The Last Run of 2015!

Hello Blog lovers!

Happy New Year to you all.  Thank you all so much for coming back each time I add some more ramblings of a complete running headcase!  And thank you all for your support and encouragement over this past year!  Here is looking forward to a brighter, leaner, fitter running New Year!

This morning saw a good number of of PWR's at the rec.  Some of them only there because of the Christmas break and taking full advantage of having free time.  In DiscoRichs group there were quite a few runners and in my group there were about 8 of us!  So a nice sized couple of groups indeed.  And we were all heading for a mud fest!  In the woods, with the sun shining, birds singing and fresh, clean, crisp morning air!  It does make you feel so happy that we are able to be able to enjoy all of this!

We all ran out of the gate at the same time, looking quite impressive, pinks, blues and bright yellows running along together!  We went in to the woods through 'Poo Ally' and that is where the two groups split.  DiscoRich's group ran up to the right and we ran down to the left.  It was sticky!  It was very sticky.  But boy was it so much fun!  I so got to get myself some trail shoes!  I will work on that this year!

It was a slow slog through the bogginess of the paths to the railway bridge.  I had a regroup there to discuss an optional route, up over the bridge and then hit the pavements!  Well let me tell you, the looks I got from the runners told me that I was asking the most ridiculous question!  So we carried on through the paths along beside the river.  It felt just so right to be there.  Jo was so enjoying being out in the woods, along with Illustrious Leader, Hannah, and all the other ladies running with us.

Then the hill, The hill, the one that I still have to conquer, Goss Hill. Do I not like hills!  I encouraged everyone to go up before me as I knew I would be struggling and the mud did not help at all!  I really felt it on the legs, even dragging my feet out of the muddy bits seemed hard going as we climbed the hill!  another regroup, and breather for me, before we set off along the back of the school back to the middle of Botany Bay Lane!

We turned left and ran up to the bridle path and waited!  We had to wait because coming towards us was DiscoRichs groups!  They were actually taking up both paths, the bridle path and pedestrian path!  I was beginning to feel a little bushed, I was actually thinking that I should have got up earlier to have at least had a cup of tea with some sugar in it, I wasn't feeling to good! But I kept going.  After all, we were half way round now!

 One of our group decided to join DiscoRich's group for the rest of the run, we continued along the path, we were going use the boarded path way, running past the pond.  Again, the mud didn't let up, and running down hill while it's very wet and sticky is bloomin hard!  It's hard to stop running, because you feel as if you will skid into your running buddies in front!  The boards was a welcome relief (even though we truly are enjoying the mud!) from the particularly wet bits.

Up the hills and little undulations to the middle of the woods, and another decision.  The quicker way, down the middle path, or the slightly longer way straight on to the path that runs parallel to the road.  I was really feeling it now, I was at the back and the others were ahead with I.L.  Not far to go at least.  I had a shoe malfunction as my laces came lose and had to tie it up!  Wet muddy laces! I bent down and tied them up, as I pulled it tight the water squeezed out of the lace!

I must say, it was a brilliant run!  It a slow slog through the mud and the puddles, and I think towards the end of the run most of the others were heeding my advice and 'running straight through the middle'  It seemed less slippy somehow!

This is the state of our shoes, but the smiles on our faces was tons better!

Geeky stats for you.

Club Run Group 0 - Post Christmas Run!!

Hello from the great big pudding writing this blog!

Well, what a Christmas it has been.  If it even remotely looked Christmassy then I ate it or I drank it!  My waist line has become a waist block!  I seem to have been given an extra chin as well!  To be truthful, I think I have been over indulging for quite some time, so from the new year then I will be concentrating on getting my mojo back, getting my fitness back and my waist line as well as giving this extra chin back to where ever it came from!

I didn't know how many group 0's would be here today, I knew there wasn't going to be a couple of them, and I was half expecting to be following group 1 trying to keep up with them!  But then Christine said she would be coming with me, she hasn't been for a while, and also a couple of others were in two minds as to which group they would be in, but decided to come along with us.

Because of the pudding like waist line I decided on the 'get back into it' route, nice and easy, but with the little undulations to remind us that actually we are are to run and get fitter!  I gave out my little bit of information to the waiting crowds and listened as all the other  leaders gave their descriptions of their planned routes, and then we were off.

I started my Garmin off........oh, did I tell you all that my lovely hubby, the Old Boy, asked Santa to bring me a fab new Garmin 225?  It's an absolutely brilliant piece of kit, it tracks your steps during the day, (which I wasn't do enough of for the first couple of days!)  nags you if you sit to long!  It has this wrist HRM and 'live tracking' too, which I am figuring out how to do....the live tracking, the HRM!  Anyway, bloomin pleased as punch with my new toy!

I wasn't the only one that had a new Garmin either, one of the other ladies had one too, the same as mine but without the HRM, but she literally only took it out of the box just before coming along here!  We both started our watches and ran out of the gate!

We were going left and then left again. Towards Petts Wood, up the little undulations, you know the ones I spoke about earlier.  Well my tummy, as well as my legs, feet, ankles, lungs and all the other bits above and below, wondered what the hell I was doing!  I really think my body thought I had stopped all that nonsense, come back to my senses.  Go back to 2007, happily eating drinking and watching Eastenders!

Two of the ladies with me were bouncing about and running and looking as if they are about to start a race in the Olympics!  Raring to go! and me and Christina were at the back..  Christina did pick up a little 'pull' in her leg.  I think we should have done some drills or maybe a slower run for the first half mile, to warm up a bit, as she hasn't been out for a week or two!  But we took it easy for the rest of the run.  Walking, stretching out when needed and then back to running.

I must say, it felt great to be out running away all those calories I've been stuffing down my neck, inside my head I felt like this,

but my body actually felt like this!

My goals starting from 1st of January, from say 10 am or later at least, is to  cut calories, up the running and cycling and get tons fitter...again!  This time I am not going to be pressurising myself by entering long races unless I think it's going to be a fun time with my running buddies!  I am going back to the days when I just really loved being out and running!  Even now as I write this I am smiling, I am feeling positive about it.........and so bloody pleased I didn't get a place in next years VLM!

So, todays run with my running buddies is the start of 'Operation - Donna's Mojo', with my motto being Train like I want to win!

Geeky stats, from my brand new Garmin, this is it, with a picture of my 'ex' Garmin, which I can't actually find at the mo....and it still has a run on there!

Christmas Eve Run!

Merry Christmas blog lovers.

I was just so pleased to be able to get out today.  I thought that I may have been working, so it was an great bonus for me to be able to get out and run, through the woods too!

