First Day of School, 1st & 4th Grade

We are on bikes this year which would be cool if it wasn't so darn humid. Hats, bikes, baskets, backpacks, locks and lights... Check

Looking back...
2014
2013
2012

Beaver Lake, Pocahontas

Training up for the 10K in the wilderness and it was amazing and still and silent apart from my thudding feet. Turns out it wasn't that far but the ups and downs certainly took my breath away.

Ate my picnic on the pontoon in the sunshine.

Morning Run, Bottesford

A Christmas morning special of 1.25miles (2K) with some most excellent dogs to greet, a plethora of ducks and some gorgeous old brick walls to skirt as we wound through Bottesford - the fields, the church yard and the ford.

Sprint finish to croissants and orange juice!

Frosty morning, Bottesford

A cold and frosty morning searching for gold chocolate money for M and picture-postcard sheep swirled in mist as the sun rose on my disused train-line jog.

Paradise Cove, Malibu

After a hard morning locating and then shopping at our favourite home goods store (Target!) it was down to the cove for some beach bar refreshment and a rest or a run... in my case dodging three film and photo shoots, one yelling 'Cut!' and thumbs-upping my progress as I graced the shoreline.

Soccer at Fox

Active Fridays after school with miniature soccer team mates, the best (English) coach ever and the most supportive big siblings on the sidelines. J scored an own-goal amongst some great defending and dribbling.

Our view of The High Line

Thanks to the sharing-economy we certainly got a view of the High Line for our weekend in NYC. A bit precipitous if you sat out on the fire escape but a great vantage point to spot passing grannies and singers and joggers and waving couples and tourists. Morning jogs for M & me and baked goods from Chelsea Market en route home - bliss!

Flying Squirrels vs Reading PA, The Diamond

Still working on getting my head around baseball. They can seriously catch and occasionally do a full 'rounder' but in between there are so many false starts and comings and goings. The home team aka The Flying Squirrels seemed to be out there and active for longer, so I think that's a win for them. The guest got the detail more.

Bon Air 5K

We did it in 32 minutes! A massive gain on the crazy cross-country 5K in the winter. M took off faster but eventually we equalised and hauled ourselves to the finish line to raucous music c/o Queen. Our friend Sara kept us on task. J completed a 1 miler ahead of us...

We had stood in silence as we prepared with a rendering of the Star Spangled Banner. Go America!

Monument 10K, Richmond

A scramble to make it to the central reservation of Monument Avenue before breakfast, in time to see the first wave and our neighbour's boy...

In fact we thought we'd missed him and instead spotted our realtor & son, a school running club buddy, class mum, a vicar dad and our mechanic - pouring jelly shots! Then we heard the neighbour shout.  We waved and cheered and jumped up and down, then waited in the drizzle for the return leg.

36,000 runners in all - M has me under pressure for next year.

Pony Gymkhana, Maymont

An the idyllic scene of pony races and general ambling, with the lurid, bubble-filled plastic carrots, for environmental-edge.

James River Run ,Reedy Creek

The Young Buck medal winners.

Before and after shots... It was an arduous 3 miles of cross country excitement along the James River and over to Belle Isle (check out the topographical profile here), with a chest cold and little sleep for me. M fairly skipped along. I brought up the rear.