Sort of back to it.

Phew its been a busy couple of weeks. I have honed my skills as a carpet layer, decorator and basic style guru. As well as squeezing in work, looking after the little ones, doing the normal running around, my running had to take a back seat for a full week.
Before that though I had eased myself back into running. I think I had seriously under-estimated how sore I was going to be after the GNR, I had a Bowen treatment and it really helped but a few days later I was back to being sore. Some of this comes from having a stand up job, the rest comes from the plain and simple fact that even during the day I don't just sit around I am constantly busy, this causes problems with recovery.
I have also been advised to seek help with my running style to try to avoid aggravating the injuries I run with. However I do have an offer from a trainer to do this, but I simply cannot find the time to squeeze this in but it is something I really need to do. More effort required.

Last weekend both Mark and myself volunteered at the Starlight Hike for Wheatfields at Temple Newsam. Stood in the woodland of Temple Newsam in the thick of night with no ambient lighting was to say the least a little un-nerving. Things falling through the canopy of the woodland, hearing the scurrying feet dashing for whatever it was that fell. The deafening squawking of an Owl on the attack, the squeak from its victim echoed through the pitch black. The constant feeling that something or someone was touching your shoulder was making me a nervous wreck. The crackle of the radios broke the relative quiet of the woodland, the walkers are passing the start line. The event began at 10pm on a dry starlit night, all the walkers looked great in their neon clothing, flashing boppers and fancy dress. We were at marshal point 1,8 & 13, this was due to the figure of 8 that the walkers would walk in, a tight group of walkers arrived at 1km, the next time around they would be at 6km. We tried to guess how long it would take the lead walkers to come back round to us, we estimated that maybe an hour would pass before we saw them again. Around an hour later we see torchlight approaching us, this time the walkers are spaced out. The next time we would see the walkers would be at the 9km, only 1km to the finish. As some walkers appear coming towards the 9km point we are aware that some walkers are still coming through the 6km point. As some walkers pass us at the 9km point they tell us that people are getting lost at the top of the hill and going into the woodland. I decide to walk up to the top of the hill to make sure people are taking the correct path. It seems even darker at the top of the hill and it is clear to see why people have taken the wrong way. The pathway doesn't go all the way to meet the other path and in torchlight alone it was almost impossible to see where the path was. Luckily another set of marshals from the start/finish line have come to take over in a Land Rover with lots of lights, I make my way back down to meet Mark to see the last of the walkers passing the 6km point. As the last of the walkers pass by the marshal points they join the back of the group and walk in, by this point we had been stood around for about 4 hours. A vehicle was heading out to pick Mark and another lady up but the rest of us walked back in together. The welcome sight of the butty van, the lights of the stage, the finish line. The butty van had run out of bacon butties but I couldn't eat a burger at this time of night. It was time for a photo call, all the team of Wheatfields, the Ambulance service, the marshals stood together under the finish line jazz hands a waving. It was an amazing experience to be involved in the walkers were fabulous, high spirited and friendly, the team of Wheatfields again were brilliant, It is something that I/we will be giving our time to again. Had a phone call late last week from one of the fundraisers to say thank you for the help we offered and to let us know that about £30.000 had been raised for the hospice.

It is in this very sad week personally that the appreciation of what Wheatfields offers is the most relevant. A year ago this week Anne had re-entered Wheatfields, this was her dying wish. I remember every single moment of this time a year ago. It will be a very difficult time for so many in our family, Anne was a very strong character and is missed everyday. I know how valued this money raised for them is I would never refuse to help them as it is the very least I can do to say thank you to them.

It may be difficult to motivate myself to run this week, but I shall try and grab some miles. As its only 5 weeks till the Abbey Dash 10km and I would like to beat my previous times.