SUPERWOMAN!

I can't see the top of the nearby hill at the moment, it's so shrouded in mist and rain.  A complete contrast from yesterday which was so hot and sunny I got prickly heat (or whatever it's called) all over my arms and today looked as if I had the beginnings of a rather nasty case of ezcema.

Fortunately the rain only started early this evening and so GodMother L. and I were able this morning to do the Dodds Wood walk we had for ages been promising each other we would.  This is a walk which is in my 'walks with buggies' book and whilst it said 20 minutes of very steep uphill followed by 25 minutes of very strenuous uphill and introduced the walk with the doom-laden words 'you have been warned', I didn't really believe them.  After all, just how difficult can pushing an off-road buggy up a relatively smooth path be, even if it is uphill?

With Lumpkin the Baby in it, quite hard.  So much for the dictate of 'stay upright and keep your stomach pulled in'.  Ha!  At times my chin was down on the handlebar and I was walking on tiptoes.  I very kindly let GML have a go at one point and I have to admit that walking the dog was a lot easier.  It took me quite a while to let her have a go though, as being my usual competitive self (even with myself, or with a hill) I was determined to show no weakness and to get all the way to the top.... but it was hard work!  I was rewarded however by GML saying that I must be fit.  I immediately took this to mean that I was SuperWoman (well, I'll be a SuperVet in triathlon terms this year) - hence the title of the blog.  I'm definitely no Domestic Goddess but SuperWoman... well, that sounds pretty good....!

On a serious note I am in fact always a little surprised when people comment about how inspiring or amazing I am.  There were a few comments along those lines in birthday cards I had for my 40th, and I now have little idea why: it may have been that I was pretty fit at that point and that I've been lucky enough that most people think I'm younger than my age (thank you, hair dye).  Nowadays it seems to be connected with the fact that I've had all my children in my 40s, including the Baby at 49, and I have to admit to being quite proud of myself and especially proud of the fact that I then ran 8 miles round Loch Muick the other day (despite the stair slide).  Is being proud of myself big-headed?  I hope not: I think rather it's more an indication that I often question my own abilities and am in fact quite critical of myself, so I'm always rather pleased when people compliment me.  Correction: I'm always extremely pleased when people compliment me.  I love compliments.  I commented the other day that Daughter had a good school report because she gets lots of attention and so long as she continues to get attention and praise she'll continue to do well.  I know where she gets that from: and in fact isn't it a proven psychological point that people perform better when praised; and that babies and children behave badly, half the time, for attention?

But to finish the walk at Dodd Woods.  Having gone up, up and up we then walked along a wide and easy forest track, past the Osprey view point and a man-made 'Osprey nest' (to which we were invited to donate a stick.  Goodness, those birds are HUGE) and back through the woods to the Old Sawmill Tea Room (http://www.theoldsawmill.co.uk/).  I was particularly impressed that while the lady was clearing the table she offered to wash the Baby's lunch bowl and spoon for him: it came back not just rinsed but properly clean.  No spinach and fish mash in my bag!  What fantastic service.  GML and I also patted ourselves on the back for doing a walk advertised in my book as 'allow at least 3 hours' in under 2 hours.

Rather shorter a time than Husband's run yesterday.  He did the Lakeland 50 (http://www.lakeland100.com/) in 14 hours and 3 minutes.  He had been hoping for under 14 hours, but bearing in mind that it was really hot yesterday and that people were throwing up all along the route, and that about one fifth of the 50-milers dropped out, he did extremely well.  In addition he was 127th so I think just in the top third.  It was a lot busier than it has been for the past 2 years and is obviously becoming very popular in the Ultra-Marathon calendar.  It takes a lot of self-discipline in terms of training to run that far well, and a lot of determination to keep going.  Madness though...

Talking of which, he is downstairs asleep and the Outlaws are staying and will want the bed back, so I need to go to wake him and Older Son (who camped at the end at Coniston with Grandad and waited for Husband) and Daughter, and make sure they all get into the right beds.