So, I bet you all thought, "That's is, she finally has realised that she is just not built for this running malarkey". Yeah, as if you would even dream of thinking about that! I have been a bit lax though, only about writing up my blogs, not about running!
So ......
Run 1
Tuesday Group 0 and we had 2 new members. It was just as well because after last week, it seems all of the previous group 0 members really enjoyed running group 1 they all have moved up this week! So in the group now we had Tracey and Katrina. DottieKat (her own nickname by the way) hadn't ran before and Tracey was from our beginners group.
I decided to do the shorter of the two winter groups. Of course it meant going up Birchwood road. But as it is the beginning of the run there is usually tons of energy for people. Also the first quater of the run we are still warming up properly, even though I get the our heros doing warm up drills!
It was quite a mile night, there was a bit of rain, maybe that was helping to keep things feeling comfortably 'not cold' but the ladies were struggling a little bit. I changed the run from 'run at you own pace until scheduled stop or you stop' to an 'interval running' Very short segments between lampposts.
First it was run between 1 lamppost to the other, and then walk to the next. Once we were comfortable with that, and on the down hill section(!) then I changed it to run between 2 lampposts and then walk for 1. We got around the course with huge smiles at the end! Always a good sign that it was step to far for anybody! But I think DottieKat and Tracy will be back for next weeks group 0 run.
Run 2
Group 1 run was led by SingstarJo. The group was still huge as we are absorbing all of the beginners, and they are testing out the pace and distance. Next week they may be a big difference as that will be a 'move up' week.
I was sweeping as usual, and I followed the crowd of runners along Crossways to Pettswood Road. We were going over the walking bridge to run along Southborough lane, and then through the back streets to Shepperton.
The group broke into two groups, with a couple of people playing catch up with the faster people but just running slightly fast than the back runners. To keep all together SingstarJo was going to take the faster runners around the triangle green while Illustrious Leader lead the back of the group to the end of the triangle to wait for them. It all works out really well and we can keep altogether as one gorup.
All absorbed again we ran on up Chesham Ave, the turned right into Shepperton. We ran to the end of Shepperton and had a catchup rest. This was also a point where if anyone was struggling then we could take them on the shorter route, or they could continue on with the rest to do they whole route.
They all chose to continue! Mavelous, fantastic they felt they could all carry on! So from there we ran along to the Off licencse (which is no longer an off license any more).
We ran along to St Johns road and then tudor way. Two of the ladies that was thinking of going the shorter route was way ahead! They were really doing very well. Our beginners course had really given them confidence that they could do this running thing!
We got back to the rec did our stretches and then all went down the pub for our club VLM draw. Our club has been allocated 4 places in 2015 London Marathon. The criteria for entering our draw is that you have to be a PWR member for months and moths before (obviously), not won the draw last year, and most importantly, you have to have your rejection letter from the marathon in the first place. Oh, haven't I mentioned it yet,....MY NAME WAS DRAWN OUT OF THE BOX!!
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| Me and the other 3 winners with the Ladies Captain on my left |
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| My ball |
Run 3
Thursday morning saw my group much bigger that DiscoRich's! Some of is crew had that awful thing that is happening to us.....work! Don't you just hate it when that happens. In my group there was Denise, PinkladyJo and Vivian. I wasn't sure how they were going to react about going through the woods! But hey ho! It's fun!
I tried to 'think' about what the water would do in the woods. Thinking is not my strong point. I think that water will just fall down to the lowest parts of places! It makes sense to me, water likes to run (a bit like me) and it likes to run down hill (deffo like me!) so the top of the woods should be faily dry! Or am I just being to nieve?!
I ran along the street until we got to Little Thrift, and then the paths that took were all tarmac, until we get to Goss Hill of course! So not only did we avoid the lowest (in my mind) the wettest part of the woods but we also ran up the side of the woods, and for some strange reason I always think this will be dryer!
It wasn't as sticky and damp and 'puddly' as I thought, once we got onto Goss Hill. Deneise and PinkLadyJo ran the whole of the hill in one go! Me and Viv did it in spits and spurts! I did make sure that I ran that flipping last bit! I glare everytime at that last bit of the hill!
It wasn't too bad along the path next to the school, but after that then the mud fest kicked in. Our pace of course slowed down as we tried to find the path that look as if it only at centimeter of water on top! The path with the solid group underneath the sticky bit of mud on top! It was impossible! So I just splashed my way through the middle. It felt a lot more safer actually than trying to skim the sides of the biggest muddiest bits of path.
As I was leading I was just splashing through thinking that the others may follow! But they didn't. I don't think they have embraced the whole mud and water things as much as I have! Give them time! I am sure I can fix that evetually!
There is a particually cheeky little hill that always gets me, especially after I have tried my best to get up Goss hill. I looked at it and decided to attack it! Just get up it and then look back and wait for the others. Deneise was close behind me, and we were both very pleased that we had done that particular hill in one go! Big smiles from the both of us!
Once we got on to the path that heads straight down to Dog Poo Ally, I said to Deniese and PinkladyJo to just head down there, out of the ally and then back to the path! I will run along with Vivian and we will meet up there.
Again the path down there had some huge wet very sticky puddles and muddy pools. I just ploughed my way through, Viv was taking over from the other Jo that used to come on a Thursday morning, by trying to keep her trainers almost spotless, as she picked her way through, finding the dries most solid parts of the path.
A great run thought, and they all said they enjoyed it! So maybe the same again next week, or I may just do the cinder path!
Run 4
Track training. Well now that I have that marathon place (*huge smile*) track sessions have now become a crucial part of my training! Even though I was using track to train for my half! I picked up Jane on the way to track and as we were going into the carpark we climpsed some of the wild life around the park as a rat ran along the road in front of us! Yuck!
It was going to be a tough session (and so it should), running at 5k pace and 10k pace for 2, mins then 4 mins for the 5k and then 8 mins and 8 mins for the 10k, and then 4 mins and 2 mins for the 5k. All with about 90 seconds rest between. Some of them it felt like I only had 30 seconds!
I know I ran off way to fast for the first 2 min as PhysioMike called out 29! Meaning that if I continued at that pace I would run 5k in 29 minutes! Yeah, deffo way to fast for a 5k! I was just listening out for that whistle, and trying to remember to switch my Garmin on to pause each time! Sometimes I remembered and sometimes I forgot! In fact I had fogotten to switch it on when I ran the first 2 mins at 5k pace.
I was being lapped left right and center by the other PWR's, but the most scary part was when I ran past some of the sprinters who were using the track, they were just lining up to do a sprint. I could hear their coach say "Get ready....Go" I could hear them running so fast towards me, I tried to think about how many there were, and I was wondering which way would be better for me to go, either left or right of the track. As I was on the inside of the track I really didn't think that I would be able to get on to the outside track before they caught me up! A couple of other PWR's had passed them while they were lining up too, and the sprinters were catching up to them. There was only one thing, I will have to step aside, off the track onto the rest area!
They came thundering past me running so fast. "I told them to go around you" their coach said to me "It was scary listening to them coming up, I just wanted to get out of the way" I said back smiling!
It was a great session today. I ran on all the running parts today, I didn't give up, not sure what my splits are, or if I managed to go faster on the 5k paced bits! But I am pleased with my effort. And I know it must be helping!
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