Well, I am now an international top athlete, having acheived a previously unreachable time for a 5km run. unreachable by me. I am guessing Paula did it in nappies. Anyway, my target was to be under 30 mins, and I did it in 29 mins and 58 seconds. Good eh? Not knowing anything about race etiquette, I meekly put myself at the back end of the start for the 5k (we were mainly the fat, female or disabled, or wearing fancy dress, or all of the above) after the 21k and 10k had set off. Had that 'what to wear' dilemma, abut as the sun came out was glad I had opted for my bikini. Anyhow, as soon as we set off I was overtaking people, who seemed to be out for a walk in the park, frankly, some of them walking up the first hill. So over all, I overtook heaps of the field and was really really chuffed with my placing - 41st out of 181. HOW GOOD IS THAT FOR MY FIRST TIME? I am addicted and now planning a 10k run for a month or so after the tri. And then another tri to do with Sarah. The location was lovely, if difficult to find, but for future reference,its near Birdworld. The playpark by the start and finish was big and fun and kept the 4 children and Chris happy while the other 3 of us dashed around the woods. I loved the feeling of crossing the finish line, it made Paul's writing (Ephesians/Phillipians? ) much more real for me, as the last race I had entered was in 1985 the metaphor had no reference in my life. But that last little bit, coming up a hill and seeing the finish line, made me keep going just a teeny bit faster, and I got what Paul was talking about for myself.

R came home after doing the 10k run and set about constructing our new shed, with the help of his Amish barn building brothers. It looks like a barn. It is 14ft by 10ft in old money and has a double door, which has given rise to it being described as a stable and uses suggested including a practice room for Adam's drums or a sauna. I think we have a Philipino family moving in as refugees, but don't tell the neighbours. I am looking forward to getting the rubbish ( i mean R's important bike things) off the patio and into the huge wooden storage container in the corner.