Club Tuesday!

Hello blog lovers

I do love Tuesdays, I really do.  But sometimes Tuesdays don't love me!  I had an awful day, dealing with all my bloomin paper work, a job I loathe and detest, (and still not finished!) plus doing my tax returns.  It took up the whole day!  I was just so engrossed in trying to get it all sorted I had forgotten to eat or even drink tea!  And I so love my tea!

Before I knew what the time was I had a few minutes to get ready for a funeral, go down to the school pick up little lad from school, get back, chop salad and then hand lad over and go to the funeral!  Some where between those things I should have eaten something, but instead I gobbled down a slice of bread and butter as I flew out of the door!

I picked up Auriol on my way to the rec.  We were soon joined by Julie and Ade, both were looking forward to todays run.  I took them around the other winter route, uphill to start with.  Birchwood is a nice steady incline, a great warm up session to get us ready to run as far as we can towards the memorial hall.

Everyone did it brilliantly, I guess having the hill first just 'gets it out of the way'.  The four of us made our way all the way back down towards Petts wood.  We stayed together all the way day, running as one! Julia I knew could go a bit faster, but she is here 'in recuperation' and is taking it slowly, getting fitter to get back to group 1.  This is what Group 0 is all about. Love it!

It's for the beginners who feel that they are not quite ready to join group 1, to build up their confidence, and make them feel part of our very friendly group.  We don't just abandon our beginners on their own after they have done their 5k! Oh no, we carry on nurturing and encouraging and helping!  This is a brilliant club!

so 2.30 miles done and all runners really enjoed it!

Geeky stat

Group 1

After finishing group 0 I still had about 10 or so minutes to wait until 7:50 pm for all the runners to turn up, so I popped to the ladies as I had remembered I had my makeup on for the funeral and I knew it will be travelling down to my chest by now.  I was busy washing in the sink when SingstarJo turned up!  Seems she caught me again with my panda face!  It was indeed heading towards my chest!

Anyway, I was looking forward to group 1 run, but I was also beginning to feel fatigued, and I realised it was because I had not eaten properly.  Stress and hunger had been the order of the day, and I also realised that I had also been 'feeding' the 'black dog' of late as well!  I really must pull myself out of my doldrums and look at the positive things going on right now!  

Our run was one of SingstarJo's fav routes. It involves Cardiac hill, but going up it, as she doing the route in the opposite direction! This did make me feel the pressure to keep up.  And not only that, we are going up to Petts Wood via the hillier group 0 route.  But at least that is the first of the hills, and I still have a tiny bit of energy left, after all I did eat a whole slice of bread earlier.  But I know what I say to people, and I know that I haven't listened, again, to my own advice!   

Yes group 1 tonight is going to be a bit of a struggle.  But I shall keep going with them as far as I can, if I have to take a short cut I will, and I will also try not to beat my self up. about it either.  But to cut my ramblings short, I did chicken out of doing Cardiac Hill, I just wasn't feeling it this evening.  I think I need to go back and eat!

So here is my geeky stats for this evenings group 1

Beginners and Back!

Hello blog lovers.

Monday sees me writing up two blogs!  The first one is about Saturday.

Saturday Beginners

Sherry is very busy helping over 50 people to reach their goal of running a 5k.  The Saturday just gone she she needed a to have an extra helper or two.  You all know how I feel about helping those to achieve their running goal so I volunteered my services.

They were already into their third week, and all the runners were looking a little anxious about the run 3 mins walk 3 mins.  It really does seem to be a lot if you have never ran before.  But once the warm up laps of the rec and the warm drills were done the faces on the runners were looking a lot more confident.

They all soon got into the swing of things, there was even one lady who had blisters on her feet from hiking 14 miles just before the weekend who was determined to do this.  And do it she did!  There wasn't any one that dropped out saying they had had enough.  It's quite amazing how quickly your running fitness can build up.

As for next week, well, I think I will offer my services again if me and the Old Boy have no particular plans planned! And just look how much ground they had covered just doing those loops!

Monday Training.

Now we are on today, and boy was I in need of getting out and running!  More stresses to get my fists tight, so a run will deffo help things calm down, and clear my head.  Today I also asked Wendi to come along with us as well.  Now Wendi is even tougher on herself than I am on me.  She beats herself up more that Mike Tyson could beat up Barry McGuigan!  I thought maybe taking her back to basics will get her focused again.  

