Highs and lows...

since my plan to get my running mojo back on track has been in place the strategies have been working well. Setting some goals, volunteering and the improvement in the weather has worked well. My runs have felt good. Until last Sunday when  we did the second race in the Spring into Shape series and it was hard. Running Buddy and I both struggled with the 10k course and hot morning posting dismal times and feeling wretched at the end. RB had crossed before me and was there to greet me as I crossed the finish line. Our embrace lasted longer than usual as I needed her support to stop from collapsing.

Some runs are hard.

2 runs since then put things into perspective and showed us one bad day is not the end.

I am stronger than my excuses...sometimes

The last day...

Erin had her last day of school, traditionally called Muck Up day has now turned into a more sedate, prankless fun day

the last walk

 They dressed up

 and said goodbye to their teachers

and to each other.

Because exams are yet to come the realisation of the finality hasn't hit yet.

After a relaxed morning they were sent home to prepare for the Valedictory Dinner. They swapped dress ups for formal wear and we headed into the city.

with the aptly named Mr Love, favourite teacher

Cheers to you Erin!

The evening was very nice with good food, some speeches and presentations, finished off with a little dancing. School is over. Fees are done. A new chapter begins.

The Melbourne Marathon...

One day this report will be a race report about my experience of running a full marathon and hopefully it will be a triumphant one reporting an achievable time.

This report is of my experience of volunteering at a drinks station, providing much needed fluid replacement to those who had finished their 42km run.

This happy group were kept very busy handing out water and electrolyte solution to the thousands that had participated. The elite athletes that came in first were ushered over to a VIP area, then we had the rush come through between 3-4 hours after the start gun.

 We were slammed, barely able to keep up with the demand, filling garbage bin sized buckets with fluids continuously. In the beginning we had neatly poured with a jug several thousand cups but as the rush came we were dipping the cups straight from the bucket and only just kept up.
After the 5 hour mark the line dwindled to a trickle and those runners looks more and more exhausted. More training perhaps would give them a better result in better condition. But they can all still call themselves marathoners and have the medal to prove it,
It was a good experience and we had some laughs. The Cerebral Palsy Education Centre who coordinated the 1500 volunteers did a great job and I hope they were able to get some benefit from providing this service. The runners were all very grateful and thankful which was nice. From my perspective volunteering had done what I wanted it to do. I felt like I had contributed, I am inspired by the participants and am renewed in my enthusiasm to run.

 I want to be back on the other side of the drinks table.

Run Ballarat...

I knew I wasn't ready for a half marathon and a long way off the full marathon so decided to do a 12km run with Mel in Ballarat.
Fundraising for the the Ballarat Children's Ward, running through the streets of Ballarat and around Lake Wendouree had much more appeal.

I felt ready to do this run but still found the hilly course a challenge. The last 2 kms around the lake were tough for me.

run ballarat course

It was lovely to be out in the sunshine, doing some physical activity, supporting a good cause.

I recently had a 7 day trial pass at a Fernwood Gym. I tried out some classes and was shown the equipment. It confirmed for me what I thought and that is I'm not a gym person. I like to do the physical activities I enjoy and don't want to feel I have to to justify the cost. I'll stick to running, tennis, cardio tennis sessions and try to find a casual pilates/yoga teacher.

Then I know I will keep it up.