I started to walk up to Petts Wood as I had shopping to do, I just didn't think I would be able to carry too much back with me on my bike! As I was walking up Southborough Lane I heard a "You want a lift?"  It was CoachHels!  Brilliant, that will save my old legs!  After all, proper fitness training don't start till the new year!

We got to the rec and there was just a couple of people there, but after just a few minutes there was PWR's walking in, driving in, from all directions!  A fantastic turnout from everyone.  You gotta love holidays when it comes to running!  DiscoRich had loads of extra runners in his group, there must have been at least 15 to 20 runners, in mine and Illustrious Leaders group there was just the five of us.

DiscoRich was going through the woods, and so was we!  I haven't been through the woods for such a long time!  As soon as I started up the middle of the woods I suddenly just felt so good! So fat and slow still, but so good!  Our route was the middle path, left along the top of the woods until Botany Bay Lane and then right, to go up some more!

With us we had Joanne, Eleana and Diane, Joanne and Eleana are from the PWR 2015 winter grads, and they are just doing brilliantly!  Joanne seemed to be flying, PWR beginners courses really do work!!  I can see her looking at races soon!  The lure of the gong is hard to resist!  Then the distances will be looking like a challenge, 10k, half marathons.......

I struggled up the hill but managed to get up there with not too much huffing and puffing, at least I don't think so!  There is no stopping Jo however, she was flying!  Reading to just keep on running.  My motto for next year is 'Run like I want to win!'  I shall take a leaf out of her book I think!  I kept telling myself that today its all about the social, it's a nice get together run with people that we don't normally run with.

We came off the path behind the school and took just a short breather, just as DiscoRichs group came from the left!  "How is it we are always stopped when we bump into them" said Illustrious Leader! Going up Botany Bay Lane to the road.  the last bit of up hill today and I was really struggling, I.L. kept me company at the back while the other three ran ahead.  We told them to do a loop back if they wanted!  We ran along to Chislehurst road and then took a right turn to go through the estate with the lovely house.

I do like this estate, it conjures up all sorts of stories in my mind when I run through here, I must do another 'novel' type blog soon!  We run back into the woods to finish off our run.  It' was a bit sticky in there, the rain has really made some lovely muddy pools for us to negotiate.  We turned left and followed the path all the way around the side of the woods, going past the wood mans lodge.  Always brings a smile to my face when I ran pass here!

We just the last little bit left of the woods I felt really good, not physically, I was blooming knackered, by in my mind!  I feel as if next year it's going to be my year!  I am in the right mind, and if I am not, then I will just have to keep on running till I am!

Have a fantastic Christmas everyone, and thanks for reading each of my blogging ramblings!  Can't believe I still have any readers!  Just a few more running days this year!

Last Group 0 of 2015!

Hello blog

This is the last Tuesday before the 'Big Day' Christmas!  I love Christmas, every thing about it!  From the shopping for gifts, mainly because of on line shopping, it is so more civilised than elbowing other shoppers! I love the wrapping, the Christmas tree, (I am slightly anal about how it's decorated!) but I love the lights outside on peoples houses!

I know I say things like "It's such an American thing to do" but it's become a tradition here now. And I really do like to see all the pretty lights. We used to decorate more in doors, with tinsel and paper chains and balloons!  Oh yes, love it.  So back to running.  It is an absolutely awful day, the rain is coming down, the wind is gusting and it is just not a good motivational feel at all to get out there and do it.  Plus people are out shopping and getting a few extra hours done at work to make sure it's all ready for the big day, I really didn't thing that there would be anybody turning up for group 0 today.

But there was Jenny!  That running bug is growing inside her now, she really has been bitten hard!  Nothing is going to stop her from running.  Tuesdays night is run night, simples!  A big smile on her face when I asked if there was anyone here for group 0.  She peered over the shoulders of the other runners.  I had a route planned, the challenging one we did the other week,  but with just the two of us, I thought I would let her chose which one.  I haven't mapped out a new route as I can't find my Garmin at the mo, and I do like to check things out and look at the stats of any new route.  I am just hoping the dog hasn't eaten it!  I know there wasn't a lot left of it, but it still works!

We decided to do a bit of hill training, and the hill we do that on is the Tillingbourne Green route.  So we run up Birchwood to start our run!  I can really feel the extra weight that I have gained over this past 8 month, well since I did the marathon!  My breathing was all over the place too, but then the first mile of any run is usually like that for me.  I felt like it was going to be a struggle though.

I am so going to work hard after Christmas, I have too, I know I am just not 'feeling it' being this heavy!  We ran along Chislehurst Road and then turned left, heading towards Tillingbourne green.  The little hill will be coming up soon, and we are going to a couple of reps up and down it!  We turned right and ran along the road to the beginning of the hill!  Taking a couple of seconds to get our breath we ran up it, giving it about 70% of what we had in us.  Right to the top of the hill, we did it, we took a a few seconds to recover, then walked down to the first lamppost then slowly jogged to the bottom.

We ran up it again, and then we did it again after that!  Three times we ran that hill, three times!  and we still got back before anyone else did.  We were first back to the rec!  A brilliant run, I just wish I had my Garmin, I shall have to pull the place apart tomorrow looking for it!

Shame about the Geeky stats! We did get back by 8:50 pm, so not a too bad a run, if I do say so myself!

Sometimes It Just Feels Right!

Hello blog lovers.

Ok, I expect you have noticed the lack of blogging! It's that time of year, festivness, carol services, christmas parties and get togethers!  And of course my solo running mojo has decided to do a 'runner'  thank goodness for my club, is all I can say!

So first off, Parkrun.  It was SingstarsJo 150th Parkrun!  Always a cause for a celebration!  Cakes, tea and good friends to celebrate and join in.  I just had to be there to join in.  Of course to get the cake I had to run the 5k in the first place!

I wasn't feeling half as bad for a Saturday morning as some other Saturday mornings!  But I wasn't expecting to be breaking any PB's either.  I just did my run and then looked for the cake!  There was just a few bits of the chocolate cake left by the time I got there!  Fantatastic!  I do love choc cake!

My official time for park run was 36:37 mins, so not particually fast, deffo room for improvement!  I shall work on that during next year!

The obligotary selfie!

Geeky stats for Parkrun, 12 December!

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Later that night it was yet another Petts Wood Runners get together, for the annual Petts Wood Runners Christmas Party! 80's themed as well!  We had a brill time.  I was a little delicate in the morning, and I was glad that I hadn't said that I would be doing the 'hangover' run!  Not that I would anyway as I got church to go to!  But even after church I couldn't manage to go for a run, Christmas shopping was on the agenda, just as my hangover really kicks in!

