h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We all ran today.

Gruesome #2 in the Bambinalauf (for kids born in 1998 or before) which was 500 metres. She did OK considering we don't train (IMO she's too young for that) and she has no idea how fast to go.

But some of the kids are professionals already!! Their parents are all members of local sports clubs (mostly runners themselves) and oh man... I heard one mum really giving her daughter (6 years old) detailed instructions before the race. All the mums & dads were doing it, so I said to mine "just start running, don't let anyone push you out to the sides, run in the shade where you can, and if you can't keep up with the front runners, don't worry. It's nice if at least one person finishes behind you. But just have fun"

Actually, that's the instructions I give to myself too. That and "find someone who you think will be worse, and make sure you finish ahead of them". More of my run later.

Gruesome #1 spontaneously entered the next race (her age group) also 500 metres, and did pretty well - ran the whole way round and against my expectations didn't come last. (although I missed her finish, and was looking for her for ages when the bike came through to signify the last runner had been through.) And before anyone thinks I'm down on her, she's a tad overweight, has never run competitively in her life and I wasn't even sure if she could do 500metres. Which for an 8 year old is certainly very doable - but running isn't for everyone. She's a better swimmer than the rest of us style wise, and I bet in a few years she'll be as good at distances as me.

So very happy with the Gruesome Twosome for that - mainly because it's something we can all do together. Now I'm back at the running, I don't want to aimlessly run around the village, I want to take part in something.

After the fiasco that was my last 10k run, and fearing a repeat of the "needing the loo RIGHT NOW" moment, I went for the Everyman run - 3.2kms. Plus the 10k started at 5pm, and in June you can't guarantee that it won't be too hot to run. As it was we started at 4pm and it was baking hot. 33°C is really not running weather. I hadn't had enough to drink or eat because I was petrified that about the Loo Problem, but this time no worries. Although I wish I'd drunk more yesterday.

Men & women ran together - I came 40th (of about 70 I think) and 12th from the women, so that was good - especially considering that now I'm over 40 we have an age class of our own. Now I can begin training for a 10km - I reckon at the end of September.

So all 3 of us are the in proud posession of nice orange t-shirts from the race sponsor and stickyfoots telling us our time and placing

Very relieved, actually.

Blimey, Sho & Co, !

I only managed to walk from house to shade of tree today, it was that 'close'!

Well done

Well done, Sho and The Grues It's great to have something you can all do together.

We had 33C in the shade here today - so any exertion at all was difficult.

*bows, and nearly falls over*