Our New Addition

His name is Buddy.

He's the most awesome dog ever.

That is all.

2015: Week 25

The week in which I did the impossible: ran a 10k after having spent most of March, April and May with some sort of knee ailment, which meant I haven't run much.

It's true what they say: EVERYTHING is easier with friends. The only reason I was able to finish is because I ran with my great good friend Angela, who dragged me around with her. 

The best thing about the race? The complimentary glass of fizz when it was all over. That's the way a race should be run, if you ask me.

2015: Week 24

This. Is. My. Niece.

Spotted on the Southbank between sliding down the slides at the Hayward Gallery, 

and going to watch "As You Like It" at the Globe Theatre. 

(The large finger automatically makes me think of Monty Python. I can't be the only one.)

2015: Week 23

Another sunset! I can't help myself. This one was over the Model Market in Lewisham, a most spectacular and delicious food experience. 

2015: Week 21

In Week 21, I got to go to a book launch of "The Sun in Her Eyes" by Paige Toon. Appropriately enough, the sun got in my eyes on the way home when I spied this sunset over London.

2015: Week 19

Although we've lived in the United Kingdom for more than 16 years, May 7 in week 19 was the first time we got to participate in the General Election. 

The election didn't go the way we wanted, but it was still exciting to vote.

2015: Week 18

The week in 2015 in which the United Kingdom welcomed a new princess!

On the day in question, we were out knocking around celebrating Comic Book Day. As we were walking in Soho, I spied the BT Tower, which was scrolling the special message, "It's a girl."

Exciting times.

2015: Week 17

The annual photo of the amazing cherry blossom trees in Greenwich Park, which were at full bloom in week 17 of 2015.

2015: Week 16

Week 16 of 2015 was Easter break. We went to the London Zoo. We admired the penguins. The penguins admired us back. It was awesome.

My 10th Anniversary of the London Marathon

Ten years ago today, I ran and finished the London Marathon.

As it certainly ranks in the top five of my most memorable and happiest days of my life, it certainly wouldn't be right to let its 10th anniversary go by unmentioned on MarathonMum.

Ten years on, so much of it is still incredibly vivid. But when I reread my post on my race day other memories came flooding back to me too. I have so many memories of the day that I will never forget:

• The electricity in the air, combined with the atmosphere of extreme nervousness, at the start; 
• Seeing my family with their Mr. Incredible balloon at mile 6.5;
• My great good friends, the Walker-Allen Family, cheering me on at mile 7, 19.5 and 24.5. They were (and are) amazing;
• The utter misery followed by the utter joy of seeing Tower Bridge at mile 12.5;
• Not wanting to look at my feet at mile 19 as I ran through Canary Wharf utterly convinced my feet would be bloody (my shoes were 1/2 a size too small);
• Hearing Aretha Franklin on my iPod belt out "Respect"-- one of my favourite songs at mile 20;
• Running along the Embankment at mile 25 just behind someone dressed as Tigger. When I told Thing Two later that both Tigger and I were both struggling at that point, he observed, "He must have been all bounced out." Indeed. 
• Sobbing at the finish line because I couldn't believe I had finally accomplished my life-long goal.

There are many more memories because it was such an incredible day for me, but I don't want to bore you silly. It will be my only marathon, but that's enough for me. I've found over the years that when marathons come up in conversations, if you've said you've done it, they never ask if you've done any others. One seems to be enough of an accomplishment for many people. (And only hyper-competitive jerks ask you what your time was.)

The other thing I accomplished was raising more than £4,000 for CAMFED, a British charity dedicated to sending African girls to school. At the time, it was a small charity that not many people had heard of. In the 10 years since, it's gone on to be the Financial Times charity for December two times, won numerous awards and is far better known than it once was. I still feel a great amount of pride that I sent more than121 girls to school that year, due to my fundraising efforts. Given that I got my marathon spot through the lottery, which still amazes me now, I did the fundraising because I wanted to, not because I was required to do so. 

I learned so much by running the marathon that still helps me today, 10 years later. These include: 

• Break up huge goals (like running a marathon) into achievable parts (a weekly training plan that sets out what has to happen when);
• Pure bloodymindedness can help you do a lot (like when you have to train with an 18-month-old, or you get injured two weeks before the race); and
• The love and support of family and friends is everything. 