Me, before I got to the Party!!

So now we are up to date as I tell you about tonights club run.

Group 0

I wasn't sure how many I would be getting in group 0 as I know that some were thinking of trying out for group 1, so I asked first, if there were any to run with me!  Jenny called out from the back!  If there is one to run then there will be  group 0, it's a simple as that. 

The route I had planned was a nice little route, it's similar to one that we had done before, but I have changed it just slightly, just so that no body has any reminders of how far there is yet to run!  Group 0 is all about training your mind to keep going as well.  I remember all too well, when I do my usual solo route to Turpington lane, all those places on route where I walk for a bit.  I't gets in your mind, and you convince yourself that you have to walk now, right where that lamppost that you always walk from, or that pub, or restaurent.

There were four of us in group 0 today, me, Auriol, Jenny and a new lady, Jean.  We all set off after all the other groups had left, we turned left to run along the undulations of Hazelmere, Great Thrift and Woodland Way!  We were running quite well actually!  I was chatting away to Jean and the I heard "You ok Jenny?" from Auriol.  "I ok" she said.  It was just then that I thought I better take a look at my Garmin and we were actually running a 'tad' faster than the announced pace!  11:25 mi/mil!  Ooops!  You would think that as I am holding the thing in my hand I would actually look at it every so often!  But I was just busy chatting with Jean!  .....Why am I holding my Garmin in my hand....?  Well this is why!

I slowed the pace down a bit, probably just as well as it was going up the undulations! The lamppost method came into play again.  A great way to take your mind of things!  We soon got up to the memorial hall.  We had a little walk, to get our breathing under control and then started again.  I remember what PhysioMike had told me and others before when he took group 1 out.  We should learn how to run quietly!  "Run like Scooby doo" he said.  So a great place to practice running like Scooby Doo is here, just on the bridge over the rail lines!  I know last time I said we should 'trip trap, trip trap' over the bridge to wake the troll up, but this time we were going to be as quiet as mice, make like mice!  Quietly over the bridge!  I tell you this, you wouldn't have known we were there!  PhysioMike would be proud of us!

We went along side the car park and then turned right to go along Crestview road, this is the bit that Group 0 haven't done before, so from here they won't know at which point they walked before!  The Psyche now starts to play it's part as it keeps you on your toes!  I thought there would be more Christmas lights along this bit of road, I don't know why, but there you go!  There were still some great christmassy lights to be seen.

We ran along to the main road and then crossed over and ran the length of Crescent Drive.  I was going to add an extra half mile along here, just so that we could run back on our selves and then come out on a different road on to the high street so that we could see the lights on the high street.  But I decided to keep it as it I originally planned.  We were going to see the lights on the other side of the rail lines anyway.

We kept a good pace going, everyone was chatting away, the miles was just not even being noticed as we just ran and walked along to Tudor way.  From there we turned left to run through the high street to see the lights there.  At the little mini roundabout there was a decision to be made.  We could go back down Petts Wood road and then to Cross ways, which would be about a quarter of a mile, so making up our 3 mile run today, or we could go back the way we came, the undulations that we did in the beginning, which will had up to just over half a mile to the planned route!  

Well group 0 were on fire tonight, they chose to take the long route!  No persuasion from me at all!  How brilliant is that!  So we ran back along Woodland way and Great Thrift etc and back to the rec!  A fantastic effort from group o today.  Group 1 were already in the rec doing their cool down stretches!  

So geeky stats for you all

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A Little Surprise!

Hello blog lovers

It's club night, and it's my 4th week with the new 8 o'clock start with group 0.  It's still a nice size group, and still a much needed group.  One lady wanted to try group 1, and I wasn't surprised, she was well ahead of the other group 0 members and was ready for that bit more of a  push.

I decided to do route 1, the very first route we took, as I introduced them to Cardiac Hill last week, I like to keep our running fun, and not to be a chore!  When I got to Crossways I was quite pleased with the decision to go with this route as the pavements were all up along here.

I gave out my brief description and pace that we would be doing, I don't think I left anything, and then we waited until all the groups started to leave. Slowly the rec started to empty as each group set out for their runs. Group 1 were running up Birchwood, just as we were, and we were chasing behind them up the hill.  We were keeping pace with them all the way to top.  Then they turned left as we turned right.

We took a little walking break along the the top before we started our running again.  We crossed over the road and then ran down Sherborne road.  I think then the group started to remember, remember the little undulation that we needed to do once we got to the edge of Tillingborne green!  It's only a tiny hill!  We were all quite nicely tight together, no long gabs between me and the back markers, always a good sign that I am not going too fast!  But then I thought "What if I am going to slow for them, maybe they want a little bit more challenge?  I guess it's the nerves of being a leader!

When we got to Church Hill Wood they could see the little up hill that we needed to get to.  "Deep breath, use your arms to help get you up to the top" I said to them, and we all started to run.  It felt pretty good actually, "Come on, lets put on a little speed" I said, and started to sprint up to the top.  It really did feel good!  Everybody made it to the top, and we had a little break but then I said "Who wants to do it again?"  There was a bit of a stunned silence at first, and then one lady (I must get to learning names!) said "Yeah ok then"  "Off you go then" I said "anyone else?"  Nearly everyone did the second run up the hill!  Fantastic!  It's good to push a little bit extra sometimes.  I knew there wasn't anyone coming back from injuries, colds maybe, but not injuries, so I felt sure that everyone that did the second run up was able to do it well!

After that it was just a straight, straight road all the way to the memorial hall.  With just a couple more little undulations it seemed that everyone did really well!  We do love a challenge, last week everyone did really well.  Maybe I should try and think of something for next week!

Even though we did the little extra hilly bit we still ran around Little Thrift before running back to the rec.  We got there and group 1 was already back going through their stretches!

I have put the geeky stats out on facebook already, but I did have to alter the distance manually as the Satellites didn't manage to find me until the top of Birchwood!  But we have most of our run in there.
So geeky stats for you

Get A Move....Up!

Hello blog lovers.

My title of my blog does not seem PWR friendly, but let me explain.  It's the first Tuesday of the month which means it's move up Tuesday.  It's a chance for any of our runners to go and try the next group, to see how it feels.  But as we are the very beginning of the groups, group 0, I thought it may be a good opportunity to just do a slightly longer route, with some undulations as an added challenge.  
We also have got some new group leaders, with their shiny new LiRF cards, who will be making their debut run leaders today, as well as another new group in the mix, group 1.5!  It's all going on!  At the briefing of routes we each give out a brief description of our route.  I still need practice as I forgot to say something, what was it I forgot?  The info that is needed is pace, how far, where to meet and quick description of where.  I think I need to talk louder as when I mentioned how far all of group 0 heard 2.5 miles but I felt sure I said up to 3.5 miles!  You can imagine the shocked faces when we were all together and I gave a little more information and told them it was going to be over 3 miles!

