Thursday 31 December 2015

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.




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