Wendi has done the Edinburgh Marathon, but some time after that she had injuries.  Just like all of us stubborn runners we expect to come back to running exactly where we left off!  Forgetting all the new arse grooves we have created on our furniture, forgetting all the chocolate that we consumed in the name of medicine. No, when we come back to running, we want to be chatting to Mo flippin Farah, talking shop with Paula blinking Radcliffe, and if we're not then the beating stick comes out!

And Wendi is the worlds worse for this, and it does nothing for the sole!  Your mojo will most certainly stay put, so I suggested that she comes back to basic training.  Start from the beginning and just watch her mojo slowly come out of its hiding place.  I am so glad that she did.

Tracy was look tons happier about todays run too.  After completing her homework during last week, and flinging in a swimming session and racket ball session to put two fingers up to couch potato, she was raring to go.  

We started off with our 4 minute walk and then 2 minutes jog, we are going to repeat this 5 or six times, it depends on if I can remember how many reps we have done, and if I can keep count! Maths is not my forte!  Luckily Wendi has a super duper Garmin that is set up for run/walk and it beeps when its time to do either one!

The first run section seemed to fly by as we all was chatting away, in fact I had to check with the ladies that we had actually run for the two minutes!  (which is how I know that Wendi's watch does that brill thing) And that is how the session went today! Those minutes just seemed to melt away.  It's amazes me how some runs just work out so perfect and yet other runs are just so crap!

We were making great progress on the way back so I threw in that extra rep of 4/2 walk/run.  It's was a great sight to see both ladies smiling at the end of the session, especially when I managed to get them to run up hill (thanks big burly road workers).  Yup, I think this two ladies are well on the way to completing a 5k in just a few short weeks away!  And I have said to Wendi "Do not do any more that what I have suggested!"  Because knowing Wendi she will probably try and attempt to do a half marathon come Wednesday!

Geeky Stats for their run today.

TENse Freeing TEN K

Hello blog lovers.

You know sometimes the only thing that can clear your head, or even stop you thinking about anything apart from what you doing at that precise moment, well I needed one of those today!

It's been a mad and happy few weeks with my eldest daughter over from America but then Wednesday she left to go back.  A shitty day was all that Wednesday gave me.  Thursday was good, well it involved running, but then this morning more stress!  So yes, I needed a run. I needed to do a long run (anything over 3 miles for me these days is a long run)  But I also wanted to feel the peace about me.

It's a no brainer!  My own clubs 10k route!  I did try to drum up a bit of company to go with me, but to be honest, running solo is sometimes what I need, but I was just trying to heed advice about running in the woods solo.  But running in the woods is just too good to not to.  I didn't want to pound pavements, sucking in car fumes.  I didn't want to have to stop and worry about traffic, I didn't even want to run around pedestrians!  I just wanted to be alone, running in the woods.

I didn't have any time in mind, if I took longer than the very first time I did this course way back in 2010 then so be it.  If by some miracle I get a pb, then again so be it.  It was all about emptying my head, feeling free!

I knew most of the route, the piece through the streets, and into Little Thrift. I knew the way through Jubilee park and past Bickely Manor, Goss Hill and Botany Bay Lane.  That was the easy bit.  It was after I passed the Williet memorial and came back onto the middle of the woods path that things will get a little hazy.

I knew it was the path that I took with Illustrious Leader when we ran to sort out her marshaling point for her team, So I took what I thought was the right path and came across the two benches.  I am sure this is the way.  There were a couple of other paths that criss crossed but I had a point in my mind.  The marshal point that I had in 2012, I knew roughly where it was and I just hoped that I didn't undershoot or overshoot the correct path.  Guess what I got it right!  I came straight up the path and I could imagine what the runners were thinking when they saw me point to turn left to run along just a little bit more of the woody path before coming out for the final 2k of the run.

Back out on the streets again, fumes from the car, fumes from the road works, people to dodge, but my head feeling a lot lighter!  My heart feeling a lot light, body aching like anything!  But a lot happier.  I may as well finish the whole of the Petts Wood 10k  even though I was feeling more stress free that when I first started it.

Of course I took my Garmin with me, and now I can look at it,  just to see how many calories I have blown away which will help me decide what to have for dinner tonight! A beer later? most defeinately.

Corr Training!

Hello bloggers.

Double bubble today.  Love core training, but I think this is the last one for this year!  Now we shall have to figure what we shall do next Thursday!  I am thinking, hill training (yuck, but so so necessary) and interval training.  Yup  I think we can fill in an hour with those!