It's challenge week, I am sure we can rise to the challenge and laugh in the face of doubt!  There was about 10 in our group today, J.J. Janet were my very lovely sweepers and the very lovely Auriol was also running in group 0 today, she said she wanted a nice easy run. Hmmm, Did I mention it's Move Up Week?  All those in group 0 just take up the challenge, all those in group 1 and above choose to take up the challenge!  I know my group 0 can do it! I feel sure that once they have done this route then they may start to think about going to the next group, or even trying Move Up Week next month!

Enough waffling, and trying to justify my 'task mistress route' (begone guilt!) Lets talk about running.  We set off down Crossways  and crossed over to Tudor way.  I was heading for St. Johns road and the turning right into Beaumont Road.  I tried to keep it all nice and jovial, never once did I mention Cardiac Hill, well not while we were running along Beaumont anyway. We turned left and started to run towards the little roundabout, a couple of the girls knew this road, and then knew the...um.....undulation heading to the 'top' "oh it's coming" I could hear her saying to her friend. "What's coming" her friend said "Undulations" I quickly suggested!

We were all keeping pretty well together as a group, the little walking bits that we do and the short stops, if they are needed, is working well.  The one thing that is the same, and I am sure it is the same throughout all the other groups, is the fact that first mile always so tough!  Breathing is all over the place, your legs just don't want to move and then start complain with aches and pains all over the place, and your head is saying 'What on earth are you doing? Get back home and fill your face chocolate and sit in front of the tv where it is nice and warm'.......or is that just me?

But once we got to the top, where the little round about is, yet it was up, and yes, we still got a bit more to do.  I just took a little break there to introduce the group to 'Cardiac Hill'! dun dun duuuun!  We had come onto it half way up, which the group was totally pleased about, but of course we did have to climb the last bit.  From there we crossed over to run along Grosvner Road which joins Chislehurst road.  Up until then some of the group wasn't quite sure of where they were.  That's always a good thing, then there and no little mental notes of how far you have run or how far there is to go!  The big roundabout at the top of this road and most of the group knew where they was.  I was taking them along to Birchwood.

So it's not far to go now, but I still was being a bit horrid with the route, not only was there there undulations, and the introduction of Cardiac Hill, but after running down Birchwood (which by the way is a very good point on our run) now I was making them run pass Crossways, and the rec where we should be ending our run and running along to Manor Way.  I needed to just add a little bit more to get the distance for a nice challenging group 0 run.  With just a couple of more little roads, Towncourt and then Kingsway, we had finished our run, well with the hour.

I think everyone had a good run, next week we shall go back to building up speed and stamina again!  On our running today we had bumped into the new group 1.5 twice!  And also we ran a group 1 distance!  There are deffo some potential group 1 runners here today!

Geeky stats, and it took a while for the Satellites to find me, so at least a quarter of a mile is missing!

Santa Dash - 2015

Hello biog lovers.

Ok, so it's the only time I will don a Santa suit, and to sort of celebrate Christmas in November!  It's way to early to start the Christmas celebrations, but Bromley Santa Dash organise this for the end of November!

This year I had too little dudes to  run after!  My grandson and his 'brother' (my step-grandson sort of......hint hint Jay!) They were both looking forward to it.  So after church I came back and started to get ready.  The Old Boy was off today as well and he was taking me to Bromley to meet up the the young dudes.

On the drive down there I couldn't see any Santa's.  I am sure last year I saw so many driving down there it looked like I fell into some sort of Santa Land.  We arrived at the place where I said we would meet my daughter and pick up the two dudes it saves her from pushing the buggy back up the hill to the start!

The Old Boy drove down the hill to the Queen's Mead Gardens at the bottom of the hill. On the way I saw batches of Santas, clumps of Santas, sack loads of Santas.  It was definitely on then!  He dropped us off near to the start and me and the boys walked over to where the start was going to be.  The music was already well underway, there were at least, maybe a hundred Santas there already.  Big ones, short ones, some with beards little ones with out.  There were different Santa outfits as some had made that little be extra effort and there were Christmas jumpers on the pooches as well has one little fellow in full Santa outfit!

Annie was there ready to do her warm up routine.  Littlest dude explaining to bigger little dude about how to do it all, the 'Yo, ho, ho's', cooking and stuffing the turkey and the hanging of the Christmas decorations.  All little drills and exercises to get us warmed up before we start our 2k dash to the top.

The rain held off, with just a smidgen of a threat in the air, but I think there was just too much happiness and yo, ho, hoing to let the rain come down.  It was soon ready to start. 3, 2, 1 GO!  The boys just ran off!  I had to call them back a bit, after all there are so many Santas their size I just didn't want to lose them.

I think the boys would have preferred to be a little further to the start, but they felt good as they passed and got between and overtook some of the Santas in front of them.  We nearly finished the lap of the green and my little dude's legs was 'hurting' him.  So we had just a little walk and I tried to get an 'action' shot of them but just as I was about to take it, they decided to run again!

We passed the the start line again ready to just run to the road and start our hill ascent!  I pointed out to the little fellows all those Santa's that were behind us still.  This pleased them,  There was no way they was going to be last!  That would just be a catastrophe!  They both found some extra little bit of fire inside themselves as they tried to squeeze pass the Santas on the path that got into the park.  But this had just become a Santa Jam!  There was no one squeezing pass any Santas here and they would just have to wait to get out of the bottle neck.

The play park wasn't very tempting for them this time around as they wanted to pass as many Santa's as they could before they get to the finish.  The hill started to have and affect on my little dude, thank goodness, as I was struggling a bit trying to keep up with the bigger little dude!  He was fast, he wanted to win the thing I think! I had to keep an eye on him and keep an eye on little dude behind me.

But once we were at the top, the roar of the crowd (which actually seemed not as big as last year) seemed to spur both the boys on.  I told them to run together, I let them get in front of me.  There was a big space in front and I thought I would be goo to let them 'off the leash' a bit.  They were then like a couple of whippets! I really had to run quite fast to make sure that I didn't lose them once we got to the finish!  They were even more encouraged when they saw our lot, little dudes mum, bigger little dudes baby brother and granddad!  Cheering them on from the side!

