Grasmere Sports 2019

Far too early on a hot and sunny Bank Holiday Sunday my son and I rocked up to Grasmere for this year's Grasmere Sports:

For the third year running I was responsible for registering the fell running which is a perfect job for me as I know plenty of the runners!

Due to the high temperatures my son spent quite a bit of time with me in the registration zone but he also went out to compete in the long leap:

My Top Nine Videos on YouTube

This was the year my YouTube channel finally got some momentum thanks to my filming of fell running! It is such a shame the rules of making money changed just as it was taking off as I would have a steady little income from it... I need to boost my subscribers to match the views and then I can earn some pennies *blatant beg*

Meanwhile here are my top nine videos by views from the last 12 months:

1) 3 Peaks Fell Race on Pen Y Ghent

My son and I hiked part way up to film the brave souls setting out on this year's 3 Peaks Fell Race the marathon with mountains:

2) Grasmere Sports Senior Guides Race

I was working as a steward at this year's Grasmere Sports so missed my son's fell race. I did get out in time to film the Seniors with commentary by the legendary Pete Bland:

3) Anniversary Waltz and Teenager with Altitude descent from Cat Bells

My son again helped me to film the final descent of these races from side of Cat Bells. A stunning day to cheer on the runners as they headed for home:

Reasons to be Cheerful. Last week of the holidays #R2BC

Its the last Thursday in August so my last time hosting until October. I will be handing back to Michelle for September. The school holidays are racing to their finish and we have managed to pack quite a lot in. Here are a few things that have made me happy this week:

1) Kendal Museum

We went to the museum whilst friends were visiting. It was the first time for 4 years my son had stood next to the polar bear. What a difference:

2) Race photos

The official race photos from Grasmere Sports included this awesome one of my son's sprint for the line. He finished one second behind the boy in front:

3) Scottish Dancing

I went to the U3A country dancing class with my mum and my daughter. It always brings a smile on my face to have a go at Scottish dancing. Roll on November when we are going to a whole evening of it!

4) Peekaboo

I had fun tickling our neighbours' German Shepherd through the gate. He is a big softie to anyone he considers pack (which includes us and our guinea pigs!) but woe betide a stranger:

Grasmere Sports 2018

I once again volunteered to help at Grasmere Sports and was put on the fell running registration. It wasn't the best of weather for an outdoor sporting contest:

We set ourselves up with all the numbers for each of the categories:

We then spent most of the day registering anyone brave enough to come out in the cold and rain! My dad brought my son up and he took part in various sports. Unfortunately for him in the wrestling he came up against one of the regular wrestlers in round 1 so didn't last long... He also needed dry socks as they wrestle with no shoes on....

Next he participated in the fell race as it was part of his club championships. It wasn't wonderful conditions to run or spectate in:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Nostalgia, Fells and Garden #R2BC

It is the end of August today (where has this month gone?) so I will be handing back over the lovely Michelle for September as the hostess with the mostest. I will still be joining in and visiting you all though to watch out! Here are my reasons to be cheerful this week:
1) Nostalgia
One of the great things about sorting out and completely rearranging a bedroom is that it produces lots of treasures from the past. This week one thing that emerged was my whole school photograph from Beaconsfield High School in the summer of 1987 - the year I took the last ever O level exams. There were 800 of us at the school at the time and they lined us up in form by height and then merged us in our year group as we went onto the school field. I have just photographed my Year 5 section (what year 11 used to be called!). Can you find me?

2) Tail Walking at Parkrun
My son and I volunteered to be Tail Walkers at Fell Foot. This is a fun role at the back of the event keeping the walkers company on the 5 km route. This time we started with a gentleman in his 80s who used to run marathons but is now on doctor's orders to only walk. It was lovely to stroll through the park and meadow chatting to him and encouraging other runners as they passed or lapped us. Plenty of time to take photographs too. Then he stopped at the end of lap 1 to be with his daughter an we had to leg it over a kilometre to catch the young runner who was now the tail:

#CountryKids a sporty weekend in Cumbria

The Bank Holiday weekend turned in to a bit of a sporting bonanza for us with two days of outdoor sports. We started with our Parkrun at Fell Foot. My son was due to complete his 10th run and my daughter was marshalling. She was kitted up in hi-vis and given an arrow and set off for her position:

Its such a fabulous location for a family friendly run set as it is on parkland and in a meadow:

My son duly completed his Parkrun and will now be entitled to a special t-shirt. For the first time ever he was first in his age category too:

He celebrated with an outdoor game of table tennis with his big sister:

On the Sunday we headed off nice and early up to Grasmere Sports. We were just in time for the opening ceremony:

Reasons to be Cheerful: End of Summer #R2BC

Now its September the lovely Jo at Ojo's World is hosting again. Thank you everyone that joined in during the summer holidays! We have so many reasons to be cheerful on this the last day of the school holidays:

1) Operation House

I finally got around to clearing out the excess in my bedroom and putting up the mirror. It makes a difference and takes away from all the office/study aspect of my bedroom. I also put one up in the downstairs loo and brightened that room up with bright matting:

2) Proud mum

My son ran his 10th Parkrun last weekend and for the first time ever was first in his age category. He was disappointed not to improve on his PB but you can't do that every week:

3) Grasmere Sports

We made it to Grasmere Sports for the first time ever as my son had a championship race. Both children took part in the various activities. I will be doing a full post about this but meanwhile here they are heaving away together in one of the many tug of war events: