Onwards and Upwards

Finally, it's happened to me. 

The pain is subsiding and I'm becoming more able. When I put effort in, or overdo it (rare occurence) the pain I get is a familiar, friendly pain; the ache of a hard session or a cold day's racing, rather than the weird disconnection and bitey twangs of the last few months. 

I've run, non-stop, for more than ten minutes. I've walked up three of my local hills (carrying the weight of an 18 week old child). These things please me. I have however been cautious when asked what my plans are for returning to racing. The burning desire I expected is not there. I miss my friends, my social runs and the weekend expeditions on recces of race routes. I've signed up for the Cross Country league and that will do as a tester. Then I'll see what I feel like doing over the winter months - I imagine it'll be local racing as I will still be breastfeeding, though there are a good few local ones I haven't done due to my enthusiasm for going off on adventures. I look forward to trying them out. 

Outdoors parent hacks

I don't usually use that word ... 'hack'.. to mean ' way of using something other than its intended purpose' . However that is what I've been doing since gaining a small human to bring with me, protect and carry in the outdoors (and indoors too of course!)

Various bits of kit have been pressed into service, and various ideas have been had about what kind of thing should be designed to support parents like myself. Happily, I have met some of those people - the off-road mums on maternity leave, ekeing out the last of the summer days in the hills and woods with our growing cargoes. 

Valerie, Rachel and myself on Cock Hill. Photo by Net Bell

Here's my current list of kit hacks for parents

Dry bag - nappy containment bag. (I use cloth nappies so it's particularly important to ferry the dirty ones home)

Windproof jacket - Windproof wrap for the baby carrier. See photo! Whilst the wee ones are still too young for back carriers, protecting them from the wind whilst in the front carrier is the big challenge whilst out and about. I reckon I've sorted it, sleeves tied around my waist, et voila!

Zoe demonstrates the baby wind shield. Jacket by Mountain Equipment

Sitting mat  - knee protector for changing nappies. This one I use in the house, as we don't use a changing table cos he'll only chuck himself off it one day. After the first few weeks changing him on the floor my knees were proper sore. Out came an old mat my Mum had given me, like a garden kneeling mat, I used to use for sitting on in the tent. No more battered knees, hooray!

Buff - mopping-up cloth/modesty hide for breastfeeding. Need I say more, there are not many things you can't use a Buff for. 

Hi-vis strips/armbands - Buggy visibility. I don't yet run with the buggy but when I do start, I need to be sure the cyclists on the trails don't plough into us, it'd get a bit impolite. 

Blokes waterproof coat : parent and baby dual waterproofing. It goes round me and the baby in the carrier. grand. 

Well that's it for tonight. onwards and upwards :)