So today there was just the three of us!  Me (obviously) and MarmiteDavid and Illustrious Leader Anne.  Three hard core, to the very end of the season, core trainers!  We just must love it!  Well I know I do.

We did a couple of loops of the park for the warm up, then into drills! Ministry of silly walks was on the menu again today.  And then we did some pyramids.  It seems as if Illustrious Leader has been learning from DiscoRich as she had set out the cones quite far apart plus they were on the incline too!  Well, what's the point of coming if you're not going to work hard, right!

After that we did some 'laying on our back' exercises, stretching out our backs, loosening up and then three in a couple of planks as well, a forward plank and then a side plank!  To finish off with we did a about 10 minutes of relay running.  We chose a shorter straighter path to do our relay as it was getting quite dark, so we ran towards light, the tennis courts.  These tennis players are just as crazy as us, they play all through winter!  They have the flood lights, and if they can get there they will play!  Sports people, what can I say?!

After that it was a warm down, and that was the time the Old Boy decided to face time me, probably to check that I was working hard at my training session (on Tuesday I was actually walking when he called me, and taking the short cut!)

A very good session today, and I shall miss these until the light comes back next year!  So now for the next seasons training days!

Hello Thursday Morning Run!

Hello blog lovers.

What a lovely morning to be outside running!  I was really looking forward to getting out and running through the woods with some of my running buddies!  Nothing was going to stop me!  Life did try to upset my plans this morning, but with juggling a few people here and there then it was just perfect.

I picked up Ade, Mr. Monster himself, (that's what our Race Director, David,  called him when he met him at the rec!) Ade is sponsoring our 10k, Monster Merchandising has it's logo on our web site, so David called him Mr. Monster!  I kind of like it actually!  So I picked him up and he looked as if was dead keen on getting out there and enjoying a couple of miles through the woods.

We met up with the rest of todays runners, the fast lovely ladies that will be running with DiscoRich and David, and then I had with me Dawn, Michele, PinkLadyJo and Ade.  My route is about 3.50 miles, a nice steady plod through the woods.  PinkladyJo and Ade haven't been running for ages, so I was going to take it nice and gently.  I have plans up my sleeves for any one that runs off too fast.  I like to lead from the back so that I don't lose anyone!  My plan is if they get to far ahead my whistle comes out and the head back to me.

We went in through Dog Poo Ally and then turned left, running along side the railway lines.  I was going to take them up Botany Bay Lane, past the lovely National Trust house and right up to the very top!  But just as we started on the first path I stumbled over a tree root and my ankle twisted.  Normally I would say to any runner just stop and check it out first.  I put my weight on it with the next step and I could tell it was going to be fine,  (why are us runners so bloody minded?) so much so that I didn't even slow down the pace.  I just limped through a couple of steps and then everything seemed brilliant!

I wouldn't recommend that by they way, always stop and check it out, but I know that I don't actually listen to my own advice.  I am always beating my self up about slow runs, taking short cuts etc etc.  Anyway, we headed on up to Botany Bay Lane,  I let Michelle and Dawn lead on as I took the back so that I didn't leave anyone behind.  I know when I first started running through the woods it amazed me how anyone could find their way, but now I know it's virtually impossible to get lost in these woods, but not everybody else knows that.  So I like to make sure that I can keep an eye on all members in my groups.

The hill going up, Botany Bay Lane (you can tell I like Botany Bay Lane, the amount of times I write it, it sounds so exotic!) Dawn and Michelle seemed to be on a mission.  Get to the gate and then stop!  It's a good plan!  But when Ade looked up he said "Oh blimey"  Then the leadership hat was put on,  "Take it nice and easy, steady pace, use your arms to 'hoick' you up and smaller steps"  See, I know what to do, why or why I don't listen to myself sometimes is beyond me!  We made up way up the hill at our own pace right to the gate, near the lovely house.

We had a quick breather there and I gave the two faster ladies the next bit of the route.......well straight up till you can't go any further really!  Simples! And then we will be turning right to go past the pub.  They took off at their pace and us three plodded along keeping them in site just a few seconds behind them.  The weather seemed to be just perfect.  It wasn't too hot or to cold, and the rain stayed away, the conditions were just perfect. Perfect for those coming back to running after having time off as it's such a boost when conditions are just right.

I was really enjoying my run.  We got to the top and had a quick catch up stop there (instead of further along by the pub) so now were are going to run all the way to the road, cross over it and then continue on through the woods there.

It's was on this bit that PinkladyJo had a little fall, slow motion she said when she was describing it,  I just saw her getting up looking really graceful as she did!  If that had been me it would have been all arse upwards and grunting and panting as I got up!  There was no damage done (see what I mean about us runners, hard we are, hard!) we carried on running to leesons hill.

Along Chislehurst road we ran and I decided to finish of by going back into the woods to finish off.  And why not! I gave instructions to the two front runners to keep the railway on their left as I ran with Ade and PinkLadyJo.

All in all a lovely run, although a stumble and a fall happened in this run everyone had a brilliant time, and I feel they all was really glad to be out running today, from the ones who have been running 3 times a week, to the one that was injured and getting back to it, and to those that have had more than enough space between this run and their last!

Geeky stats.

Tuesdays Club Runs

Hello blog lovers.

Group 0

Yesterday was club night.  I just love club night.  I took group 0 out and I was feeling pretty good, if a little bloated and a little jaded from the total fun and relaxation I have had while my daughter has been here from Chicago.  There were four that turned up for the 7 o'clock run, but only three of them were running along with me.  That's right Suzanne is not ready to put her shoes on maternity leave just yet!

Just the pace has slowed down a bit and the distance!  I am not sure sure how long ladies can run when then are growing babies, all I know is that when I was growing my three all I wanted to do was sit, eat and then throw it all back up again, for at least the first 8 months!  So I am in admiration of her!

We took the Petts Wood winter route, running up the undulations of Hazlemere, Great Thrift and Wood rise.  It's a lovely route for learning to love hills!  They are not particularly steep, but just enough to get the heart beating a tad harder than a normal flat route, and then before you start to hate the hill it flattens out!  Perfect for those coming back from injury, perfect for those getting ready to go up to Group 1 and perfect for ladies with babies on board!

We all ran the whole way to the memorial hall before we had a short walking break before starting with the running again.  In fact I believe ran 98% of group 0 run today, and I am sure the ladies were well pleased with that, I know I was.

Geeky stats.

Group 1

Illustrious Leader Anne was taking the lead role today and I was glad when she said that our route was going up Birchwood first!  Which means that we will get the hill out of the way first!  After chatting to club members about our 10k which will be soon, I had kind of stiffened up a bit, my muscles were aching somewhat, and I could feel that the celebrations over the last 3 weeks has settled on my hips, thighs, arse and tummy!  Well, you need a good blow out on the odd occasion, and having my 30th anniversary and my eldest daughter home was as good as an excuse as you can get!

I volunteered to be sweeper again, as you know by now, I just can't get any further in the pack anyway! And as this was 'move up' week our group was a tad smaller that usual.  Move up week is where members are encouraged to try moving up to the next group, to change the distance and go for a faster pace.  The leaders will keep strictly to the lower scheduled pace, for example, group one run at 11:30 - 12:00 m/mil so they would run at 12:00, on the button! with the usual stops of course.

The run up Birchwood was good, I kept up, made sure no one was left behind, although Sue was playing catch up along Crossways when we left the rec, she was setting up her run keeper app thingy! We had a quick breather just to check and then carried on running, our scheduled stop by the first post box just off of Leesons hill.

That's where I started to struggle on some.  Can you believe I was aching on the flatter part of the route!  Oh well, I must listen to my own chats some times, "All runs are different" I tell people who say they are having a bad run! "There are no bad runs, as all runs are good!" makes sense right, I mean, if you're out there running you're not sitting in doing nothing! "There are only slower runs and faster runs, but no bad runs"

I tried to listen to my own advice, and just struggled on playing catch up.  I must do more solo running to pick up my fitness again!  Then we can to a point where Illustrious leader said that there was a short cut for those that really want it, "But none of us really want to do that" she said with a smile on her face.  I looked down the road, it looked totally inviting, and then the group started running the longer way.  I sighed as I started to run after them "You can go the short cut" said Sue, but I think she was joking!  But I listened again to my own advice "If you're struggle, slow down, walk, take a rest" So I actually found myself saying to Sue "Actually I thin I will, could you run on ahead and let I.L. leader know, and I will meet you at the bottom"

I don't think she meant for me to take up on her suggestion!  Especially now as she has to run to the front of the group to let I.L. know (and she has been off running for the past 3 and half weeks)  but she said ok.   Usually we don't let any of us run by ourselves, but I knew this road, it was well lit, and at the bottom, around about 50-60 PWR's would be running past there to get to the rec!  It wasn't as if I was by myself either, because just after I started down the road, the Old Boy had faced timed me.  He is in Guernsey fishing, and was just calling in to let me know about his day!

