The Finish Line Was Within Sight but.........

The weekend was going so well. Saturday morning was spent at my quilting club AGM where we were also given our next monthly quilt block pattern (called Drunkard's Path). After lunch I took the Cinder Toffee I made and went to the Church Fete to man the cake stall. Despite the dull weather there was a reasonable turnout and the cake table was empty by the end. I then went home to cook a nice steak dinner for my OH as a treat for his birthday. I finished off by making another batch of damson jam which turned out more successful than the first due to the fact that my OH bought a thermometer for me.



Sunday was the day of the Cardiff 10k so we got up early to get there and park before the car parks were full and the roads closed. We mingled with the crowds and tried to keep warm in the chilly wind knowing we would soon warm up once we got going.
Rhodri Morgan started the race and my OH spotted Kathryn Jenkins at about 8km. I struggled a little from the 4.6km water stop as my weaker left leg started to show signs of tiredness so made an effort to lift it more to avoid scraping my toe as I ran. Things were going well until I saw the finish line about 30m ahead and was motivated to put on a spurt for the end. The rest is a bit of a blur as I found myself sprawled on the road looking up at the sky and gasping for breath as I had been winded in the fall. What I did remember was the crowd giving a collective gasp of horror as I hit the ground. My OH, who was just behind me, threw his water bottle down and tried to catch me - he told me after that I said something like 'I'm falling' as I went down but I don't remember that.
I am very grateful to the doctor and nurse from the crowd who came immediately to help and stayed until the St John's Ambulance people arrived, and grateful to them for their thorough check of my injuries and for escorting me over the line so I could collect my medal. Altogether, I am left with scraped hands, a bruised knee, shoulder hip and cheekbone and a black eye. Add all that to the large bruise on my thigh I got last week climbing over a stile after a run and I think I may get some sideways glances while sunbathing on holiday next week (or maybe my poor innocent OH will get the glances as people can jump to the wrong conclusion!!)

My daughter came to see us in the afternoon and to give my OH a cake she made for his birthday. It's the first large cake she's made in her present oven and only the second one she's ever made so the effort was truly appreciated. It honestly wasn't as wonky in real life as it looks in the picture and it was a lovely, delicious treat after a trying day.

Later in the afternoon I went to a singing rehearsal and luckily, the performance of The Witness has been postponed from next week so no one had to learn my songs to take my place while I'm away.

So, an eventful weekend has ended and I'm ready for a holiday to recover. We're going out for a family meal tonight for my OHs birthday and then away soon after to Rhodes as a celebration of our 25th Anniversary.

My picture taking isn't improving much but I'll try and get a few to show on my return.

Bye for now

Teresa x