What A Week! LONG POST! SORRY!

[AliHC]

Where do I begin? It's all a bit of a blur if I'm honest!

I did a wonderful 10k race on Saturday 14th March - got a medal, a t-shirt and won some toilet rolls in the raffle 🏅👕🚽

Monday 16th was my birthday - 54 years old and feel fantastic! 🎈

Then we're hit with the news that all music venues need to cancel concerts. It's hard for most people to imagine how much works goes into booking gigs, let alone how much work goes into cancelling them or how much money is lost. Then we had to cancel all of our video shoots, photography shoots and art exhibitions. Then came all the band rehearsals, and recording studio bookings. And finally the weddings! So what have we got left? The music exams... Oh no they got cut short on Tuesday. Mmmm, anything else? My vocal tutoring finished on Wednesday. By Friday we closed our cafe and bar and had to tell all of our 20+ staff that it was their last day of work.

My vocal tutoring has been my life and my passion for the last 30 years. Our recording studio and rehearsal studio has been our business for the last 25 years and the licenced music venue and events space for the last 5 years. This is all under one roof! A huge derelict victorian nuts and bolts factory which we took on 25 years ago with no roof. A place we built with our own hands, our own money and a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

So what happens next? If we can hold on to the building, if the government come through with their promises, then we might just hold it together?

So it's been a week of stress, worry and tears (so many tears) but some things have remained consistant. Love, kind words, morale and running (so much running). 🏃🏼‍♀️

I don't think I would have been able to get through any of this week if it wasn't for running!

I am the eternal optimist! I have been self employed since the age of 17. I can fly an aeroplane ✈️ I can build a car 🚙 I can build a wall and plaster it 🧱 I can take photographs📸 I can write a play 📝 I can play several instruments 🎸🎺🎹 I can sing 🎤 I can cook 🥘 and I CAN RUN🏃🏼‍♀️AND I CAN GET THROUGH THIS!

I've been doing my bit for our country in the Vitality Running World Cup for Team HU 🇬🇧🏆 and next weekend I'll be running my virtual Half Marathon ❤️

I am still virus free and I am fit and healthy! Here's to all you wonderful runners out there. And no matter what your situation is right now, I hope you are able to use your running time or isolation time as time to remember the positives in our lives.

Lots of love to you all xxx

The photos are to remind me of things I love to do 😊 Sing🎶 play my guitar🎸 run 🏃🏼‍♀️ and pull funny faces 😜😲🥴 xxx

[Hidden]

AliH. You'll come through good we all will, it's pretty kak at the moment for no fault of our own. All we can do is ( as hard as it is) is hunker down and smile

Be strong 💪

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

We will get through this AliHC, you have been a pilot among other things, that is very interesting to know.

[Goslow]

Morning AliHC,

I am so sorry to read your post!

Theses are extremely worrying times and scary, how quickly our lives have changed the government will hopefully stand by us as they have promised and we will all come out of this without losing our businesses and homes 🤞

You are as I always say, an amazing lady your running 🏃‍♀️ has gone from strength to strength and it is helping you through this difficult time . stay positive as always 😊 even though it’s hard at times we will get through this .... sending you a hug 🤗 x x 🏃‍♀️

PS nice the photos x

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

What a post! You've made me all teary! Your positivity is amazing ,you are one strong lady who has achieved so much in your life by the sound of it, and won't be beaten by anything. I really admire you attitude.

I've just woken up from not a great sleep feeling a bit in trepidation of the weeks ahead ,i will try and let your positivity rub off a bit.

Well done on the running and thanks for posting.

[Big_maz]

Hi Ali stay positive you will come through and a lot more wiser and fitter your a multi talented lady and I’m sure when all this has passed you will look back and say I survived

[Hidden]

That's life at the moment, but we will all get through it.

I hope we can continue to run, best get out there while we still can.

Enjoy life! 😀

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

💕 my heart goes out to you 😘

[DDJ2019]

Hi!

I follow you as an inspirational runner but had to join Marathon Running and Race Support to reply (I'm part way thru c25k so a marathing (typo but I like it!!!) is like what????????.......)