 I did meet group at the bottom of the road, but as I was waiting for them my second daughters boyfriend drove past and pulled up as I was waiting for them  "Blimey, you must be really fast" he said to me "the others are still up the top there"  Now should I put him straight and tell him that I had actually taken the short cut or not! Hmmm!

When some of the group 1 got to me I carried on running the rest of the route with them, which was just up Crossways really, but I did have the energy to do the usual sprint up the road, (who wouldn't after a a few minutes rest!)  A great run, it's a shame I took the short cut, but I am not going to beat myself up about it! It was just a shorter run, is all!

So Geeky stats for Group 1

Searching For The Missing Mojo

Hello blog lovers

Today I had my leadership hat on.  Although I think Tracy thought I had my 'trying to kill' hat on.  Me and Tracy are on a mission.  This time last year she was in training for the Petts Wood Runners 10k, and she did really well, completing it in about an hour and half!  Here this is a picture of her as she crossed the finishing line,

Tracy October 13th 2013.....and me with open arms!

But since then 'life' got in the way, work took up, kids, shopping, life, and then training seemed to have been put on the back burner.  I know exactly how she felt!  It's difficult to keep things going especially when you have completed a goal that you had been working hard for.  I know, did I tell you that I had done the marathon last year (2013).  It's kind of like 'post-race blues', or in Tracy's case, 'post-race browns' as it was just so so so muddy last year, but apparently the best ever one so far!

So that's the back ground, she needs a bit of a boost to get her back to running again, and getting fit and away from the couch!  I arrived at her house (after being reminded, as I was actually having a couch potato moment of my own) and there she was all set and.......well not looking as if she was going to enjoy it.

That's just the couch potato syndrome getting to her, I know that, and she knows that, which is why she came out with wry smile, feeling a bit nervous too, no doubt.  I thought it best to go right back to basics, with 4 minutes walking and 1 minute running.  If during the 1 minute run it looks as she could go a bit further then we shall just go with the moment.

I chose a route that Tracy knows well and will use as her training during the week, just as she did last year.  The first 4 minutes was a walk up the hill, and in just a few weeks time we will be running up there!  It's surprising how quickly 4 minutes disappears! We lapsed into 10 seconds of our running time!

We were going to do 6 reps of the 4 min walk and 1 min run, a nice half hour (see I can add up as well!) We walked/ran up to Petts Wood then took a left on Crest View Drive.  Our route is going through Jubilee Park, see how far we can get in 15 minutes and then turn around and come back again.

Once we set our bench mark then we shall see, each week, as we push just a little further each time!  I'm not sure if I actually told her that bit yet, but it's always good to have surprises!

So no, the hard work begins!  Our goal is Parkrun 5k, non stop!  Something that I myself have difficulty in achieving!  So it's a goal for both of us!  8 weeks from now!  Tracy has been giving her weekly tasks, to do the same thing again on Wednesday and then Friday, then come Monday we shall up the running, down the walking, and, we'll see about the pace.

This is the first week of finding Tracy's mojo!



picture from Petts Wood Runners 10k Web site, taken by Ray Sievey

Just The One!

Hello blog lovers.

Feeling a little jaded (after celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary yesterday!) and also very snotty I decided to do just one run today.  With the philosophy of  'Germs above the neck' ok to run 'Germs below the neck' stay in with lemsips and chocolate.

I was expecting just the one person today, Auriol, for group zero so it was very nice to see a new member to the group, Ruth, who turned up today.  She is a lapsed Group 1 runner and is wanting to get back into it.  So she came along.  It's just a shame that I am not feeling that well today.

As we still had the light, even though dusk is coming a lot quicker now, a jog through the woods would be most welcomed, I guess this must be the 'perks' of being a leader is that you can choose your favourite routes, and also the distance!  The route we were going to do is one of the shorter ones, but as I was feeling not too good I felt that this would be enough for me, and also we have the uphill slope to do.  This is a challenge for all of us in group 0 to see how far that we can get up there before we need to have a walk.

Today we all did pretty well, we can almost see the top of the woods, so that was most pleasing!  My headache, too, had gone, now that could be because we are in the woods, it smells so fresh and all that lovely clean air is doing me tons of good, but I think that maybe the paracetamol was taking affect.

We all managed to run most of the way back, and we even managed to stay in there woods.  We had the option of finishing our run by running on Birchwood, but daylight was still with us and we chose to carry on in the woods!

