Relay for Life

At the weekend I had the greatest pleasure of being part of the Cancer Society "Relay for Life".

If you don't know what this is then I will explain.
It involves teams of people spending 22 hours walking round a set track. It is done in a relay, so you are only required to have someone from your team on the track at all times, you don't have to walk for the whole time.
You then raise money by getting people to support you in this process, so people give you money for the fact you team is there not for a set amount of laps or anything.
You start the relay at 2pm on Saturday and it continues until 12 on Sunday. You of course pray for nice weather.
You pitch a tent and gazebo for the team and this is where you spend your time when not walking. The tent is used for sleeping because you are, after all, there all night, and let me tell you a few hours sleep is greatly received.

I got involved as it was something I had heard about and had at one time decided it was something I wanted to complete.
So this year I managed to get involved at an early enough time to be part of a team. I joined a team that was made up of lots of individual people who all wanted to take part. A lot of teams are made up of people who all work together, are friends, or even families.
The only requirement I had as a team member was that I had to raise $100, as each team must have a minimum of 10 people and then this way each team would raise minimum of $1000. Seemed fair enough to me.

So on Saturday I turned up at the field with my bag in tow. You have to remember you are walking all night, or at least some of the night, and the temperature can drop big time. So extra layers are well adviced, so is a wooly hat, gloves, extra socks, blanket, sleeping bag and pillow. I also took extra snacks even though the team were providing dinner and breakfast and some nibbles, and also some exciting drinks so I didn't have to keep buying things there.
We had a roster to follow as to who was walking at what time, in half hour slots, although you were able to walk whenever you wanted to, this roster just meant that we always had someone from the team on the track at all times.
My walking time varied but I got to walk at the following times 5, 8 and 11pm and then 3.30, 5.30, 7.30 and 11.30am
Although I happily walked at other times for the odd laps just because you either sit and watch everyone go by or you join in and walk a little for something to do.

They even had themed laps. Yes this was where you were expected to dress up for the laps. The themes for this year were

• Superheros
• Olympic Glory
• Night at the Oscars
• Around the World
• Raindrops keep Falling on my Head
• Circus
• Uniforms
• Jazzercise

I happily dressed up when it fell on one of my laps, which was Oscars, so the 2 of us pulled on pretty black dresses over the tops of our clothes because it was 11pm at night by this stage and it was cold! Although once you got walking you in fact stayed really warm. (Sadly I never took any pictures of the themed laps, but then I never really took too many pictures the whole time I was there!)

The walking itself was easy, you just plodded round the set track for the allocated time. All the tents from the other teams were set up inside the track all facing the track so everyone got to see you walking past. This caused quite a bit of noise because people were cheering at different times for different things.
At one stage there was a lone fire-fighter walking round the track in his full gear (All 22kg of it, with tank). I got talking to him and discovered that apparently his team had ditched him but because people had supported him to walk he decided to turn up and walk for a couple of hours anyway, honour his agreement with them etc. So I told him we had food and a seat if he required it and then everytime he passed by our tent we clapped and cheered for him, he would wave and smile. This went on for about 3 hours and I am sure it helped him keep going. I even got it annouced over the loudspeaker that there was a lone fire-fighter out there and I think he then got heaps more cheers as he walked round from the other teams.

The relay started with the first lap being completed by survivors, it was a special time having all these cancer survivors, of all ages, walking round the track. A very special moment.
The other special moment was the Candlelight Lap at 9pm. All these paper bags were decorated in memory of someone lost and then a tea light candle placed inside and lit. We then all walked round the track in the dark with the candles burning. That too was very special. The boys and Steve managed to stay around for that and it was very difficult to explain to Ben what we were doing without getting emotional, even though I didn't have anyone really close to remember. However the boys did help decorate a bag for me and we did it in honour of a school friend, Alex, who died 22 years ago at age 19 of bone cancer.

The set up of the whole thing was very well done. They had coffee carts servicing our needs the whole time, yes they were there in the middle of the night, but then so was Subway too.
For $10 for 10 mins you could book a massage at certain times and I must admit that was lovely at 9.30pm to have a lovely quick leg massage to keep you going. They even had a group come and supply us with a free breakfast on the Sunday morning. Nothing better in life than walking round the track at 7.30am eating corn fritters and baked beans on toast, even though it wasn't piping hot, it went down so well.

The whole event was well coordinated and we were lucky enough to have good weather, although the rain stayed away the wind decided it wanted to join in and that made for a slight chill in the air.
The husbands of some of the team were wonderful coming in and cooking dinner and breakfast for us. Nothing better than suddenly being told that food was ready and not having to actually do anything to get to that point.
The boys and Steve were able to join in for the time that they visited with me but they went home for the night and then came back the next morning. However the boys were really excited about being there and would love to do it all next year. Having done it this year now, I can see how it would work with them present for the whole 22 hours and I am sure we can work something out for next year, even if it is in Grandma's camper van for the sleeping part during the night.

He loved every minute of being there, from joining in to playing ball with other kids/adults

So if you want to do something like this, then go check out the Relay for Life website and see if there is an event close to you. If the Hamilton one turns out to be your local one and you want to join in then let me know because I will be looking for team members for next year at some stage!

Weetbix TRYathlon

This weekend Ben once again completed the Weetbix Tryathlon.
Once again it was an awesome fun event that everyone enjoyed and got behind.