We got our medals and a bottle of water feeling that we deserved that.  I must add thought, the 'medals' this year, well, they are some what disappointing!  For the last three years they have been made of metal, with the last two years being 'bauble' shaped so that you can hang it on your Christmas tree. They made a clanking sound when you added them to all your other medals, or when you give a big hug to other medal wearers! This plastic thing, well, I have no words to say really,  maybe I am being picky, or maybe to greedy, but this, no. this wasn't a 'medal' its a ribbon with a plastic fob [off] a key ring maybe!? I hope they saved a bit more money to give to the charity, but I wouldn't have minded paying just a pound extra for that lovely medal we had last year!

A good point of the day

was meeting the Grinch!  He wasn't as horrible as we thought!

So the camera must have moved! But it is us! :-)

Operation 'Helping Hand......I mean Foot!'

Hello blog lovers

I'm a little late with writing this up, I have been a bit 'lax about my running and writing up.  But that must and will change!  I know it!

This Wednesday I was at Normans park in the afternoon ready to help Tanya get up to speed.  She has been through the beginners course twice now, and although she has completed it,  her pace is still not quite there for group 1.  But now also, group 0 has moved to 8:00 pm, and the pace is still just that little bit out of her range....for now!

So what can she do?  Well, she can keep going, keep on solo running, try to get her pace up to speed.  She could just put the jog pants on and get out there and do it. But sometimes that is hard to do when you're on your own, the mojo just runs and hides when there is no one else to keep it company.  I know what I'm like, I procrastinate, I avoid, I find other things to do, I let  'life' push away my running and cycling days so much that I just haven't 'got time' any more to do it.  All because I didn't have that 'added' pressure of being able to meet up and run with others.

So what can I do to help?  Meet up with her on mornings/afternoons that we both have free!  So last Wednesday was the first time we had managed to meet up since the beginners had graduated.  She came and collected me from my house and we drove over to Normans Park.  It was a tad windy and bit chilly, but otherwise a perfect day for running.  She had also bought another running buddy along, her little pooch Max!

I had planned to do an interval session with her, just one lap of the park doing the interval running, with a one lap warm up before hand.  Tanya was sufferingwith a bit of pain though.  Her hip had started to hurt a couple of days before hand.  She didn't want to cancel yet another Wednesday Workout and she really has got the bit between her teeth, she really wants to be part of Petts Wood runners.  So like all runners continued with what she had planned and hoped that it wouldn't get worse.

We ran the first lap, all the way round virtually non-stop (well the pooch had a 'pit-stop' which needed to be sorted out) but her hip was just starting to play up a bit.  I asked her if she wanted to do some of the interval running, if her hip would allow her to!  She was so keen. I  cut it down to just running up the long straight (think Normans Park Parkrun!).  Choosing bins, benches and trees as our focus points to get to.

We jogged to the first targeted point on the long straight, and then we ran faster to the next point, then jogged and then walked.  My plan is walk/jog/run/jog/walk etc, all the way to the second building and then back down again.  It will be about a quarter of a mile in all of interval running.

But the ache in Tanya's leg just proved too much for her.  We managed to get  half way BACK to the car park before we just finished the  first operation of  'Get Tanya Group 0 Fit'  She will get there, I know it.  It's going to be hard work but I feel she is determined to do it this time!  I have advised her to get it all checked by the doctor, just to be sure.

Well done Tanya, we will continue, we will succeed:

Club Night - Group 0

Hello blog lovers.

Wow! Group 0 tonight seems to have swelled by a few a couple more people!  There were 10 happy runners happy runners to put through their paces with the lovely ladies J.J. and Wendimoo to help sweep and even take lead!

I had already put on to the FaceBook page the route that we would be doing.  I tad over 3 miles it showed on Plotaroute.  Totally doable for all our group 0's.  Of course there are the undulations, but I was going to get most of those out of the way in one sweep as we run along Hazelmere and Great Thrift etc to Petts Wood Memorial Hall, so hopefully after that they probably wouldn't notice the other slight ones that we had to do.

So there I was, in my role as Leader of Group 0, standing in front of all the other PWR's giving out my briefing of our route.  I find this totally surreal! Me, standing out in the front doing a briefing!  It seems way to important for little old me.  I was always in awe of the leaders, how they kept everyone together, kept the chat going, pace and working out different routes.  And to be honest, being their is the most scariest thing, more scary than actually running the group!

I think I gave my briefing so that everyone kind of understood where were were heading, and how far it was going to be.  All I had to do was to remember it myself as I run along.  I took the lead (of course I did, I really am a leader now, gulp!) we ran out of the gate and turned left towards Hazlemere.  The little undulations I spoke of begins.

The ladies at the front with me were chatting quite well, and then the incline started, they seemed to have they were less chatty but still running quite well, I took a side step so that I could see how the back were doing and I could see we were starting to stretch out, I checked my Garmin (I had remembered to turn the thing on today) I could see that we were running at group 1 pace, not only that but we were running up hill!

I turned to look at the ladies who were just a bit in front of me and just pulled them back at, just to slow the pace down to group 0 pace.  I was thinking that maybe I had a couple of ringers in my group!  But I think they, like most people, just wanted to get the hill out of the way.  But that is not the way, not today anyway.  Maybe one day hill training, maybe! But definitely not today.

Trip Trap Trip Trap!

After that we all kept together mostly.  We had a little break at the memorial hall as everyone did really well for that first up hill mile, a little break for a catchup was indeed earned!  We walked for a couple of 'lampposts' then continued our running, 'Trip, trap, trip, trap' over the walking bridge and on to the high street.  I asked Wendimoo if she would take the lead after I gave her the route, and I took the middle section and J.J. swept at the back.

We continued to run to top Oxhawth and then ran down there to the crossroads.  We were turning left to run along there to to Shepperton.  It seems really good that we are on the way back now.  Everyone was doing really well.  After that first mile everyone was warmed up nicely and the group kept together just perfectly.  We so good to see them all doing their thing, getting fitter!  I feel sure that group 0 will be getting smaller as the weeks continue, until the next beginners group at least!

We ran all the up Shepperton, just the last tiny little incline and then turned left to run to the roundabout.  We crossed over to run the last to straight roads to the rec.  Illustrious Leader was good leader and I learnt a lot from her, so just as she has always done, I sent the faster runners off with Wendimoo to the rec, and told J.J. that she could run along with them while I swept up behind.

A brill second leadership role, a brill run with some lovely people!  And look, geeky stats!  Why it has gone all zigzaggy in places I have no idea, I know I did run back and forth just a couple of times, but still!  Anyway, here you are

A Smoothie Thursday Morning!