It felt great being out but I was pleased that I had chosen the shorter route as now I was ready to go home and look for the chocolate and sip on some lemsip!

Here's the geek stats.

Sunday Recce!

Hello blog lovers

This morning was a perfect morning for our club's 10k! Well, we are a bit early for our 10k, this is a run through for our members!  As it is such a pretty route, with lots of twists and turns, ups and downs, woods and pavements, it's the only time that we all can run it together.

When I got to the rec however, there was barely anyone there, just Hannah sitting in her car.  I thought that maybe I had the wrong day!  but soon after, there were more and more PWR's coming along.  I think that we maybe had about 30-40 members, a representative from each group.

Groups 1-2 were going to be running together, 3-4-5 were another group and 6-7-8 were the last group. We all set off  about 10 seconds apart.  We were doing the full 10k which means that we ran around the rec first!  It bought back memories for me from 2010, the first time I did this run as a competitor.  My first run of that distance, my first run that I had 'competed' at.  The race I did before I did the 10k, I saw as my fund raising fun runs.

This time however I wasn't nervous, I wasn't at all fazed by the distance or the terrain.  No, this was my favourite place to run, and 10k just doesn't bother me at all anymore.  Ok, it's still a tough distance, and I still run/walk it, but I have decided that is just me! That's the way I get through my running, so I am just going to have to work on running faster and walking faster!

We wasn't too far into the run, about 2 thirds, when our group split into two.  We told David that we will (thats me Illustrious Leader and Hannah) run at our own pace.  Besides which, it will give I.L. another chance to make sure she knows the route for her team of marshals in October.

We got to Goss hill and the faster runners were out of view. This hill always gets me.  I have only managed to run up it in one go only the once, and that was when the Old boy was with me.  But I thought I would try and try as hard as I can to run as much of it as I can.  Half way up here, however, a chap with a rather wet and rather dirty smelly dog appeared on the footpath.  It had obviously been in the stagnant pond and having fun!  But know he was out and needed to have a shake!  Guess who was in the 'danger' zone of the wet dog's excessive pond life? Yup, yours truly!

splattered legs!

We carried on up the hill to find the the faster runners having a quick breather.  They carried on soon after I arrived and then we walked for a bit after them.  Just have this path, just on Botany Bay Lane is where I.L.'s  marshaling patch starts.  So she took the lead to reinforce the route firmly into her inbuilt satnav!  Her patch is a mixture of downs little flat bits and ups!  But because it's in the woods it just doesn't matter, there is just too much distracting you from the inclines!

There was just one spot, at the top of the woods which was a bit iffy, but as I had been on the the previous 'getting to know the route' run before I was able to point the right way!  We ran passed the Willet Memorial, a huge stone in the middle of a clearing, it's to commemorate William Willet and his brilliant idea of the Daylight Saving!

We then joined the path that goes through the middle of the woods and headed down towards Dog Poo Ally, with a sharp left turn to do we continued through the woods.  But this was a part of the route that neither of us was quite sure about.  We took some paths and then headed on up again.  We arrived at the exit of the woods just by the new bridge.  Now I know we took the wrong path.  But we carried on running, doing the pavement section.  And there was no taking a short cut, even though I said that as we had gone the wrong way we may as well just go straight to the rec.  But I.L. being the leader that she is said "No, we shall continue to finish the course" And so we did.

It' turns out that we still did just over 6 miles anyway, so we still covered 10k!  But a lovely run, through some of the best woods that's around!

Geeky stats.

Run Off!

Hello blog lovers.

I am really enjoying having my first born home, and it is showing!  Of course on Tuesday evening I didn't go for a run with my club as I had a family celebration of my daughters wedding!  Although she married in February because she was married in Australia we couldn't be there to celebrate with her.  So when she and her husband was here we celebrated then!  On a school night too! But that is only because her husband had to go back to the USA (where they both live now) the next day!

Of course it meant that Wednesday was a complete right off when it came to any for of exercise, it was had just getting out of bed!  Today however, all is well, but then I was working during the day, unusual for a Thursday, which meant that I didn't get out for my 9:30 run.

So that just left me with this evening.  I decided that I do really need to run off the heavy celebrations, I need also to run off the curry we had on Wednesday, due to the fact that none of us wanted to cook.  I also needed to run off the 'inactivity'!  Running to the rec for the 7 pm core and strength training was the only way I could think of.

