My first ever marathon

Yesterday I completed my first ever marathon, or actually half-marathon. It was on bike and the distance was 74 km.
The weather conditions for the ride were nearly perfect- sunny, some clouds in the sky, not too hot, but still a bit warm, no rain, nearly no wind. So, I started at noon and cycled from Tartu to Elva, to Pangodi, to Kambja, to Vana-Kuuste, to Ülenurme, and back to Tartu. My time was 3:22:58. It could have been better if I had practised a bit more, but I didn't so there's still a lot of space for improvement.
The marathon itself- it felt so good to cycle on the road with loads of other cyclists, take over some of them and vice versa. I realized that my bike is not too good for the highways as it develops only a certain speed and then that's it- not more. And also, 21 gears is not enough for cycling on the highways- it's just too slow and easy. I could have used 28 gears. :)
I got to Elva pretty fast, had some energy drinks for 1min and then took off again. After Elva there was a high rise and it lasted for more than 2km. It wasn't steep, but it was just constant. By the time I got to Kambja, where was the second service point, I was a bit tired already. But then I was given a big bottle of energy drink and I ate 2 pieces of banana and went on. It was uphill in the beginning, but then- about 2km only downhill. I think I might have developed the speed about 60km/h at least, maybe even more. It was so good....
The last 5km of the cycle were hard, taking into account it was in Tartu- it was wind straight to face.... But, as the finish got closer I raised my speed and finished. It was lovely! I absolutely loved that marathon and will go to another cycling marathons as well. The next one will be in September :) Thinking about doing it for the village, try to to some fundraising, perhaps. I shall see- it's something I'm gonna go to talk to my employers tomorrow.
But now, must study hard. Got exams.

And then, Riga this weekend!

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My home in Google Street View

I like the clouds!

Ahha, and what's more about the street view- In Tartu, the crossing from Aida to Turu, when you turn left, it's spring, when you turn right, it's winter.
And my old home in Tartu, in Väike-Kaar 41A, the window of my previous apartement is split to half.... :)

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How I synchronised a movie with Kirke

As I got home from the exams today, I decided to watch How I Met Your Mother from my computer (the last episode for this season). Kirke was already watching it- she had started about an hour earlier but stopped it many times to do different stuff in the room.
When the episode finished, I wanted to ask Kirke how she liked it. To my biggest surprise she took off her earphones exactly the same moment as I. We somehow got the movie into the synchronization and finished it exactly at the same second. That was just way too weird thing to happen. And amusing!
Can't remember the last time something so freaking weird happened to me.... :)

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Back to school

So, on Friday I went to my old school to give couple of lessons to the students over there. The lessons went well- I made couple of games and talked a bit about travelling and volunteering. The students were nice as well- behaved properly and I had no problems with them. One of them started to cry when it was her turn to do sth in one of the games... Slightly odd... Although I was a bit nervous in the beginning of my first lesson, then after about 20 mins it was all fine and the lessons went well. During the breaks and after lessons all the people who participated in the project and became teachers for couple of hours, had very intellectual conversations about the school systems and what should be changed. It was pretty interesting to hear all of it. We were also shown around in the school (especially the new part of it) and then there was a gathering where we were given thank-you-certificates for participating and the students performed to us as well.
There is an exhibition about the creations of the former students in the school and one part of it are some videos that were shot a while ago. To my greatest surprise, I discovered myself in one of the videos (couldn't even remember doing it) from 2005. It was some kind of a video against drug use and our group had formed a party which promoted clean life with no drugs and gave loads of election promises. Obviously. most of them haven't become true (though there were some that are done by now.... funny).
It was so weird to be back in Rõuge. I never miss the place. I only have my parents and sis living there and youth club and one good friend. And that's it. Most of my good friends are in Tartu as I moved away from Rõuge when I was 16.  I always just drive though Rõuge to go home. Never go anywhere there. And now I was back in my old school. And all the corners I saw, all the places, footpaths etc. Everything I saw reminded me of sth. It was a bit sad feeling- I'll never get those times back. Places where I used to wait for the school bus, walk home, play games, go to local library, have P.E. lessons, go skiing, skating,  play cards during the breaks. It all felt so much like home. And all the people as well- I mean, they are all the people I have done something together with, have something in common. Local principal is a member of our youth club, I've travelled abroad with our headmaster. They are all somewhat of a friends to me. It's so weird. I don't look up towards our principals any more, not scared of any of them. They are all just like me.
After the school I popped into my youth club as well (interesting, how every time I go to Rõuge I usually do sth in the youth centre, I always go there... I never did that before).
And after the school event I went to my friends' birthday - the only person from my basic school who I actually have remained good friends and who has stayed in Rõuge.... (another one is in Finland now).
It was just a very busy day. In the evening I went back to work...

