Warning ~ Long Post! Another Half Marathon 🏃🏼‍♀️and a few tears 😭 with a happy ending 😍

[AliHC]

It's been a strange month to say the least 😳

March was full of lows and highs, with the announcement of lockdown, our business closing and cancellation of races but countered with being able to run my first actual 10k Race on the 14th March and my first virtual Half Marathon on the 25th March and having the neighbours cheering me home 😊

After the shock of getting used to not going to work every day and being able to spend more time at home doing lots of creative things as well as loving the time I have everyday with my husband and son, I also have more time to spend running! 🏃🏼‍♀️😍

After receiving my Sherwood Pines Trail Half Marathon medal (see photo) in the post, I felt that I needed some more challenges 😜

Initially the Vitality Running World Cup was keeping me motivated and at present I'm #1 on our teams leader board (see photo)! 🏆 But that stopped and I needed something else to keep me clocking up the miles 😊 Soooooo...... I've taken on some virtual running challenges, including some Stava Challenges, Running Across The Continents (see photo) and Isolation Nation Challenges and I'm loving it! 😍 I've clocked up 195k already this month 😳

April has been as strange as March and I'll be honest, I've had a few 'wobbles' of emotion where I've cried for no apparent reason and also bawled my eyes out at the news that my Father in Law had passed away due to COVID19. On Saturday I did a little Parkrun (NOT) Parkrun and felt on top of the world and decided that I would like to do another Half Marathon distance run! 😳 I had Sunday off and didn't run on Monday due to the funeral, so by Tuesday morning I was ready to go for it!

The weather was just right! Not too hot, not to cold and not raining ☔ So off I went from my doorstep and trotted off towards the hills! 😭 I thought the first 5k was pretty difficult and I hadn't even got to the the hills! But I'd made my decision and on wards and up wards I must go 😂 The next 7k really was hard! And by the time I'd got to the top of the last hill I burst out crying 😢 It's a good job there was no one around! At that point I wanted to phone home and ask for a lift home, but alas there is no signal out in the sticks! BUT the next part was down hill and I ran and I ran and I ran🏃🏼‍♀️There were a few more hilly bits but nothing in comparison to what I'd just done! The last 3k was hard work but I didn't stop running and I really felt like I was running fast.

Before I knew it I was home again! No cheering from the neighbours this time, but I returned home to fresh coffee and cake! ☕🍰And after another little tearful wobble I checked my phone for my time and distance and burst out laughing and wooping, mixed with a few expletives #@@% 🤣 22.69k in 2 hours 21 minutes! 😆 HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY 😄😀😃

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

Love to you all and Stay Safe xxxx

[Stephen_UK Half Marathon]

Great report, Ali. Well done on keeping going and not stopping when you were tempted to. Sounds like you have totally conquered HM distance now. Hope you’ll have a good rest and recover.

[AliHC Marathon in reply to Stephen_UK]

Thank you Stephen_UK 😊

I entered the Sherwood Pines HM because it was a flatter course than the Sheffield HM (on the same day) but that was cancelled and I ran my own route, which was definitely not flat! The route I took yesterday is far steeper than the Sheffield HM and my previous HM route! 😊

I'm ready for a longer distance now 🤣 x

[GoogleMe]

Wow, think you earned an Our Cow Molly ice cream there!

[AliHC Marathon in reply to GoogleMe]

Thank you GoogleMe ❤️ I love Our Cow Molly ice cream! 🐄🍦

[GoogleMe in reply to AliHC]

And also bravo you for the tears for your father-in-law, especially at this extra hard time when we can feel all out of them... I do want to tell you, in case it is helpful, that I attended an absolutely beautiful completely virtual funeral for my 38 year old nephew this week. We are all desperate to hug one another but it was in no way 'second best' and allowed relatives in Australia to participate on an equal basis. I had a purring cat on my lap (and a pile of chews to keep Google quiet) and my husband had bare feet!

[AliHC Marathon in reply to GoogleMe]

Ah GoogleMe I'm so sorry for your loss too! I'm such a 'huggy` type person and I found it incredibly hard not to hug my mother in law or even hold her hand. He did have a beautiful service though.

