Date: Sunday, 14 May 2017

From: Carmel & friends

Laughs, Butterflies, Medals

Hi Ho we are back on the road again, this time to our nation’s capital, Canberra, for the Australian Running Festival, where we all took part in the Half Marathon. Out of the 7, 5 of us completed our very first half. More on that soon.

The road trip was as per usual, laughs, heaps of talking and the mandatory stop for coffee. My husband decided to come away with us this time, somehow I don’t think he was quite sure what he got himself into, but he did have a great time away. Friday night we all arrived at a reasonable time not the usual 10pm, we were able to have a lovely tea, catch up with my 2 cherubs before heading off to our accommodation. Saturday was shopping again but not a big one as some ended up going to the art gallery for the Versace display and the rest decided to head back to the unit. Tea was just a short stroll to Kingston, yum yum.

Sunday arrived, I know I had butterflies as I wasn’t really sure what I had got myself into but then the rest were up and nerves started to settle. A crisp autumn morning at the start line in front of Old Parliament House, so many starters and soon it was our time. Wished everyone success, off we went, what a great morning for a run. Halfway mark we saw Linda our banana girl. Louanne was running with me, we laughed, talked, took advantage of photo opportunities along the way. We did manage to see Donna and Carissa along the way however not the others.  Our aim along the way was to stay ahead of the cut-off  time which we had achieved. About an hour into the run the skies had opened and we spent the next hr or so in the rain, not a cold rain. In true feral form we all completed the run, the rain was not going to stop us. Hugs and cheers were at the finish line and that lovely half marathon medal. Quite an achievement.

Back to Kingston for warm showers and heading to lunch at the Harcourt Inn in Gold Creek. A great place for meals folks if ever in need of yummy food and the atmosphere is great. And now it was time to leave our nation’s capital and head home where our final stop was in Harden for the mandatory cuppa and to reflect on what we had achieved. Not only was it another great weekend away but most important a memorable one. Louanne Donna Carissa Mirella and I all completed our first Half Marathon, Julie and Janelle their third.

Date: Saturday, 11 February 2017

From: Carmel

Perfect Queensland

Just completed an early morning run in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast during a recent holiday, mid-January. Perfect weather the entire time we were there, somehow with recent temperatures that we have been experiencing I somehow wish I was still there.

Date: Saturday, 5 November 2016

From: Judith

Greetings from Tigers Nest Bhutan

Pleased to say I made it to tigers nest bhutan.  The air mighty thin [3120m : ed] but steadily did it.   I will never run a marathon but by heck I don't mind a bit of a walk, regards judith

Date: Tuesday, 18 October 2016

From: Teresa

Only Five To Go!?

BMW Berlin Marathon Germany 25/09/2016

Two years ago the seed was planted when Kim and I watched the world record being set by Dennis Kimetto 2:02:57 at the Berlin Marathon. I messaged a close friend of mine who was in Germany visiting their son at the time and she replied let's make it a plan 2016 you run Berlin and we will come and watch.

This was my first International Marathon, over 40,000 runners. I entered through Travelling Fit, (guaranteed entry) very hard to get into Berlin and I had not run a qualifying time so the ballot was the only way, which was unsuccessful last November.

So exciting, first trip to Europe, such a "world-class event that now proudly boasts 10 world records." - Horst Milde.

Australia's own Steve Moneghetti won in 1990, he not only won but was the first runner to break 2hr 10min, his time of 2:08:16 was the fastest in the world which helped pave the way for Berlin to become the world record breaking race over the next 27 years.

As per Horst Milde the race director at the time, "The 17th Berlin Marathon was an athletic international sensation - three days prior to German unification" he says "East and West Berlin had been divided for 28 years and that years race was the first time a marathon could lead through both parts of the city again." Next year Mona will return to Berlin, for the first time since 1990.

This years race was won by Kenenisa Bekele 2:03:03 and he only missed breaking the world record by 6secs.

The highlight of the race for me was not only running in the company of such elite runners in an international event but to run through the Brandenburg Gate with the finish line in sight and the cheering crowd. I was happy with my time of 3:48.

It was fantastic to have Kim, two of our children Sarah and Liam and Sarah's partner Alistair and our close friends Andrea Jordan and her husband Frank Cotroneo there to cheer me on. Also to provide me with German beer and German sausage when I finished.

As Berlin is one of the six marathons in the Abbott World Majors the seed has been planted again, only 5 to go! Would love to complete the world majors, so maybe here I come: New York, Boston, Chicago, London and Tokyo.  [That's a definite maybe? : Ed]

Date: Thursday, 8 September 2016

From: Bob

Running with Vikings

Hi, Like most post cards I'm sure this one will arrive weeks, perhaps months after it has been posted (and I will have been back and bored everyone to tears about it), especially as this postcard is being posted from Ireland!  Anyway May and June must be the 'Festival of the Feet' months in Europe, everywhere we went there was some sort of Running Festival and I was quickly running out of excuses as why I didn't enter this, that or the other event! The first event we encountered was in Bergen (Norway) which was a day long event and had everything; full marathon, half marathon, 10k run, 5k fun run and walk.

Here I met my Viking mate who insisted we ran together!!! Arrived in Alborg (Denmark) to learn that their fun run was on the previous weekend. In Gdansk (Poland) their marathon and fun runs were on the following weekend. In St Petersburg (Russia) I stumbled into an orienteering run that seemed to be centred around the St Peter and Paul church. Last prize for this event must have been an all expenses 'extended holiday' in Siberia judging by how serious the competitors were taking it. Then again it was Russia and we played "spot the smiling Russian" during our short stay with very few points being scored. Our next stop was Helsinki (Finland) and yep another fun run. In Stockholm (Sweden) we arrived just in time for the grand final of the Eurovision contest (we were hoping to spot Julia Z but without success) so their Festival of the Foot had been postponed by a week. Travelled by rail to Copenhagen (Denmark) (and yes we went over The Bridge) only to wake up the next morning to the Copenhagen Marathon. Travelling west we had an overnight stop in Odense where they were having their districts Fun runs.

After we left Denmark we had a week in Ireland. While on our trip south of Galway we came upon the town of Doolin which was hosting the Galway District Triathlon, Marathon and 10k and 5k fun runs.

Regards Bob Barker

PS the photos are of me with my Viking mate in Bergen, and in the Copenhagen Marathon (I was really fast over the 100 metres I completed).