I would like to say that I marked the anniversary by going on my favourite run-- a 6-mile jaunt through Greenwich Park, around the dome and along the Thames to home-- but alas, a sprained knee has kept me from doing any running at all. Before my injury, I was still running, but not with the fervour of 10 years ago. My longest race last year was a 10K/6.2 mile one, and that was enough for me. It's enough for me that I can go out and put one foot in front of the other, albeit slower than I was 10 years ago. 

My training for the marathon was actually the inspiration for establishing this blog in the first place. This was 2005, a time (hard to believe) before Facebook or Twitter or Skype or a million other ways to keep in touch. I started the blog so I could keep my family and friends informed about how the training was going.  Now, of course, I'd set up a Facebook page or a Twitter feed and be done with it, which would have been much easier than writing a blog in 2005, when knowing a bit of HTML went a long way. 

Ten years is a long time. Loads of other things have happened since then, both happy and sad. But I will never forget my marathon day. 

2015: Week 15

In the second week of Easter break, we made a massive effort in our continued refurbishment of the garden. While cleaning out the shed-- today's task-- we found the old car seat. When I went to clean out the cup holder, I found this surprise effort sticker. Well done to whichever son earned it.

2015: Week 14

Easter 2015 took place in Week 14. This year, we had a contest to hide the Easter eggs in the most creative place possible. This was my effort, of which I was very proud.

2015: Week 13

We are big Sherlock fans. In Week 13, we realised we were in the neighbourhood of the key location for "Sherlock jumps off a building-- Or Does He?" so we had to take a look. While there, we found these dedications in the grimy window to London's beloved detective.

2015: Week 12

In Week 12 of 2015 there was a solar eclipse over the United Kingdom. Allegedly. 

This is what I witnessed from my vantage point in Greenwich, London. Lived dangerously by looking directly at the sun. 

2015: Week 11

On the first level of the Eiffel Tower, looking down through the glass floor to the pedestrians on the ground. My nephew loved jumping up and down on it, which both amused and horrified us in equal measures. 

2015: Week 10

Taken on the most beautiful day yet in 2015, while showing off Greenwich to our visiting American relatives. 

2015: Week 9

Spotted on my Sunday morning run. #photorun

2015: Week 8

Sunset in Norfolk. 

Sure, it's a photo cliche, snapping a sunset. Do I care? I do not.

(Also, this was one of my most popular Instagram posts. Not sure how that happened.)

2015: Week 7

Our Sunday afternoon walk in Norfolk at the start of half term. Seeing some blue sky was good for the soul. #nofilter

2015: Week 6

A Sunday morning walk in Greenwich Park full of sunshine and shadows. All the S's!

2015: Week 5

Winter rugby, in all its muddy glory.

It was very cold. It was a bit snowy. It rained occasionally. It was muddy. It was, to be sure, less than ideal conditions for a rugby match. But as you can see, the conditions did not deter Thing Two from giving 100 percent.

I bought a new bottle of Shout just for the back alone.

2015: Week 4

If I had to put a title on this one, it would be:

"A Tree in Tri-Parte"

I took it while at a stop light (I know! No cameras behind the wheel!) during a traffic jam during a marathon taxi session around southeast London on Sunday.

Alernatively for Week 4 in 2015, there's this:

For Christmas, Thing One got a Lootcrate subscription, which means he gets a box full of Geek/Gamer/Film goodies every month for the next six months. These cool sunglasses were in the January box. 

2015: Week 3

In week 3, we admired the sunset and our St. George's Flag lights. Classy.

2015: Week 2

We secured some "We need some cheering up flowers because it's January" pussy willows from the flower stall at the station.

Thing Two, who was in charge of carrying them home, noted that it looked like he was carrying the Olympic torch. (Yes, we still have Olympic fever in our house). I agree.

2015: Week 1

2015 kicked off with us finally going to see "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time." We loved it, not just because of the puppy (though he was quite good), but also because Thing Two was a Prime Number Seat and we discovered that I have a Prime Number Name. Double win!