The virtual services are such a comfort to those who cannot be there in person. On a lighter note, I was part of a friends virtual wedding in Las Vegas a couple of years ago! That was very special. ❤️

[misswobble Marathon in reply to GoogleMe]

Oh that’s so sad GM 😟. I’m so sorry to hear that 🙁

So young 😔

[GoogleMe in reply to misswobble]

Yes, and not tested because he died at home...

[AliHC Marathon in reply to GoogleMe]

😢❤️

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

AWESOME!!!!!!!

[AliHC Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Thank you roseabi ❤️

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to AliHC]

Sorry about your Father-in-Law xxx hugs

[C3PO Marathon]

You've done so well! Condolences on your father-in-law.

[AliHC Marathon in reply to C3PO]

Thank you C3PO ❤️ Feeling surprisingly good today 😊

[Beachcomber66 Administrator Half Marathon]

Amazing; I would have been in tears just looking at those hills never mind running up them! So sorry for the loss of your father in law. Xx

[AliHC Marathon in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thank you Beachcomber66 ❤️ xx

[Hidden]

Sublime running, fantastic post and run report Ali, literally full of ups and downs, I ran (virtually albeit) with you 👍.

It's tough times Ali, and you lady dug deep and toughed it out crackingly-mavellous and bloody brilliant 🏆

[AliHC Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Hidden ❤️ I'm feeling good legs and body wise today, but your reply just made me cry 😂 I'm tough in so many ways but the last few days have been quite overwhelming x

[Hidden in reply to AliHC]

Oh yikes apologies and virtual hugs from Welsh Wales Ali 🤗x

[AliHC Marathon in reply to Hidden]

🤗 It's the kindness that gets me 😊

[Hidden in reply to AliHC]

Ahhhhhhhh shucks 😳

[Hidden]

Thankyou for sharing.

[AliHC Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Hidden 🤗

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Amazing! All the more so with so much sadness for you at the moment. Take care 🥰

[AliHC Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Thank you linda9389 ❤️

I'm quite strong mentally and physically but emotionally I'm as soft as...... ❤️ xxx

[misswobble Marathon]

Yes, it’s been a real rollercoaster for you 😟. Good news on the running though, and many congratulations 👍😃🏃‍♀️

So sorry to hear about your father in law. Not being able to have funerals in the usual way is tough isn’t it 🙁

Take some time for recovery runs and some rest and renewal time 🙂👍

[AliHC Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Thank you misswobble ❤️

I feel pretty good today. I'll have a little run tomorrow and see how that goes. After the last HM I felt a bit slow (not that I'm fast😂) for a good week.

The thing I find really hard is seeing someone in distress or upset and not being able to give them a hug 🤗

Hope all is well with you ❤️ xxx

[misswobble Marathon in reply to AliHC]

I’m ok thanks. I can get out to run and do home workouts, tend the veg patch so I’m happy. Keeping fit is more important than ever I think 🙂

Take care 🙂

[AliHC Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Veg patch sounds great! 😊

[misswobble Marathon in reply to AliHC]

I’ve got a massive allotment too which is getting neglected as I need my car to get there It’s off the road at the mo. Hoping to get back there shortly. It’s preying on my mind as my plot is adjacent to the town’s kleptomaniac 😟

[AliHC Marathon in reply to misswobble]

tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OGC....

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Brilliant run and report Ali. I’m sorry for the loss of your Father-in-law. Nothing wrong with getting a bit emotional these days. Well done on conquering all your hills, literal and otherwise.

[AliHC Marathon in reply to Decker]

Thank you Decker 🤗

Hope all is well with you ❤️

[Decker Ultramarathon in reply to AliHC]

Can’t complain, all things considered. 🙂

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

So sorry to read about your father-in-law but glad that running is clearly helping you during these strange times.

Absolutely amazing running achievements - well done on your second HM distance! Fantastic! 👍🏃🏽‍♀️🏅

[AliHC Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Thank you Sandraj39 ❤️

Hope all is well with you xxx

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

That's amazing with all that's going on for you and your family ,congratulations 🏃🏃🏃🏃👍xxx

[AliHC Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

Thank you aliboo70 🙏

Hope all is good with you? ❤️

[aliboo70 Half Marathon in reply to AliHC]

Yes all good thanks😊we found some nice mud on dog walkies so I'm going to try and head down there this week the a trail run xxx

[AliHC Marathon in reply to aliboo70]

Nice! Have a good one! 😉