A stressful day started to melt away as I started my run toward the rec in Willet Way. I took it nice and easy to the rec, just using the jog there as a warm up for the warm up laps.  And we done two laps of the park, I am sure last week we only did one warm lap.

After that, and before we can say, 'What's next' DiscoRich was giving us instructions for the drills, five or six drills to the cricket crease with a jog back.  There were still only four of us by the time we finished the drills, we had a quick drink and then we started with the speed running, doing the pyramids.  At first it was quite easy, as there were four of us there was a nice little respite from the speed session, but then we had a late comer, Jo.  After her warm up lap she started with the pyramid running along with us.

But then DiscoRich split us into two groups.  Himself and Marmite in one group, and us ladies in the other group, three against two, doing the pyramids.  Of course they will finish first, being as they had only two in their group, and they we faster than us and they were chaps!

Then it was the core training, we all chose a couple of core exercises to do, we did them for either one minute or a minute and a half!  Why do I always chose burpees!!  I do think this particular exercise is hard, and I am beginning to notice that I can do them slightly better than I used to be able to do. It must bean than I am getting better, surely!

After core training it was back to some more running.  But we stuck with the pyramid running, but this time DiscoRich changed the team members, putting Marmite with Illustrious Leader and Jo and then I was in DiscoRich's team!  So therefore I was running with a little less break between each cone run!

Our usual warm downs saw the end of our session for the evening.  It was just then that I thought "Now I have to run home!"  Maybe I could have been a little less enthusiastic on the speed running!

Still, it was still a great session, and we are still not ready to give up on our core training sessions just yet!  Same time next week!

Geeky stats

Happy Running!

Hello blog lovers.

I feel real good this week, my gorgeous eldest daughter and her husband came home from the USA last night, it's the first time I have seen her since she because 'The Mrs!'  So I was really excited to see her.  So this morning while she was over visiting her nanny I got ready and ran my usual 3 and half miles.  I had a huge smile on my face and I was feeling brilliant.  It's helped that the sun was shining and it is lovely and warm outside.

I did have other plans today, otherwise I could have gone for a longer run, but that doesn't matter, it's good to be out running even if it was only a mile it would be good.  I was in two minds which route I would take, but settled on the Turpington Lane route.  Straight up to there, down Greenway, Magpie Hall Lane and then Southborough.  I think the last time I did this route I was desperately trying not to beat myself up, but try and keep happy thoughts. Well today there was no beating up, I felt happy all the way round!

A great run today, it doesn't matter that it's not the fastest time, but it mattered that it was a good quality, feel good run!  And this evening, well, it's going to be family time, meeting up with everyone to finally be able to celebrate all together my daughter and her husbands nuptials!

Geeky stats.

10 to the Dozen

Hello Blog lovers

I do love Thursdays, and I do love Thursdays when kids are back at school!  It means I get to run with my buddies from PWR for an extra run!  Thursdays are jammed packed with fitness stuff!

It's the first morning session back after the school holidays but this one is a little different, as we will be doing some of the 10k route for our up coming event in October.  Illustrious leader was there this morning and she wanted to go over her teams section.  So she arranged to meet DiscoRich and David and the rest of the faster morning group at the bridge by the stream.  I didn't have anyone running at my pace today so I said that I would also meet her there at 10:00.

We all took off, DiscoRichs group first doing the lap of the rec and out the back entrance, and me, I decided to go straight through to the woods, through Dog Poo Ally!  I have never really paid attention to how long it takes me to get to certain places, I just know that I can do a certain route in a certain time (ish).  So I really didn't know if I could go straight up the middle of the woods and then come back down to Botany Bay Lane and be at the bridge for 10.

So I decided that I was just going to take a few little paths at the side of Dog Poo Ally, and just make sure I didn't get lost and get to the bridge in time.  So that's what I did, but I was still way too early by the bridge.  So to fill in time I ran down to the river towards Botany Bay Lane and then up again, Still with time to spare I did some running up and down the stairs!  Well no point it just waiting is there!

Soon I heard Illustrious Leader's voice on the bridge, and then moments later I heard the rest of the group coming along the path that I ran on to fill time!  After quick chats David took the lead and showed I.L. where her section will start from and go to.  I thought I had been running along the right paths all this time,  I was generally in the right direction, but just the wrong path, so its quite good knowing the exact route.  I may even run through these woods doing the PWR 10k as a solo run! Or even a Sunday run.