While this is super amazing and you should be pleased as punch, can we all just set some slightly lower standards lol?!?!?!?!?

I can fly an aeroplane ✈️ I can build a car 🚙 I can build a wall and plaster it 🧱 I can take photographs📸 I can write a play 📝 I can play several instruments 🎸🎺🎹 I can sing 🎤 I can cook 🥘 and I CAN RUN🏃🏼‍♀️

Hopefully you take this as the bants it's supposed to be!

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

That is heart breaking. All of that talent and “can do” will bring you through this. You will find a way. ❤️

[Jazzyrunner]

You are an amazing woman. Yes, we can get through this, with lots of positivity and determination, which you have in bucketloads!

I love to run 🏃🏼‍♀️ sew 🧵 knit 🧶 walk my dog 🐶 and cook 👩🏻‍🍳 At the moment I can do all of these! And if we get to lockdown, we have a garden.

All the best, stay safe xxx

[C3PO Marathon]

What a positive post! And what a skill set! I always wanted to learn to fly, but it was never available to me.

I'm also self-employed, but unlike you I can actually still work - in theory. Things are getting too quiet right now, so I might have to apply for some of the benefits being offered here in Norway.

But you're right, we can cook and we can run. If the work really drops off, I suspect I'll do too much baking, and will need to run!

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

I’m so sorry for all your losses, that’s so hard. We are in scary uncertain times and it’s out of our control which is the worst bit.

Your attitude is what will get you through and others’ love and kindness. And running as you rightly say 🏃‍♀️🙂

Good luck for your virtual HM! We’ll be cheering for you and making lots of noise! Enjoy it and stay safe x

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Oh Ali, what an amazing post. How devastating. Your strength and positivity have been overwhelmed and understandably so. But I feel sure you will bounce out the other side, wiser and stronger. You are clearly no ordinary person💪. I don't think you will let this beat you, but sometimes you do have to lift the lid on all the rising pressure and pain. I hope today is a brighter new day for you x

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon]

Happy birthday!

Hope you can get through these troubles and stay strong. What a difficult time this is. As you say, the running does help and we are lucky to have that.

And that’s an amazing list of talents you have!

[Decker Ultramarathon]

You are dealing with so much right now Ali. My heart goes out to you. But you are so talented and so strong and so caring. I believe if anyone can pull through this it is you. The running is keeping me sane right now as well. One day at a time, we will get through this.

[Puppy-love]

I’m so sorry, Ali, but your positivity will get you through this. My own has been shaken this week. We have a friend and colleague in intensive care on a ventilator. He’s only in his thirties It makes us realise that the sacrifices that we all have to make are hard but vital.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Big hugs. We’ll all get through this together. Thank you for posting - I think it’s important to share our experiences on here.

Take lots of care. 😘

[Granspeed]

Oh argh. However optimistic and/or Can Do we try to be, Life and The Universe seem to seek out new ways to test us. What a #%*^#%¥~# pain in we all know where this episode is turning out to be. Fingers crossed, of course, that this government which has so much touted the Entrepreneurial Spirit will get things together to support the creative (in many senses) people who have used that spirit to do splendid things and are now caught in the vice of malchance. Many thoughts are with you and all your team. I hope in the end some great music will emerge. Meantime, hang on to that building and keep running (maybe not literally at the same time. 🤣) 💕👍🎶🎵🎶🏃🏼‍♀️🎶

[Deals1 Metric Marathon]

hi... ohhhh its such tough times at the moment. You sound positive tho and will come out the other end. hang in there.... and keep safe

[backintime 10 Miles]

In 5 years you will look back and say "I remember what a hard time that was" but you will have gotten through it - it's character building, they say...

Is there anyway you can do vocal coaching or something via skype or the internet in general? Many people are going to be bored stupid and looking to improve something they've always wanted to do, maybe this is an opportunity to branch out to give some online classes? Just a suggestion - I am self-employed myself and I don't know how long I will have work (I currently have a 1 month rolling contract with my current client).

Fingers crossed for everyone in a difficult situation at this time