It's a marathon not a sprint - Days 37-41 #R2BC

My brain has been in a bit of mush this week but at least I have realised that today is Thursday. Thanks for everyone sharing your happy moments last week, I loved reading them. I hope you will join in again this week and encourage others to do so. For anyone new to the linky we have a few relaxed instructions:
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too. Meanwhile here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:

1) Marathon
I didn't want to let down my charity will all my events cancelled. So I used the 2.6 challenge on Sunday as an excuse to run my marathon mostly in my back garden:  

With laps of 30 yards it was hard work and after 20 miles I did head out into the countryside to finish it off. The last mile was the hardest and I had to be encouraged by my friends via Facebook. You can see how ecstatic I was to finish:

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A post shared by Becky Willoughby (@lakessinglemum) on Apr 26, 2020 at 1:54pm PDT

2) Take away

With impeccable timing our local Chinese has re-opened after putting in social distancing measures. After my marathon my son was able to nip round and collect the meal we had ordered the day before:

Good to be able to support a local business and get a big treat too!

3) Little touches

The downstairs loo still needs some little bits. One of these was to replace the broken towel holder.

Pool and prizes - Days 35 & 36

As we are going to be stuck at home for the foreseeable future I bought us a replacement pool which arrived in the morning. I set it up in the garden and my neighbour let me fill it up with her hose. Whilst the water was warming in the sun we walked up the Helm:

This time we went all the way along the ridge and met friends on the way. When we got back I was so hot I tested out the still freezing cold pool:

I had to let the water out whilst in it as the pool was on too much of a slope! My son brought me tea whilst I was there:

Motivation and treats #R2BC

Apologies I sort of lost Thursday this week! Never mind this is the most laid back linky so a day late is not the end of the world. Please carry on making others smile by joining in!
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too. Meanwhile here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:

1) Almost finished loo
The loo is now a pleasant place to use! I have a few bits to finish off, including painting the skirting boards, but I am very pleased with what I have managed:

2) Motivational messages

On our walks around Kendal we have come across some fabulous messages painted on rocks. Great to come across things like this on our daily exercise:

3) Beautiful places

I know that we are very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world and to be able to walk to stunning spots such as Cunswick Fell with views to the Lakeland Fells:

Memories and Painting - Day 34

I started off my day with a quick game of frisbee with Jason:

@lakessinglemum Frisbee with Jason ##frisbee ##single ##mumsoftiktok ##over40 ##fypage
♬ Let's Do It Again - J Boog

Then I had a couple of hours of maths tutoring which was very rewarding. My Asda grocery delivery also arrived early (thanks to the driver living in my street!) so I could take pet food up to my parents'

I was reminded once again about the amazing race I filmed on Cat Bells 2 years ago:

@lakessinglemum

A taste of my fell running videos https://www.youtube.com/user/bw1310 ##fellrunning ##fellrace ##keswickac ##mumsoftiktok##fyp ##cumbria

♬ Run Run Run - Dumpy's Rusty Nuts

This then inspired me to try and recreate a photo I took that day to update my lounge window:

Sherlock and Cookies - Day 33

This morning I was tutoring and preparing my lessons for the week. Before I started I had another experiment with the green screen on TikTok:

@lakessinglemum My heart will go on ##myheartwillgoon ##celinedion ##titanc ##fyp ##mumsoftiktok ##mumsontiktok ##over40club
♬ My Heart Will Go On - Love Theme from "Titanic" - Céline Dion

We were a bit short on lunch options so we made simple pizzas and cheesy, garlic bread with tortillas:

Then I headed off Morrisons to get shopping in for folks who are shielding:

Tiling done and a local hike - Day 32

Having discovered the Green Screen effect on TikTok I had a go at being Moana before breakfast:

@lakessinglemum Moana ##moana ##howfarillgo ##mumsoftiktok ##over40 ##fyp
♬ How Far I'll Go - From "Moana" - Heartfire

Once I had eaten it was time to tackle the last of the tiling around the loo. Its so hard (without a proper measuring tool) to accurately cut the tiles. Any how it looks a lot better than the old lino:

My reward was a penalty shoot out with Jason, have to admit I actually missed the goal on my first shot:

Rainbow running and floor tiles - Day 31

As I had a second coat of paint to get on the loo walls I was up pretty early this morning. I needed to get it done as I had my violet rainbow run to do! In the end I headed out for a 10 km run at 11 which was pretty warm. I loved running out along the canal and river with my fairy wings on:

Having broken a few Strava segment PBs I was ready for a lovely cold Erdinger as not only is it alcohol free but its isotonic so perfect after strenuous activity:

After lunch I was able to put the shelves back up and put the tents and camping gear away neatly. Then I braved tiling the interestingly shaped section of the floor (I need to be brave about the skirting boards at some point!):

Running in circles and painting the loo blue - Day 30

This morning was parkrun today so I tried out an improved gardenrun with less corners and using indoor tracking. It gave me a much more realistic 35 minute time:

@lakessinglemum My gardenrun this morning ##bennyhill ##gardenrun ##loveparkrun ##running ##fyp ##over40 ##mumsoftiktok
♬ Benny Hill Theme - TV Themes

I did the best I could to replicate a National Trust coffee and scones:

Then I had to go and get the shelves back up where I painted yesterday:

Rainbow colours - Day 28 & 29

Having acquired face paints whilst shopping for essentials I attempted a Moaning Myrtle look:

This let me have another go with the TikTok water effect:

@lakessinglemum Channeling my Moaning Myrtle ##harrypotter ##moaningmyrtle ##fyp ##over40 ##mumsoftiktok
♬ Harry Potter Theme Song - Ost

After a couple of hours of tutoring I headed out for a run around town:

Being healthy - #R2BC

It was lovely to have so many folks joining in last week, it's great you are finding things that make you smile at this time. Please carry on making others smile by joining in!
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too. Meanwhile here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:

1) Daily exercise

We are very lucky to be living in Kendal with so many options for our daily allowed exercise. Walking up our nearest hill certainly lifted my mood:

2) Healthy food

We are both hitting our 5 a day targets on fruit and veg. The warmer weather is making it salad time for lunch too:

3) Return to fitness

After a couple of week's housebound I've loved being back outside running. My speed is picking up again too. Not sure when I will be doing my marathon but I am loving local runs and this week's rainbow theme with a colour a day:

4) Making people smile

I have been going out in all sorts of costumes this week. Its funny how some people react when presented with something like this:

The running fairy does seem to be the most popular one though:

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Ghost town and running - Day 27

Today was so beautiful I decided it was time to go for a horse ride:

@lakessinglemum Lovely morning for a horse ride ##oldtownroad ##horse ##fyp ##over40 ##mumsoftiktok
♬ Old Town Road - Lil Nas X/Billy Ray Cyrus

Then I got myself all wrapped up for a trip into town to get my car tyre fixed and pick up some essentials:

I haven't been into town since before lockdown and it was just like a ghost town with closed shops and virtually no-one around:

Surprises and walking in the sunshine - Day 26

Whilst I was tutoring this morning I jumped at a noise at the window. Turned out our window cleaner is still able to carry on working as he is only outside our homes:

Throughly the freshly cleaned windows our painted window made a beautiful shadow on the fireplace:

I managed to make a couple more TikToks today. It was fun working on my lip syncing for this one:

It's Raining Men - Day 25

As I couldn't sleep in again I got up and tidied the kitchen before setting up for today's big TikTok. This partly involved lowering my life size Jason Momoa from my bedroom window using a skipping rope:

This was so I could shoot an It's raining men video:

@lakessinglemum It’s raining men! ##itsrainingmen ##fyp ##over40 ##mumsoftiktok ##jasonmomoa

♬ It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls

My mission for today was to get my daughter's shopping. I donned a simple outfit but got spotted by a friend who snapped me:

Lazy Easter Sunday - Day 24

It has been a busy few days so I decided to have a completely lazy Easter Sunday. However I did make a couple of easy TikToks:

My son and I played a short game of Dungeon (I lost!):

PJs and Synchronised Swimming - Day 23

As you may have noticed I have had a few manic days, so I decided to make sure today was a bit more relaxed! I started by experimenting with the water effect to create a synchronised swimming TikTok. Then I ran a shortened gardenrun in my PJs:

I had kept the run short partly because my son had asked to walk up our nearest hill the Helm:

Whilst up there I actually created a singing TikTok! All of the shenanigans are on my YouTube channel:

Fairy enough - Days 21 and 22

As I did my reasons to be cheerful post yesterday I decided to combine my corona diaries from 2 days into 1. 

