Extreme Knitting Redhead: 149 and feeling fine!

Monday, June 4, 2018

149 and feeling fine!

Since finishing my 100 mile Challenge back in March I've just been coasting along, knocking out a marathon here and there and just generally enjoying running in our beautiful countryside. Then yesterday I realised I'm nearly at 150 marathons. How on earth did that happen? I still can't quite believe it! I think it just goes to show that you can complete the seemingly impossible with hard work and determination.

I hadn't intended to run yesterdays event but then sneaked in at the last minute because it honoured the brave men who fought for the freedom we enjoy nowadays.

Last month it was 75 years since the Dambusters raid and yesterday we had the opportunity to run along the coast by Reculver beach where the devices were tested all those years ago. One of the so-called 'bouncing bombs' was washed up on the beach recently but it has been removed now so we didn't get to see it. It would have been perfect if a Lancaster had flown past - we do sometime see one at home en-route to various air shows.

We had a very early start at 7am which meant I had to get up at 4am (yikes) and I left home at 5am as it's quite a hike to that part of Kent. Thankfully the traffic was light at such a ridiculous hour and so I arrived in plenty of time so took a few photos before the start:

I was reminded of Castles in the Sand by Jimi Hendrix. This is just an instrumental version as I can't find the original which is a shame.

I love the big skies and amazing light in this part of the Kent coast. It's no wonder JMW Turner spent so much time in Margate. Throughout the day there were times when you could hardly tell where the sky ended and the sea began. It was beautiful.

At the pre-race briefing there were the usual celebrations - a 200th marathon, someone heading toward their 100th etc etc. The local council had insisted on the early start because it gets very busy along the paths and they wanted the race to be finished asap. It's a popular place for tourists, dog walkers, families walking, cyclists etc and even thought the paths are quite wide it can be tricksy at times (especially when you get people walking 4 abreast or cyclists in small groups coming at eachother from different directions!

The route was 2 x out-and-back stretches of 3.8 miles followed by 2 x 9.28 mile loops up past Reculver Towers and a bit further (fabulous views from the top!).

About 1/2 mile in and focused on trying not to go out too fast. Neil, in the red top, is just behind me there but soon came level and we ran the first 2 shorts loops together.

The tide was going out when we set off.

At the end of each lap we got our cards clipped but after 2 laps Neil headed into the aid station whilst I carried on as I didn't want to stop.

As well as the glorious views there was plenty to look at en-route including these two alternative modes of pedal-powered transport:

I resisted taking too many photos for as long as I could but on my last long lap I just had to take some more:

There was a Junior Parkrun taking place on this slope and it was lovely watching the little ones push that little bit harder when I shouted "well done!" to them.

I trotted home in 5:11:42 and was quite happy with that on such a hot day.

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Mum's Story

In 1997 my mother, then aged 81, had a series of minor strokes. Shortly after that we started to notice behavioural changes notably memory loss and confusion over everyday items. We thought it was just old age finally catching up with her. Then she started wandering and had violent mood swings. Although she already lived with us it became obvious that she couldn't be left alone for long and so I left my job to care for her. The next few years saw a gradual decline into the blackness that is 'vascular dementia'. My normally placid mum became violent and aggressive. She had psychotic incidents where she would see imaginary people (children hiding in her wardrobe, Russians sitting on the stairs, women stealing her clothes) and she would shout at them and sometimes throw things too. She was so convincing that we used to go and check that there wasn't anyone there! When my sister died mum did not know who Judy was or that she was her daughter. There came a point when I suddenly realised she no longer knew that I was her daughter and this was a terrible time for me. In the last 2 years that she lived with us, life for us all became almost unbearable as she needed 24 hour care - she couldn't be left alone at all because she would either wander off or hurt herself, she never slept for more than 30 minutes at a time during the night, she became incontinent and incapable of doing anything for herself. Finally my husband and I realised that we could no longer provide her with the care that she needed and she went to live in a special care home where the team did a splendid job caring for her in the last few months of her life. There she lived a zombified existence unaware of who she was, what she was or where she was. It was heartbreaking. She died in March 2005, the day after her 89th birthday.

Thank you for taking the time to read mum's story and I hope you'll dig deep and sponsor me using the link below to help find a way of beating this destructive disease.