Hello blog lovers (again)

Yes it's the second one of the evening,  So I caught up!  It was just me and J.J. for this mornings run.  It was a miserable grey day, the woods was going to be yucky, and plus I think we both just needed to just get out and stretch our legs, no matter how far or fast, or near and slow, which ever you like to call it.  DiscoRich had his crew with him, and we are all still buzzing over our Brighton 10k achievements.

DiscoRich and his crew went out through the Towncourt gate and me and J.J. went through Crossways gate.  I was heading for the Cinder Path.  I couldn't find my Garmin this morning, I think it was probably kismet, because we both needed to just do our own thing, not worry about speed, distance, time.  Just to get out....and get wet!

We chatted all our route today, the only time we didn't chat is when we ran, and we did run a bit faster than we normally would do.  It was a bit like interval running today.  Fast, slow, fast slow, all the way through to the other side of the Cinder Path.  J.J. kept saying sorry for stopping, but I did just as much stopping as her.  I guess sometimes you just feel like that.  There are no bad runs, there are slower runs and faster runs.  There are short runs and there are long runs, it's a simple as that.  Today it was a slower shorter run, which seemed to interrupt our chatting, banking, shopping and a rather delicious smoothie from Saint's and Sinners!

That is how our run rolled today, oh and we also popped into the dress shop, we have some shopping to do do for a ball sometime in the new year!

Lets hazard a guess at distance, meh.....3 miles ish......and probably done in about.......ah, who's counting!   A very nice morning!

New And Improved!

Hello blog lovers.

Well Tuesday saw the first group 0 at the new time of 8;00 pm.  I was as nervous as anything.  I don't know why, because I've been doing it for the past year or so!  We had some of the graduates from the beginners course as well as Jenny who has been with me for a few weeks at the 7:00pm start.  Also with me was J.J. and Janet! They are going to be going for their Leadership course sometime and then our group will have 3 leaders!

I had plotted a route, only just a tad over 3 miles, and I think a tad challenging as well.  I knew the beginners can do hills, as their route on the last few weeks of the course was up Wood Rise a couple of times.  So the route I chose was up Birchwood, cross over the road and then take Sherbourne road.  It's a route that group 1 has done on a few times, but then we have gone on to run around Tillingborn green.

I just turned right instead, and went up the cheeky little hill.  I don't know if that is the rail lines underneath, but it does look like a bridge.  It may just be land!  Funny how you just don't notice these things, you just go over it......or is that just me?

I had started my Garmin, but I think in my 'New Official Leader' nervousness I must have squeezed the button off again.  I must ask Santa if he will have a new Garmin in his sack that he might leave under my tree.  I decided that I won't advertise that fact, and just kept an eye on all the back markers to make sure I wasn't got too fast! I re started my Garmin, I shall check later exactly where I had my nervous moment.

They all seemed to be doing well.  I was run/walking like I did with Jenny.  It's getting colder now and I didn't want to do the stops as we could cool down quickly and that could cause injuries, but to keep moving. We followed the route, took our walking breaks, and stopped to cross roads (and just to catch up)  but I do believe they all enjoyed their first taste of PWR Club Night runs.

We were running along Great Thrift and I lead them to run up Little Thrift, but I stopped J.J. and Janet to just to ask for 'on the run' feed back.  I know we were nearly there, but it's good to get info fresh so to speak.  Can you tell I was a tad nervous! I just wanted to know that everything went well!

I do think that we have already got at least one person who will be in group 1 pretty soon!  Maybe even on move up week which will be soon!

So Geeky stats, well, they're not really worth looking at.  We did the run in 40 mins and something seconds, I can't remember the exact time, but it wasn't much more than that. And smiling faces at the end, at least they looked smiley!

Brooks 10k, Brighton

Hello blogs lovers.

Well, I got as far as writing the first line on Sunday evening, before my eyes suddenly become heavy, too heavy to keep open!  So now, I have to try and remember every little detail of yesterdays run while I write it up today, but let me tell you, what an absolutely fabulous day!

The worst part of the day, getting up at 05:30 in the morning!  I am not a morning person, you can ask many a people that, at times I have been known to wear odd running shoes for a race!  But we had to get up that early as my wonderful club had organised two coaches to take one hundred or so of us to Brighton.  We were going to be running the Brooks Brighton 10k.

The second worst part of the day, well that is easy!  It's the weather!  Gale force winds and rain was what the forecasters said, and they were spot on!  It was forecast to be a tough run, due only to the wind!  Not only that but the route is an 'out and back, which meant that we had the wind in our faces for half the run! Of course that did mean we had the wind pushing us all the back again!

Look at them waves!

The best bit of the run, that is definitely easy.  Running with my buddies from group 1!  Janet was doing her first 'official complete with medal' 10k. J.J., Wendimoo and Tamsin was also there from group 1. SingstarJo, JaneT, Sue, DiscoRich and some of his Thursday crew, Nicola, Sacha, Ralf!  They were all there!  It's fantastic.

Janet, Tamsin, and Wendimoo

J.J. and me!

The trip down to Brighton was subdued, everybody was probably still waking up properly!  But there was hushed chatter and even laughter.  The time on the coach seemed to fly by.  We had permission to park on the sea front, just about 300 m or so from the start/finish line!  How cool is that!  We had to be there early though, before 08:00 am, so they could close the roads, hence the early start from Petts Wood!  We actually got there about 07:30 a.m. so we had time to chill, use the loos, several times, and eat!  Bananas, jam sandwiches and mine was a chocolate spread sandwich!  Something I hadn't had since I was a kid!  It could have been worse, I could have picked up the Marmite instead!! Yuck.

The race itself.  Well, did I mention that the weather was a tad inclement yesterday.  The rain started when we actually got to Brighton, just a drizzle, but enough to mist up my glasses.  Everybody expected the rain and plastic tops was the order of the day.  Black bin liners, some with, what looked like huge shoulder pads (very 80's) and other plastic tops that were 'gifts' from races or from charities, were noisily put on.  The rustling of the bags would have been enough to wake any lazy runner that was trying to catch up on a few ZZZZ's.  I had my one from Cancer Research which I didn't use on my last charity run!

Helen rocking those
big Shoulders

DiscoRich in his Hoodie

We lined up at the start with the wind tugging and blowing through our bin bags, we looked like a huge pile of walking 'charity donations! The the mass 'undressing began, bin bags were flying 20 feet in the air from the runners in the very front, as if it was a signal that the race had started. I used that as my cue to remove mine.  I carefully put mine between some railings, I didn't really want it be be flying about!  There were other bags strewn on the floor and if you were totally focused on getting going, you could easily trip over them!  The cleaning crew have my deepest thanks and admiration!