It was my parents turn for their shopping delivery. This time I used the Sainsbury's app to reduce my stress levels and make for the least human contact possible. Delivering to the house is a case of putting everything on the doorstep, ringing the bell and then beating a hasty retreat:

My reward was a chance to give Sherlock a good tummy rub:

I also spent some time sorting out more of the kitchen, making TikToks and doing my jigsaw!

This morning I headed out for my weekly fairy run:

On a really warm morning it was lovely to make so many people smile and hear some children call out "Hello fairy" as I ran down the other bank of the river. Whilst running I managed to capture some footage:

After a couple of TikToks and some laundry I went to check on my daughter and give her a chance to have time with her dog whilst dropping off some supplies:

She and I even managed to film a socially distant TikTok together after I had taught her the moves! All this video making is giving me practice at my make up and allowing me to embrace my grey hair:

TikTok time for reasons to be Cheerful #R2BC

 
Welcome back to reasons to be cheerful. I am loving reading about all the things you have been doing to keep smiling in these testing times. Maybe someone else's ideas have inspired you? So please do join in!
What do you have to do? Simple:

1. Link up a post about something that is making you happy or grateful. It can be a list, photos or any way you fancy

2. Add the #R2BC badge (at the end of this post) onto your post or blog so that people can easily find the linky and join in too if they want to

3. Share the love. This is the really important bit. Please don't just link and run, comment on at least a couple of posts and why not share with #R2BC too?

I'll stop by all linked up posts to comment and I'll share on social media too. Meanwhile here are my reasons to be cheerful for this week:

1) TikTok

Regular followers will have spotted I am now on TikTok! I am having so much fun trying to workout how to create a variety of videos. My daily doses of silliness seem to be making lots of other people smile too:

So many plans for more ways of making a fool of myself on the Internet!

2) Out, out


After 2 weeks of quarantine I was allowed out again on Friday. This means that I can now look after all my self isolating relatives by doing their shopping and having the excitement of the new queuing systems (and yes I am going out dressed up!):

3) Feeling loved

I have had some lovely compliments on social media this week. It's quite daunting to post pictures and videos when you don't look like a cat walk model! However, I apparently have a lovely smile:

Special Deliveries - Day 20

I am embraced my inner cow girl today with my outfit (just missing the hat!). This was partially chosen so that I could do a dance routine for one of my TikToks:

@lakessinglemum My first dance routine. ##imsolonely ##mumsoftiktok ##over40 ##isolation ##fyp ##dance ##mumdance
♬ duet me pls im lonely - xoxosamko

Blue Skies and TikTok- Day 19

Last night I got into making TikTok videos. It is turning out to be pretty addictive when you have nothing better to do! It was good mood booster to start my day by filming this one:

@lakessinglemum Working hard ##working9to5 ##fyp ##over40 ##mumsoftiktok
♬ original sound - zachjustice_

I did then do some real work with an hour of maths' tuition via video link whilst dressed as Sherlock Holmes! Then I had yet another virtual coffee break with another friend. After that I couldn't resist making another TikTok video whilst in costume:

Sunshine and sharpening - Day 18

It was a day to don my Victorianesque teacher garb with long skirt and lace up boots:

After more than 2 weeks of social isolation I think it got to me a bit today as I wasn't feeling much motivation. I did rustle up crumpet pizzas with, for me, a cold chicken salad:

My only successful mission was to empty out my school bag and sharpen all the pencils!

Socially Distant Exercise - Day 17

My son wanted to exercise with me today so we needed to choose a local location that had plenty of space. We opted for the old canal trail which borders our street. At first there were quite a few family groups heading in the same direction, but luckily they deviated to a different footpath. This meant we had time to be careful about crossing stiles without using our hands:

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We alternated between walking and running along the old canal and managed to maintain a safe distance from other walkers. It was only after we got back to Hawes Bridge that the number of other people increased:

It was a beautiful spring day and it was such a pleasure to see all the lambs gambolling around the fields:

Today should have been the Manchester Marathon I've been training for since before Christmas. As that is on hold until October I'm just trying to maintain my base fitness. My son is also trying to not lose his race fitness whilst all his clubs and races are suspended:

As we came back into our street I noticed that our community flower bed is looking amazing with all its tulips in full glory:

As I was only going to be getting the laundry in I decided to have a go at emulating Lauren Bacall in a little black dress and pearls:

The Mazzle is starting to come together. I am learning more about the location of the fells in the Central Lake District: