Sunday 1 January 2012

So, that was the holidays...

I had been looking forward to my lovely two weeks of freedom for ages! I had so many plans, I was going to have a huge clear out at home, plan lessons for the next few weeks at school, cook loads of food and freeze it so that I don't have to cook every night after school and I was going to do lots and lots of running.

In the last few days of term my left knee got a bit achey. Then it got a bit worse. It got to the stage that I really didn't want to walk on it, let alone run. I ran a parkrun at the very start of the holiday, and staggered back to the car vowing that I really would rest for 'at least' a week. The weather that week was ideal running weather, not too cold and not too wet. I couldn't believe that I was stuck inside when I could have been running in daylight! I went to the gym and used the cross trainer and the power plates, but it was not the same as running.

I was good though. I didn't weaken. I iced my knee religiously, and my week of rest ended on Christmas Eve, so off we set to parkrun, complete with santa hats and jackets for the first of three Christmas runs. My knee felt OK, and it was good to be out again. The occasion was made more special because two good friends came to run at Basingstoke that day. Christmas day's parkun was fabulous too. 132 people ran that day and for the first time Husbando was able to join me. All three of my boys ran that day too, the girls opted to stay at home and by doing so missed out on the lovely food, drink and chat afterwards. Husbando was running for the first time in 9 months (following an Achilles injury) and ignored the physio's advice to alternate running and walking for 500m at a time and ran the entire distance. Boxing day was the final parkrun event of the weekend. Over 100 people turned out again which just shows the commitment, or madness, of parkrun devotees! After that we had our now traditional family trip to the cinema. Husbando has achieved his goal of 100 films in 2011!

The Christmas holiday has been manic, I don't really feel I've had a rest. The week before The Big Day was full of preparation, driving around the country sorting stuff out, and the week after has been busy with "stuff!" I don't appear to have achieved much, but I haven't stopped..... I did get a chance to do a few runs outside though and clocked up 27 miles in the last 7 days of the year.

New Year's Eve was marked by parkrun (naturally, it being a Saturday) and dinner with good friends. New Year's Day was marked by parkrun (naturally, it being as good an excuse as any). It was my smallest boy's 10th run, so I decided to run it with him. After parkrun we dashed home quickly to pick up our guests and the rest of the family and headed out to Lasham Airfield for the
annual race around the perimeter track. This is run in aid of Hampshire Air Ambulance and the turnout this year was swelled by many Basingstoke parkrunners coming over from Basingstoke to take part.

In contrast with last year the weather was wet and windy. Really windy. The almost 4.8k race is nearly perfectly flat, but despite being much less hungover than last year I wasn't running too well - I haven't been for ages - so didn't get a great time. I can't help but feel that With a few marshals and a full 5k (which would just involve moving the start a bit) and a bit more publicity it could be a really successful little race. The guys at the local running shop knew nothing about it until I asked them - which is a bit silly really!

Our guests, Husbando and the children walked around the perimeter track, so when I finished I doubled back and ran to meet them - adding an extra mile to my run, then walked back again to the finish line. The children fell upon sausages and chips in the cafe as though they had been starved.
I have one more day off before going back to school and so much to do! Lessons do not appear to have planned themselves and housework needs doing. I haven't made as much of a dent into the house clearing as I'd have liked - only about 10 black bags have made it to the dump so far. Roll on half term...... Hopefully I'll get a run done tomorrow, and a lie in, and a few quiet hours to do some work! I don't ask for much do I?



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