The crowd surged forward, the chap with the mic was saying tons of stuff but I couldn't really grasp what he was saying with the wind noise, the noise of running jackets and some bin bag wearers leaving it to the last minute being tugged and pulled by the wind. What with the people yelling and cheering it made a terriffic start to the race.

Walking to the start

It was a full four minutes before we crossed over that chip timing mat!  A constant 'beeeep' still going as runner after runner ran over the mat.  Then the mass started to spread out to the sides and out in front as everyone really began their race.  I was feeling a tad chilly, I decided that I would go with the short sleeve top, I hoped that it wouldn't have taken too long to warm up.  J.J. WendiMoo and Janet had their running jackets on, I was thinking that maybe it was the more sensible option! I could always have tied it around my waist.

It wasn't too long before I warmed up though, and the girls started to de-robe too.  There we were, with our colours of our club showing.  The group 1 ladies running the Brooks 10k.  It felt good to be in a brilliant club.  There was one chap in a Demelza House running vest, he recognised quality! "Oh no, I've just been over taken by the Petts Wood Posse! Go Orpington" he said. "Petts Wood!" I shouted back at him. I think he was actually from Opington!

We had ran about a mile or so when down the left hand side of the road a cyclist came down telling us to stay left.  I couldn't quite understand why.  Then another cyclist came down followed by a car.  Surely they wouldn't let traffic down there, not with the traffic flowing on our right as well!  But it was soon clear why they were there, the leaders were already heading back!  I found it incredible!  Fast! Wow!

The Petts Wood Posse!

I kept my eyes open for our first PWR runner.  I didn't have long to wait, he came in about 25th position, but I could be wrong, this was me trying to count, battle the wind and stay running!  We still had about 5 miles to go, battling against the wind.  It literately was taking my breath away, I was really struggling!  There was a lady that I noticed, she had this steady pace going.  It wasn't fast, it was just steady, she didn't slow up, she didn't speed up, she didn't walk, as far as I could see.  But she was always just there, either in front of us or just behind.  She was one that I had to keep an eye on!

We all kept each other going, WendiMoo was at times singing, geeing everyone on.  We were cheering all those that was running in the opposite direction giving our runners a particularly louder cheer.  Just a little further though we had stopped sharing the road as we continued on the road while the others were behind the buildings next to the sea.

I had began looking for the turn around point, it couldn't be much further on.  I couldn't believe it when we saw the 3km board with the turn around just a little further on.  For some reason I just couldn't get it into my head that we only had done 3k and we already had to turn around to head back.  I was trying to figure it all  out! In my mind, the 'Turn Around Point' meant that we was half way, being as this is an 'out and back'. Yet we only done 3k? So 3k back to the start, makes 6k, where is the other 4k?  It was all too much for my sleep deprived, number blind brain of mine. Maths is not my strong point, but add running into the mix,  a wind that could lift an elephant on chain like a kite and sprinkle some rain on top, then maths had no chance of coming out correct.

I decided to just run and not think about maths, and battle the wind until the turn around point. "Don't forget aeroplane arms girls" called out Wendimoo, as we all  shouted "Wheeeeeeeeee" as we 'flew' around the corner.  As soon as we started to run back towards the start the race was a totally different feel!  For one thing it seemed with every stride we took we moved forward two strides!  The wind seemed to pick us up and move us forward!  Oh yes, how brilliant was that!

Action running
away from start!
Just left of our group
is 'Steady pace' Lady!

Action running to start
(the first time)

We were now running along the sea front, there were people actually on the beach, playing with the surf!  In duffel coats!  I am sure that the wind had picked up the sea spray as well, it was really very wet now.  But the run along the front, was just brilliant.  I am sure we were running faster along here, with just the relief from the onslaught of gale force winds!  I may be exaggerating a bit about the wind, but it's still pretty tough trying to run in 15 mph winds with gusts of 25 mph! Have I mentioned that it was a very windy day?

Of course I took photos on our run, none of us were out to 'race' it, we just love joining in and doing our best, and who knows, we could be thinking that next year we will do even better!  The lady with the steady shuffle was in front of us, and we continued our chase after her.  The 5k marker board was there.  Brilliant opportunity for some pictures and of course the obligatory selfie!

Me at the 5k

The girls at 5k

Even though the wind was helping us get back to the Marine Parade I was pretty exhausted, But still in great spirits.  We ran some, we walked some, we cheered and thanked the marshals along the way.  we smiled at anyone with a camera!  It was such a fantastic atmosphere.  You got to love this club., you got to love this race.  I can't be that there were quite a few people cheering us on through the course!  Thanks so much Brighton!

Just after here there was the water station.  I wasn't sure whether to grab a bottle or not, I mean I was well hydrated on the outside!  I grabbed a bottle anyway and took a few glugs of water.  I realised that I was actually thirsty.  I still left half a bottle though, and fought against my natural desire to keep my litter with me, I threw the bottle into the kerb along with the hundreds of other bottles.  Again, clearning crew, huge 'big up's' to you, you do a great thing cleaning up after us messy wasteful lot of complete fruit loops running in gale force winds!

We soon had the 'big wheel' in our sights.  That really helped to spur us on even more.  The crowds became more denser and the noise level rose above the sound of the wind.  We could see the finish and we ran like the wind, pun intended,  towards it. It got closer and closer, we could see the crowds on a left starting to thin out to just groups of two to three people but the crowds up ahead on the right had their backs towards us!  We ran passed the cacophony of noise, as they cheered loudly all those crossing the finish line!  We ran passed it!  We actually ran passed the finish line! Our race hadn't finished, we still had at least another 3km to do!

The route continued up the Parade, people on our right were now running in the opposite direction to us, their race soon to be finished.  We cheered all the runners that had nearly finished, the loudest cheer going to our very own PWR's.  I couldn't see the turn around point and I wondered how far it was, and if we had to run up the hill!  I don't think I could have made that!

I then noticed that we were going to be running passed our coaches.  Some of the faster runners will be there already, of  course they will, or in fact they may have already gone to find a suitable re-hydration station.  Of course there were quite a few there, giving us a cheer, DiscoRich even ran with us until we got to the coaches.  What a brilliant cheer we got from them.  And we will get that again when we come passed the for the second time. You see,  this route was an out and back and then out and back again going the opposite way!