1500 bikes in transition area

If you have never had the pleasure then now is the time to take note and look out for next years events for your kids.

The kids have to be 7 yrs old to participate and they can do it every year until they are 15.

And like the name suggests it is a Tryathlon, yes there are 3 events to complete, swimming, biking and running (or walking if that is what you do) but the main focus is on TRY athlon as in "give it a go, try it out."
And yesterday that is just what 1500 kids did at Waikato University and they were awesome, every single last one of them ( and I know a little something about the last one too)

The first event, the swimming, is done in age groups, so you enter the pool when your group is called. Due to the distances that are swum (7yrs - 50m, 8-11yrs - 100m and the rest 200m) this will decide on when your age group swims. Yesterday Ben's age group (8yr yellow caps) were the very last group to swim, in fact by the time they had even entered the water most of the older bigger kids had finished their whole tryathlon! But at the end of the day it is not a competition it is a 'fun give it a go day'.

Waiting with mates from school

However, for some reason Ben hit the water and stopped. He got given a float board to use but he didn't seem to go very fast with it, consequently the 2 or 3 little groups of boys left to swim all passed him and he was one of the very last people to leave the pool area and transition onto the bikes.

Waiting to get in the water

 When he was at his bike he seemed to take forever. He had a little trouble with his helmet and we assisted over the fence. However whilst he was getting ready to go on his bike an official came up and asked him if he was alright for his run? Ben told him he was just going out on his bike and you saw the official whisper something into his little mic, obviously letting someone know they still had one left to go out on the bike!
My heart sank!! In fact my heart is sinking writing this (but only a mother will understand where I am coming from)

I soon realised that Ben was the very very last person on the biking field. The very last contestant of all 1500 kids! (Ben however knew absolutely nothing of this and just kept going with a huge smile on his face)

I also knew that from last year he didn't like the running part and walked, so my heart and brain very quickly put 2 & 2 together and yes I got that horrible answer of "oh my gosh he is going to be the very last kid to cross the finish line!

Sole rider getting sorted for the ride

I raced round to where he came out of the bike area and told him where to go, however I could see the 'tailend charlie official' ahead of Ben, so I ran like mad next to Ben telling him he had to catch up with the 2 men in the yellow jackets ahead of him. About 100m later a marshall saw Ben and stopped the officals and they waited for him. So there I stood on the large University field watch my lone 8yr old cycle round the path with not another person insight!

I am not sure whether I wanted to cry or scream, a few profanities came out of my mouth but then I realised we had to make the best of the whole situation. So I raced back to the school tent and found all his mates and their siblings and quickly explained that Ben was the very very last person. It sank in with them very quickly and then we sprung into action.
We all waited at the bike arrival area and cheered like mad for him when he came in on his own, we cheered for him while he parked his bike and set out on his run, the kids ran with him for about 200m and then they raced to the finish area. I ran with him about half of the run, but the thing that amazed me was him, he just jogged along and over took 6 people, I then realised that he wasn't going to come in dead last, he was going to be one of the last ones home but not THE last.
Half way round the course all his mates were on the side again with Steve and Alex and another parent and they all cheered him on again. We cut through the trees to where he was going to come out after going round the lake and we cheered him on again.
The last bend and some of the straight and everyone was running with him, then they all stopped and cheered as he ran the last bit himself straight across the finish.

Because it was the end of the day, and 1493 other kids had already come home, the finish straight was empty, there was hardly anyone standing along it cheering the kids. Of course not, because everyone else had their kids home so they had already moved over to the prize giving area which was happening about 10 mins after the last kid got home!
So after cheering like mad for Ben I stayed on the finish line and cheered like mad for the last few kids to come in. Really supported them, made them feel like someone was still there for them.

Ben is still totally oblivious to where he was in the race, doesn't understand what I saw but then why should he, he did the swim, he did the bike and he did the run. He knows his age group were the last to do everything and next year his age group will be before this group. And the year after his age group will be earlier again.
Although I know that in 2 years time we will go through it all again with someone at the end as Alex will be 8 by then and he will be in that dreaded group that has to go at the very end of the day.

Santa Time

This was my first Christmas at this place of work so was interesting to see some of the things that took place. One of the usual things was a Secret Santa amongst the staff that wished to take part.

As usual our name was duely placed in a hat and you got to draw a name out.
A $10 limit was placed on the present and away you all went, having 2 weeks to come up with something good, but fun.

Now I am not sure what got into my head, maybe I was having end of year itus, maybe my brain had decided to finally turn to mush or maybe I just got enthralled by all the wonderful things I saw on all the blogs I follow, but this is what I gave as my gift

I got inspired by Heidi over here, so I do have someone to blame.
I saw what she had made and decided that I could adapt it in true Kathryn fashion to something.
The receiver thought it was lovely, so that was good. Me I was just amazed that I remembered what to do seeing as it has been ages, and I mean ages, since I last did any craft work.

Santa was also very lucky this year at our house. Whilst out Christmas shopping one evening I came across this lovely plate set for him.
So the boys had great fun filling it up for him to snack on whilst visiting us.

Think it is actually meant to be used as general stuff but it will make a nice tradition in our house to put Santa's plate out each year.

The cat also got in the Christmas spirit this year.

Not sure if she was hoping that if she stayed there someone would leave her a present or if she was hoping Santa would take her with him when he had visited?