Extreme Knitting Redhead: Back on the Trail

Monday, June 10, 2019

Back on the Trail

Yesterday I was back in my happy place, up and down hills in beautiful countryside at this years Weald Challenge event which starts and ends in Chiddingly.

As I parked my car, my lovely running buddy Bryan pulled up alongside me and we agreed to run together which was a nice surprise as I hadn't seen him since last year!

As we headed off to Registration the RD was putting out the trophies. Oooh, a blue one, I wanted that (I got a brown one for being 1st FV60 last year)

I didn't take as many photos this time, just a few to give a flavour for the route. It was the most perfect weather, not too hot and with a gentle breeze although when we set off it was quite warm and we were worried we'd get baked later. Have a look at my photos from last year for more views.

As always it was over very mixed terrain:

Bryan hadn't noticed this plaque last year marking Blackboys Airfield. It shows that this land was used as an emergency landing place for planes in WW1

Oh those dreaded steps - I always prefer going up steps to going down them!

The impressive gateway to Buxted Park Hotel

Winnie the Pooh country

"I bet you're going to take a photo of that lichen", said Bryan. He was quite right!

As we headed back downhill for the last couple of miles we upped our pace a bit and overtook several people. As we crossed the finish line, in 7:10:05 by the official chip timing (which is 32 minutes faster than last year), we wondered what our position would be in our respective age categories so after we'd got our medal and a lovely new mug we headed off to find Stuart, the Race Director.

I love this colour! We enjoyed a lovely brew of fresh coffee together with some scrummy cake

There were only prizes for FV60 and M60 and in Bryans category the first man home only took 4:59 (speedy boy!) so we guessed he must have been very early 60s whereas Bryan is 68. There were 4 women in my age category so I wasn't sure if I'd win this time but I did and I got another beautiful plaque and a running belt with a water bottle.

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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.