Running through 2020...

[Mummycav]

Hi all, I hope you’re all ok, had as wonderful as possible Christmas and you’re running those mince pies off??!!

Well, what a year?! Who’d have thunk it??

Go out, don’t go out...travel, don’t travel...Go to work, don’t go to work...Go to school, don’t go to school (the latter of which I prefer 😉)...the list goes on..but one thing we have all been able to do is keep on running....& hopefully keep on smiling...thank goodness that wasn’t taken away from us, for me, that would’ve added to any anxieties I might’ve had as the months went by...

Almorr has asked a very good question in his ‘highlight of your running year 2020’ post..well..I’ve had many highlights over the past 12 months but the one that stands out the most is just realising how important freedom is..we take it for granted so much, getting our coats on and just popping to a friends or to the shops, jumping in the car and setting off for the weekend...all taken away from us this year...which, for me, has made me appreciate my surrounding and the places I can run that are right outside my door...as many of you know my favourite place is along side the canal, I feel at one with nature, I feel free and I feel like the swans there belong to me & not the Queen!!! They swim to me when I’m passing...And I have seen the two adult swans extend and nurture their family and had the pleasure of watching their 4 tiny cygnets blossom into beautiful, almost adult, swans...I wish I could share the video I have of their Mum teaching them to fly...leading them along the canal, setting off and then the four of them copying her, it’s amazing...I have grown to love them, so this, for me has been my running highlight...

I wanted to share this with you because I have compared this to seeing all the new runners emerge as the year has gone on...from those first few daunting runs, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of watching you blossom into fully fledged runners, awarding graduate badges and joining you through your consolidation, I feel so lucky to have been a part of your journey...all the advice & invaluable knowledge that’s shared throughout this amazing community is what has helped you keep going, just like the parents of those cygnets teaching them to fly...

I don’t run to add days to my life

I run to add life to my days

I think this quote has been very true this year...

I know it’s not the 31st yet, I will be running with tears and memories that day as it’s my 11th year without my beautiful Mum, but just incase I don’t get back on here before the end of this strange year I want to wish you, with all my heart, a very happy new year and let’s hope for better things next year...

Sending love and smiles

MummyCav xxx

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Ee bah gum, lass, thou art a romantic softee.........

...... brilliant!! Love it............

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Ey up lad.....And thou art a special, inspirational human being....

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Mummycav]

.........and all my very best wishes to you for the coming year........... keep running, keep smiling.

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

And all of my best wishes to you too xxx

[Blossom- Graduate]

Ooh Mummycav what a warm heartfelt post. You truly sound like a very special person. It's been a real pleasure for me this year, finding c25k, and this forum which gives so much, guiding so many and with so much humour. I'm off now to find @AlMorr 's post. He's another very special person.🤗x

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to Blossom-]

Oh, thank you Blossom- I just care about people that’s all, I can’t help it..my Mum was just the same so I must take after her 😊I was so happy when I was asked to become part of the admin team because running is such an important part of people’s lives amd if I can help at all, then that makes me happy xxx

[Run46 Graduate]

Lovely photos Mummycav, and what a lovely heartfelt post. 2020 has been a very difficult year but thank the gods we've always been allowed out to exercise...I think that alone has been the thing that has kept a lot of us afloat, running now means so very much to us.

We'd be lost without it and can now fully appreciate how lucky we are to be able to run, both due to health and freedom...if 2020 has taught us anything it's that we can take neither for granted.

So here's to our running, our forum, and a wonderful, dare I say runderful New Year 🎉🏃‍♀️ xx

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to Run46]

That’s so true Run46 , my running has been so important to me this year, it is every year but this year it’s got me through various anxieties, as I’m sure plenty of people have found this year and that’s what makes running such a good form of exercise, not only is it good for our body, heart, lungs etc but it’s so good for our mental health, whether we think we need it or not...running should be prescribed by doctors!!! Here’s to our running and yes...hopefully...a runderful new year x