Parkrun # 16

I didn't post about why I haven't posted any Parkrun events. It's because we haven't done any for two weeks! Grant got sick with a flu bug and I dosed and nursed him for ten days. He never lay down (he never does) but he was very ill with a chest infection which we managed to cure without seeing a doctor. 

YAY!

As he was on the mend, I caught the tail end of the bug. I suppressed the symptoms and ended up with terrible sinus. All through the time we had our visitors, I suffered with terrible headaches and  a clogged up nose. I never told anyone (what would it have helped, LOL) but eventually by Friday last week, I'd shaken off my malady.

Saturday we were at our 16th Parkrun since Christmas Eve last year. 

 It was a beautiful day with a slight chill in the air. Note the young lad in blue shorts is barefoot. I walked behind him and the little girl in pink top and wondered how his feet felt on the cold wet grass 

 I like impromptu shots: this young woman was running off somewhere although the Parkrun race hadn't started yet! 

 Grant chats to friend, Terry while his wife, Karen chats to a young man from one of the hospitality spots in the valley

Friend Pieter always volunteers as a timekeeper - 

here he and Grant and Roy share a joke 

Grant's erstwhile walking partner, John (Anthony's brother) is recuperating after a double knee replacement and doing extremely well, I might add. Grant now walks with newbie Roy who's in remission from stomach cancer. Because Grant is still one of the last two people to come in, this week I put his name forward as a volunteer. He was the sweep. A sweep is in cell phone contact with the events co-ordinator, Esmarie, at the start/finish. He ensures that everyone is in before him and should a participant be injured or have a severe medical or physical problem and cannot continue, the sweep (Grant in this case) would contact Esmarie who'd send a vehicle to collect the person. 

A young woman in advanced stages of pregnancy also ran the race

Esmarie called me before the race and said she hoped the pregnant lady didn't have problems on the walk as it would be Grant's problem. We had a chuckle about this. 

While walking I remembered something that had actually happened to Grant when he was about 19 in his first job. He worked for a grain company just outside Greytown;  we'd both grown up in Greytown. We  subsequently lived here after we were married and our older son, John was born in Greytown.

Back to the story: one morning Grant's boss called him and told him to take a young - very pregnant - Zulu woman to town. She was in labor and needed to get to hospital very quickly. Grant helped the woman and her friend onto the back of the work pick-up, jumped in front and roared off. As he turned onto the main tarred road, the friend banged frantically on the cab window. Grant pulled off the road, stopped the vehicle and jumped out. When he reached the back of the pick-up, both women shouted hysterically that the baby was coming. 

Long story short: he delivered the baby - a healthy boy - right there on the back of the pick-up; tied the cord and with the new mother's headscarf wrapped around the baby and cuddled in her arms, he jumped back in behind the wheel and sped off into town. He dropped the mother, baby and friend off a the hospital where the trained staff took over.

Later Grant's mum rang the hospital and enquired after the mother and baby. She was told they were both doing fine and the little boy's name was Grant!

Fortunately for Grant, on Saturday, the expectant mama was fit and still had a few months before she delivered. 

On my run, I'd been concerned that I'd push myself and I knew I shouldn't. The first 750m after I ran quite easily. Then I slowed to a quick walk and continued this way until the last kilometer. I'd been walking well when I heard friend, Jenny behind me. She was chatting to a lady from Johannesburg. Among other things, she told her about our weekly walking club. And then she involved me in the conversation.

Of course, it's my belief that when I start to talk on a Parkrun, I somehow lose concentration and therefor - time. But there you have it. I joined in the conversation and although the three of us continued at a good pace, when I passed Pieter, he told me my time:

47 min  42 sec

*sigh*

However, at least we're back at the Parkrun and I'm sure next week my time will start to improve again.

I walked back to meet Grant who looked as though he was "herding" little children ahead of him! 

 Grant wearing the hi-viz volunteer's jacket and the last stragglers. I'm not sure what the lady with dark glasses is holding so carefully: was it a baby or a puppy? I never found out! 

Grant with Roy whose young daughter(in black tee shirt)  ran back to meet him after she'd completed the run

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

As this post is aired I'll be joining our fellow hikers on quite a strenuous five-hour walk up the Matterhorn. This is also the first time in two weeks back in the walking club. Grant won't be going along; he has a project to finish.  

HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU ALL!