Once we started going back down to Dog Poo Ally I finished my run, I.L. went back to the bridge, and the rest of the group went left to finish some more of the 10k.  A nice easy paced run today, and it's great to be back after the long school holidays running on Thursday mornings!

Core Training

Of course my exercises didn't end there for the day, oh no.  We still have daylight so we are still doing the core training in the rec, ok so we have had to come in half an hour earlier to the rec, but we are determined to enjoy these sessions for as long as possible.  There were ten of us today which included a little lad who is just like a like a little whippet!  He is fast! He comes along with his mum, and he does our timing and if we need an extra in a team he joins them!

Anyway, we started of with the usual warm ups, and as DiscoRich is here as soon as we had finished that it was straight into drills!  No talking, no what drills shall we do, no having a quick slug of water!  Drills, drills and drills! 

Then after that D.R. sorted out a pyramid run.  The cones were set really far apart, and not just three of them, there were four! Plus, he set them out so that we were running slightly up hill!  Talk about task master!  But, this is what we are all here for.  It's all about building speed, stamina and strength.  So I tried my hardest along with all the other lovely ladies that was here, and the young whippet.  In fact his pet dog just sat by the side and watched us!

Back to the bench after pyramid running and then core training.  "I want a dozen push ups" said DiscoRich, and so we all drop down to give him 12.  He stuck to the dozen them as each discipline we did a dozen of everything.  Then to end the core training we did a 1 minute plank!

Relay racing was our next discipline, three teams with the whippet on timing duties!  Ten minutes or so of relay running!  I tried to keep up with the faster ladies but came in about 10 seconds behind them!  

A great session, and I took my garmin, obviously not to look at the route but to get my heart rate recorded so as to get a more accurate stat for calorie burn!

Tuesday Club Run

Hello blog lovers.

Today was a good day.  The sun was shining, I was busy doing things for my fabulous running club, (still tons of work to be done though) and I had a great run with group 1 this evening.  There was no takers for the group 0 this today, so of course I had tons of energy (yeah, who am I trying to kid) to get around SingstarJo's planned route.  Her planned route is the (Non Flat) Flat Route as we have affectionately name it!

Me and my buddies took up position at the back of the pack, which seems to have grown over the week! They have all obviously come back from their holidays and were keen to get back into their running.  We also had a couple of new people to our group as well.

We set off in the direction of Cardiac Hill, but we will be running down it, always a relief!  But then of course we do have the undulations from there until we get back.  But today, although I was at the back, and not just because I volunteer to be sweeper, I feel the hills were at little easier this time round for this route.  Now that could be be me wishful thinking that it feels easier, or it could be that I am building my running stamina up again, slowly slowly!

I do so enjoy running along with group 1, belonging to a club certainly keeps you running, even if its for that one club day a week, which some of our PWR's do.  If I just did that, then I deffo wouldn't be able to graduate from group 0!

I don't think we held up the main group for two long, the built in stops gave us time to catch our breath, and I don't think the others minded to much.  A brilliant run today, even though me and a couple of the other ladies went the short cut, being sweepers we like to make sure that those who need to take the short cut, well we like to make sure that they get back safely!  That was our excuse anyway, three sweepers and two who wanted to take the shorter route back to the rec!  Well, one of the ladies is actually two people, she has a little passenger! And the other lady is working her way back from injury!

Anyway, geeky stats

Motivating Monday!

Hello blog lovers.

Three Positive Things.

Point 1

I went out running! Nothing was going to stop me today from getting out for a 3 miler, Work was over and done with early, meetings done first thing this morning as well as shopping!  House was tidied and the rain was coming down.  But I was going out rain or shine!

Point 2

It had stopped raining!  Ok, so I was going to go whether it was raining or not. but starting a run in the rain is not so........inspiring.  I don't mind when the rain comes after I have started, and in some cases I welcome it. But to walk out of the house with maybe just a tiny little spot of rain left over, it was probably rain drops blowing off the roof and the trees, that was coming down on me than actually from the sky!

Point 3

I didn't beat my self up because it was a slow run for this particular course! So what if it was slower, I was still faster than some others that were just sitting around doing nothing, Still more active than most people around, even the ones that go to work!  And I was trying to keep happy thoughts in my mind.  I even walked past the Chequers pub that I make myself run past, because I want to show off about being active!  My running is not about that, it's not about racing and it's not even about the bling (although it is just so good to have to look at) My running is about me, about keeping fitter that I used to way back before 2008. And that's what I have done!

What's more to say about this run?!

Geeky stats