Friday was an extremely thought-provoking day.

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I'm still alive and walking around (kind of)...

Firstly, I'd like to apologize to all the people who've been popping into my blog to see if I have made any new posts during the past month. Uhmmm, well. It must have been a disappointment. Most of my friends kinda know what I've been up to and all the people who don't know - you didn't miss much...

My past month has passed mainly studying. Constantly. All the time. I've done countless number of essays, have managed to finish my experiment (which had no statistically important results according to the SPSS program), I wrote my seminary work project. Have done couple of presentations. Besides school, I've been to work as well. And cycled around tiny bit.
I signed myself up to the bike marathon the end of May (only the 65km distance, though. I got an exam the following day- can't afford to spend a whole day cycling, unfortunately).

I went to the students' singing festival, which was brilliant as usually. And again, I managed to come back from a singing festival with an injured right foot. Had to go to the emergency. I had had a blister on my heel for couple of weeks which had turned into a bit disgusting looking one. I had a plaster on it which was supposed to heal it. But then, at the singing festival someone slipped on the hillside and went straight into my blister with their legs. Yeah, guess how much that hurt. But after 5 mins it all went numb and I couldn't feel anything. So I sang 'til the festival finished and then started walking towards home. I felt that my sock was wet and decided to look- it was all red from blood. So me and my mates walked home and then checked my leg. It was a blood-blister a little bit broken but still had lots of blood in it. So yeah, my doc-roommate told I should go to the emergency and get it cleaned. In the emergency the doctors were a bit angry with me because I hadn't gone to see them earlier - see, I had an infection in the leg as well. So they tied my leg up and told me not to walk much. Come on people! You should know me by now! A tiny injury can't stop me! Or can it? Anyway, the following day, as I had no proper shoes which were opened from the back, I went to school with high heels. Walked around the whole day. And then I went to the village in the evening. On Friday I was supposed to go to the doc again to get my leg checked. By that time I had a tiny fever as well. The doc said I should call in sick from work. So yeah, I still stayed at work on that day and even danced a little bit (even though I could actually hardly walk, but f**k that s**t!) and then went back to Tartu the following day. As I cleaned my injury again on Saturday, I saw that my whole ankle was nicely swollen up (you know, even more nicely that when I had my stretched ligament- on the same ankle, by the way) and the blister was now just a flesh wound. Looked pretty disgusting. I thought it would be funny to send the pic of my leg to my mum as well, just for fun. That definetely was a mistake- she was freaking out and telling that my leg is gonna fall off now and that I'm gonna die soon. Ehehhehe. The most annoying thing was that she didn't leave me alone 'til I went to the doc again to get my leg checked. Obviously there was nothing wrong, but still I had to go to the doc for the 3rd time in 1 week. Come on, that's just annoying. And then I had to go to my own doc yesterday as well (had to go to Võru for that). And I have to go again on Friday to get it checked again. Annoying. At least I found out that I can still donate blood in June and also participate in the marathon. I think I might be able to cycle to Tartu from work on Sunday as well. Or at least I hope (the weather has to be good for this).
My off-sick-from-work has been actually good for me- I managed to get in line with all my homework again, started to study for the exams and I'm feeling pretty good. Still got some extra stuff to do that I wasn't planning to do in the beginning. The thing is- my old school asked me to go there and tell them about my life after I graduated from there.  You know, what have I done, where have I been and blablabla. But now I discovered that I have to give 2 classes for 11-12 year-olds. Yeah, what could I tell them? I have absolutely no idea.... So I have to figure out those 2 classes now. Maybe some games? Or some storytelling about voluntary work? I can't tell them the stuff I was thinking of telling. Gosh, another extra assignment besides work. How lovely!
And well, now my exams are starting and I've got absolutely no life coming until the end of May. Then I'm gonna dye my hair rainbow and go to Couchsurfing party in Riga and support Lauris in the Baltic Pride as well :) Should be fun.
But until then- 8 exams in 3 weeks. Plus couple of presentations. Sleep is for the weak indeed!
Anyway, gotta go to read a book about drugs now. Scientifical. It's actually a really good book, I can tell ya.



In the meanwhile- eat loads of caffeine tablets and you'll get it goin', people.

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