Several people have asked me why my blog is called Rainbows and Running Shoes, and I guess the answer is mainly to do with my son Zachary, who has Autistic Spectrum Disorder. (He also has severe Sensory Processing Disorder and ADHD.)
Every child with Autism is different and occupies a unique position on the Autism Spectrum – sadly, Zac is on the severe end of it. But he certainly makes life colourful, and no two days are the same (much as Zac would like them to be… children with autism crave sameness and predictability above all things!).
Autism affects the whole family dynamic and any expectations of a “normal” family life are usually pretty futile. Infinite patience, nerves of steel, a wicked sense of humour and bags of energy are a must. This is why I run!The rainbow is also a symbol of hope and promise. (And, at the risk of sounding cheesy, “If you want the rainbow, you’ve got to put up with the rain”. Dolly Parton, and David Brent!)
(If you want to know more about how Autism affects our family, you can read my son Zac’s blog here.)
Well, on to running matters… tonight, being Tuesday, is the night my husband plays football with his friends, so I only had time for a quick run in between putting the children to bed, cooking a vegetable stir-fry (with noodles, garlic and soy sauce), and sacred football time!
I have a great 5K circuit that takes me from my door, uphill into Borstal, down the incredibly steep Shorts Way to the river, and then a beautiful long run along the riverside, with wide open skies and an amazing view of Rochester Castle and Cathedral. The route then goes up to the historic cobblestone high street, around the castle and moat, and then the long uphill back to my house.
It felt great to run as fast as I could on the downhills – such a feeling of freedom and childish abandon – almost like flying!
Distance run (in miles): 3.1
Total mileage this week: 8.3
Total mileage for July: 17.2
Total since starting blog: 67.1
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