs 19 min!

Altogether a brilliant day and we took our time coming home - calling at a Costa for a coffee and granola slab and then later getting fish and chips and sitting by the lake to eat them.

 I feel very encouraged really for my next 10 miles in 3 weeks which will be off road and hilly!  Then...........