I was so pleased to see the turn around point, just a couple of cones with some tape.  Nothing fancy, but there was the photographer!  We all tried to make sure we were running and smiling.  I had had a stitch for the last 2 km or so, so I tried not to show my grimacing face.  By the way, how do people deal with a stitch? It was right under my ribs on the right side.  I had held on to it, Janet suggested that I raised my right arm and lean over to the left to try and stretch it out.  It did help a bit, but it was still there!

The steady pace lady was way in front of us still, and she was not stopping!  We all had walking bits up this bit as again we were battling against the wind again.  It was strange, as when we were running with the wind in our backs we really couldn't tell that it was windy.  We had become 'accustomed' it to, even though it was still strong and helping us move forward.  But when we turned around again, oh boy!  The wind was a strong as ever!  It hadn't died down at all, and now we still had to at least another, what......1k, 2k......my maths teacher would totally give me lines to do!

After smiling at the photographer we were then on our way to the finish.  We were not heading away from it, we were not going to be running passed it, the next time it's in our sight we shall be crossing it, registering our finish with our timing chips!  I think we were the last of the PWR's to be crossing the line, so we had so much support and cheers from our fellow club members.  WendiMoo got into the zone, she could smell the finish line and started to pull away, Me and J.J. started to pick up the pace a bit, Janet was behind us.  But then we saw SingstarJo, she started to run along with Janet, urging her to keep on going.

J.J. and I just started to pull away a little bit more, the Big Wheel was there, just after the finish line! The crowds started to cheer and clap and urge us on.  It felt so good, it just makes you feel like a proper athlete!  Closer and closer to the line, J.J. and I were shoulder to shoulder, the crowd were literally pulling and pushingwith their cheering to go even faster, I picked up the pace just a tad more, I could hear myself making 'grunting' noises, the stitch threatened to stop me in my tracks, I just had to ignore it and push on to the finish. Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep!  The mat that registers our finish firmly struck with my foot, finally we crossed the mat!  What a fantastic brilliant run, what a brilliant place to be running in, such a pity about the weather, did I mention that it was a tad windy, but all the better for getting a PB for next time!

So what do you do with 100 PWR's at the seaside? Do we all pile in the coaches and head on home? No, we don't.  Our very own PhysioMike had arranged for us to have an area in a fish and chip shop to be kept just for us!  The Palm Court I believe it was called, a very posh fish and chip restaurant on the Pier!

Most of the group had already been celebrating in the pub that was on the pier so we all virtually was sitting and ordering food at the same time.  We had got on a table for 5 of us, me WendiMoo, J.J. Janet an Tamsin!  One look at the menu and we decided on the 'Celebration Fish and Chips'  It was served with mush peas, tartare sauce and.....a glass of champagne!  And why not, after all, it was a double celebration, it was our WendiMoo's birthday just a couple of days before!  We brought the house down with our rendition of 'Happy Birthday to you!'

One last thing, I mush thank PhysioMike, Hels, Karen for the organisation of getting 100 of us to Brighton and the with the area 'cordoned' off for our lunch at the posh restaurent, and Coach 1 'manager' Nicola.

Also to Brooks 10k team, by the way, thanks, I kind of borrowed one of your photos!  It's the one of all four of us running on route!

Cheers

So, gun time was 01:24:32 and chip time was 01:20;06, not too bad for a windy rainy day by the seaside!

Geeky stats.

PWR Autumn 2015 Graduation

Hello blog lovers.

I just want to express my utter horror at the atrocious, cowardly acts of mindless terrorism that happened last night in Paris.  My prayers are for all those that are bereaved and for all those that are injured.  My deepest sorrows for all those in France.  But terrorists will not prevail! They are just mindless robots that do the bidding of an evil controller!  We can not and will not let them prevail.  So I will write up my blog as I have always done and will do.  No matter what, but with the people of France and all those that are suffering through the evil that is IS, firmly in my thoughts and prayers!

I so enjoy writing up my blogs especially the ones about other people achieving their goals and I am there watching it all unfold!  It gives me just that bit more kick up the arse that I need.  Today 2015 Autumn PWR graduates ran their first Parkrun today. And I do believe that most of them ran all the way!  I know Sammie did!  There was one young lady that couldn't join us to run at a 9:00 today, and she had worked so hard, she had to be somewhere else, so what did she do? she got here early, ran her 3.1 miles by herself and proudly showed  everyone.  She really wanted to be able to enjoy graduation day so she hung around until we started the warm up routines.  Well done indeed Tanya!

There was over 20 graduates that met up today, on a grey morning.  After a briefing from CoachHels we walked over to the Pavilion, but not before the obligatory photo!  After a pit stop (those nerves can affect some people) CoachHels started the warm routine.

We then started to skip and walk and jog to the other side of the bridge across the brook.  We then started doing some more drills!  There is no getting away with not doing them, just because we are in a park with a few hundred other people looking on!  We skipped, majoretted and karaoca'd all until it was time for a nice brisk walk to the start.

Some of the PWR's that were there!

SingstarJo was the one letting us know all about the the milestones of some of the runners.  There is Johns 100th, Helen's 100th and I know both of them!  Plus it's Tims Birthday! It's quite a party happening!  There is going to be plenty of cake at the finish today.

We were soon on our way.  The grass was a bit muddy and slippy in places, but I knew if I was very careful I should be able to get around without falling over, after all I have a race tomorrow!  I chatted to one of our PWR's who had come along to lend support and encouragement to our graduates, Liz.  She is having a baby sometime in February, so exciting!

As I was running along the path towards the brook that is when I saw Helen!  She inspires me so much!  I just love watching her run, the way she just keeps going until the end.  You got to love Parkrun!  And then started to run wit one of the graduates, Sammie. Her goal is to get around no stop, the whole 5k!  I know I have said this before but the only time I get around a 5k course with out stopping,  is when I am running along encouraging our beginners.  A nice steady pace and the fact that I dare not walk if they are running, is obviously what does it!

I did walk a tiny bit, over those very slippy muddy sections, but I stayed with Sammi all the way.  She had a determined look on her face, she was going to do it.  She said that when she started the course, she was dreading running for just one minute!  And here she was now planning on running the whole of a 5k route!

Well let me tell you. She did brilliantly! She kept a steady pace, something I must learn to do myself, instead of trying to get good times first!  Maybe I shall try that tomorrow! She slow a tad when she got a bit tired but not one bit of walking was done!  Brilliant.  She was so pleased to be heading for that orange funnel, there were people cheering her on all the way!

Sub 41 minutes for a first park run is just marvellous, and a piece of cake is a well deserved treat for a fantastic run!

No geeky stats as I thought it best to just let the mornings run be totally free and easy with no distractions.