Reasons to be Cheerful: Proud mum and me time #R2BC

Once again the lovely Michelle is hosting this week before handing the baton back to me for February. I had better get myself more organised to keep it up! Here are my reasons to be cheerful this week:

1) Proud mum:

Both my children took part in a fell race at Giggleswick this Sunday. Here is my son on his way to knocking 21 seconds off his previous time:

And my daughter on her fell running debut who refused to quit even though she found it very tough. Wish I could leap the stream like this:

2) Board Games

After their exertions the children requested a game of Cluedo after tea on Sunday night. Its lovely to sit down as a family and test our brains a bit whilst having fun together:

3) Me time

#FitnessFriday Keeping it up

The reality of juggling being a busy teacher and a mum whilst trying to get fit and be healthy hit home on this third week. We all needed a lie on Saturday so I missed parkrun and had to have my comparison photo taken indoors. A total of around 6 lbs gone is already making a big difference:

As I had missed my 5 k run I decided to multi task and run into town as the bank was closing in half an hour's time. Its useful to be fit enough to get there more quickly:

I really didn't feel like I'd done enough towards my necessary mileage so headed out again and managed a 5 km route too with my fastest time since November :

On Sunday we went for a 4 mile hike and after I'd dried off and warmed up I went back out and did my first non stop 5 k for a long while:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Fresh Air and the Mad Hatter #R2BC

Thanks again to Michelle for being this week's hostess with the mostest! We welcomed old friends and new to the linky last week and we would love to share the cheerfulness far and wide. Here are the main reasons I am smiling this week (not all fitness related this time...):

1) Mad Hatter

As a teacher when you find something that hooks your children you have to use to motivate them in other areas. They all loved the Mad Hatter's Tea Party on Cbeebies so I decided to base this half term's English around the story. This morning I therefore donned this hat to get into character as we planned a Mad Hatter's Menu:

2) Exploring the Lakes

We had a super time on a hike on Sunday with the Wonderful Wild Women. Even in the wind and rain being up in a beautiful part of the country in good company put a huge smile on my face:

3) Pokemon Go

We are still doing our best to fill our Pokedex and my son was very happy to hatch a Snorlax this week. I love how a computerised game gets us out and about and clocking up long walks:

4) Proud Mum

My son got a new PB in the chest push at athletics training on Monday and he is really hoping to pass this new 6 m effort soon! My daughter also clocked up her longest ever non stop run of 2 km and wants to run a Fell Race this weekend for the first time. 

Please do join in and share your happy posts this week.

#CountryKids and Wonderful Wild Women Hiking to Easedale Tarn

A friend had suggested that I join the Wonderful Wild Women group on Facebook as I love the outdoors. Today we managed to get out with them for a hike from Grasmere to Easedale Tarn:

About a dozen of us and 3 dogs met up in the rain to do the walk. There were times when it was hard to tell where the path and river were separate:

When we came out of the woods we could see the waterfall which we would have to walk next to to get to the tarn:

#FitnessFriday A good start to 2017

The end of my first full week of getting fit in 2017 and how did I do? Well here is the one week on post parkrun picture next to last week's:

I had to tighten up the waist band on the running belt as I had lost 3 1/2 pounds! So that is a great start to giving up booze and exercising more. My daughter is now running with me and on this Saturday completed her unicorn medal event. I also received my first bling of the year:

Having her wanting to come out with my when I do my 2k block on a weeknight is a great motivator. She was so proud of herself when she ran the whole way without any walk breaks at all (and had energy left to sprint off and leave me at the end!):