I am loving running. I can say that with almost true conviction. After all, if I didn't love it, then I wouldn't still be writing this blog, right? So dive in, enjoy the ramblings of my open diary.
Well this is the last Tuesday club run before the big day! I do love Christmas, everyone is in good spirits.....or is that just me? And talking of spirits, for a little festivee cheer a couple of us bought along a little sample in a couple of hip flasks! So me and J.J. supplied the festive cheer.
Well, it's Christmas! I got Tracy to pick me up and we drove to Jayne's house. Wendimoo was already there and LittleJ turned up just after us! Oh, yes, this will be Wendimoo's last Tuesday club run! She is moving oop north the day after Christmas! We shall so miss her so much! So another reason to bring along a last little drinky to our Wendimoo!
I decided on the 'Pistol Route' It looks like a 'starters pistol! Get ready, get set, go! for Christmas! Are you all ready!? I was hoping that there were going to be some lovely lights in the gardens and houses for us to enjoy. I know there were a few good displays along Crescent Drive, but I'm sure there's not as many as there has been! There were quite a few PWR's this evening in fancy dress, or Santa and elves hats, or dressed as puddings, and sparkly skirts! Any excuse for a dress up and we are there! I had my Santa hat on! I may just invest in a sparkly skirt! I am sure I say that every year!
After all the leaders gave out their routes we were on our way! I led them out of the rec and then turned right towards Petts Wood road. We were going to get the hill.....ooops the incline our of the way in the beginning. It will be a good warm up but if we are not warmed up once we reach the top then at least we can have a bit of a rest and 'snifter' from the couple of flasks! Either Jack Daniels or Harvey's Bristol Cream! Very warming! At first everyone was a bit shy, but for those that were not driving back home after our run, well we soon got into the festive spirit! In fact some even had a sample of both! We invented a new cocktail! The Christmas WooWoo.
Now I shall tell you where the 'WooWoo' came from! Once we were at the top of the hill, and having a little festive rest. Liz had come up with this idea of a 'mexican wave' with all 12 of us in group 1 today. When we come across some really cool looking Christmas lights we were to 'do' the Mexican wave! Starting from us in the front going backwards! What else can you do on a festive run! Once we were suitable 'warmed' up we continued our way, running the other side of the 'barrel' of our starter pistol route! It's virtually all down hills and flat now. But we still found good reason to stop and take a nice warming drink!
I think everyone on our route could hear us as we 'WooWooed' our way around. Every festive lights we see we mexicaned waved our little hearts out! It really was such a fun run today, and a warming run! I am glad that it was such a good one, just to remind our Wendimoo what a great club we are, and great mates we've become. That way she just has to come back and see us! And she can also run our own 10k in October, it will be great training for when she does the London Marathon in 2018!
We got back to the rec all in good spirits, pun intended! And still with a great festive air about us! I can't believe this is the last time before Christmas now! I am so looking forward to the day itself, I am a big kid when it comes to Christmas! Watching all my kids and grandkids opening their presents, and the Old Boy! Huge turkey dinner, lovely cooked by the Old Boy! Family all around, silly games, sharing, laughing, playing, talking, loving! Yup, I love this festive time of year! God bless you all and have a very merry Christmas!
Geeky stats. Oh and how many times have I written 'festive' in this blog?
Thats, right, you heard it, I am finished with parkrun.......just until next year of course. I am wanting to do my 50th parkrun around the 14th January......just so that I am fully over the New Year and Christmas festivities! But todays parkrun was a great one!
I picked up Tracy, I was running a little late! She was already waiting outside for me, probably hoping that I wouldn't turn up. The weather wasn't inspiring at all! In fact the only thing that was inspiring was the fact that it's Tim "The Old Scrote" 200th parkrun and he is bringing the most delicious looking cake baked by Tim's Mrs. Here, look at this!
Anyway, not that I was only running for cake......who am I kidding......cake is one of the reasons I run! I just love the stuff! Anyway with that on my mind, and a promise from the Old Scrote him self, a piece of that cake will be at the end of my parkrun today! Tracy was going to have to run on her own, cake is all I am running for today!
Because we were a little late we had to run from one side of the park to the other, just like last week actually! Which I hadn't even blogged about! Naggy Neighbour did the same to me a couple of weeks ago, she drove to parkrun but she had booked her car into the garage for its MOT, which meant we had to run from Chatterton Road to Normans park........the other end of Normans park! Because we were running a bit late then too! She had me running all the way! Boy was I knackered! Anyway, I had Tracy doing the same nice warm up jogging to the beginning! We had about 5 minutes before we started off! Not bad really, at least we didn't have to wait around and cold on this misty morning, before we started our running.
The 1, 2, 3, go, was given and we all surged forward, Tracy had Kay to run around with her, so she wouldn't be alone, Michael and Carole were there too, They are just so fit these days, their parkrun times are just incredible, considering they only started running from our first beginners course this year, back in March, well! What can I say! Brilliant! Anyway, there was me, in the middle of this group of wonderful people, thats the parkrunners, as well as Carole & Michael, and Tracy and Kay! So there was me, or is it I, well, grammar is not my fortay, as you already know, I was running along, going at a good pace because I was up there with the big boys ands girls! But I kept it going for just a little while, don't think about the pace, just do it!
Anyway, of course I slowed down a bit after a while, it's what I do, but I still have it in mind that I want to take a few seconds of my fastest time for this year, and indeed take into the new year! This time I had my Garmin, unlike last week. By the way, I totally didn't get anyway near my fastest time last week either! But I carried on running around. This week I didn't actually talk and run to anyone! It was just me, I passed a young lady who had hurt her foot and I offered to get her back to a bench, but she had plenty of people to help her. That was on the first lap, I carried on from there, just me and my thoughts. I knew Tim 'The Old Scrote' was somewhere in front along with all our PWR's that turn up to parkrun every week. It was fancy dress week too, so even if they were in front of me I probably wouldn't have recognised them!
The Crew, I wasn't in the picture, this was either early or after they all came in! (if latter then I was late then too)
Well as usual I did some walking, but I feel sure I did more runnig! I feel sure of it! I was feeling pretty bright this morning, only 1 pint of lager last night and an irish coffee.......after my curry......but I was feeling pretty good, pretty awake. I was hoping this would be enough to knock a few seconds of my fastest time this year!
The second lap I just concentrated on getting around, no pressure on myself just keep on doing as much as I can. When I got to the long straight I was joined by on if the chaos that comes to track, not that I've been for a few weeks! But he was chatting to me for the rest of the way. Keeping me going. I managed to run to the end of the long straight and done of the shirt but too. I took a walking break. Just a few moments later a young lady cane past me while I was walking, and she said "I was trying to keep up with you, but you run too fast" and then she passed me! Well, that just sent off signals in my brain! It was a challenge! I just had to get back in front of her!
So I stepped up the gear and I ran pass her saying "I'm sorry, but I just had to!@. My pacemaker just laughed at me!! I wish I could remember his name!
I was soon in the last short straight towards the funnel. I didn't stop running. I even had a sprint finish after my nice young pacemaker said "sprint finish?"
I went through the funnel collected my token and then noticed my time! Darn it. No faster time this week. Just look at my geeky stats below! But then my results came through on the rank! Putting me well over a minute faster than my Garmin! That's not right. I know people usually complain that official results are usually slower than what they have, but this time I am thinking, "no wY, I am going with my geeky stats". Seriously, I have not run faster yet!! That will have to come next year.
My official parkrun time was 37:11 mins. But my Garmin says 38:33 mins. That is my time today
I shall add geeky stats later when my computer has rebooted itself!!
It's a 'soft' evening, as my Old Boy would say! A gentle misting of very light rain was coming down. But I don't think it will last for our entire run! Besides, we won't notice it, we're hard core! I picked up Tracy and then we drove to J.J.'s house LittleJ was already there. It's our routine now, we go there for a pre chat before our chatty run!
We all walked over to the rec, still chatting, and waited for the rest of PWR to arrive. It was strangely mild for a November, I know the weather has been so much colder already this winter, surely we can't be over winter yet! Over the next 10 minutes the rec started to fill with all the PWR's. It was soon time to make the announcements and tell everyone of our routes this evening. Our route was going to be the fairly flat route, with just the one hill.....ooops I mean incline, going up Kings Way. Then it's on towards Petts Wood and the 'Troll Bridge'. Of course I told them all to run over this as quiet as possible. They must have flew over the bridge because I couldn't hear a thing!
We ran around Crest View road, my group of 10 started to split into two groups. So I had the faster runners run all the way to the end of the road and then to turn around and head back and run all the way to the sweepers, and then run with them till we got to the end of the road. These loop backs work so well. It keeps the faster runners nice and warm, they don't cool down and the back runners don't feel like they are keeping anyone waiting around. It's a win/win
We used this technique all they way along Crescent Drive and Shepperton Road. It's a great way to keep everyone running together and having little breaks together. At the rec I had in mind to go to Tudor way from here, and then do the undulations of Great Thrift and Hazlemeer. But once we got to the end of Shepperton I decided that we would go the easier route of Beaumont which is over the bridge.
I am so glad that I did though. The Christmas lights down there are just so lovely. I am going to try and find some other little 3 mile routes around here to find some more Christmas lights. My group all stopped under a tree lit up with blue lights. I just had to get a picture of them all! Here, look at this, don't they all look angelic, J.J., LittleJ, Tracy, Michael, Carole, Martina, Anne-Marie, Becky then other name escapes me....it's my age I think!
We were nearly back at the rec. Once we were on Tudor Way and asked Michael to lead the way with the faster runners back to the rec, and then I took up sweeping duties after saying to J.J. and LittleJ they they should run back to the rec at their pace. Me and Tracy will finish this together. Nice and steady run, perfectly and evenly paced. I tried to use a beat that PhysioMike has on his phone. It's a metronome thingy, but it works well. We ran all the way to the gate like that. Tracy was pleased with herself. She was in two minds whether to come out tonight. I am glad she came out tonight, its the determination that keeps us going. I know 2017 I shall be back fully in my right frame of mind, I shall be back to running and cycling and losing weight! It needs to be done! Determination and hard work! That's what I have planned!
So geeky stats, and you will see that the numbers also include time doing our stretches!
It was a bright morning, very unusual for the time of year, you could feel the warmth of the sun. But the air was still chilly! Everything about this morning was very peculiar. Let me introduce myself, I am a shepherd and my name is Pie. I was with my other brothers, Germain, also a shepherd and Chris! We were in a place called Ditton, and many strange things were happening. There were people around looking very colourful indeed. Maybe it is some kind of festival. There were stripey people, and people were shouting "Where's Wally?" at them.
We, me and my brothers, were tending our flock of sheep, all nice a peaceful like, here, look I took a selfie of me with a couple of my ewes!
All of a sudden this chap with wings and a halo appeared from no where, making the day even more brighter, if that was possible. We were so scared! Particularly me, I am afraid of my own shadow. I always arrive after my brothers, sisters, friends, just so that they can make sure the way is clear.
"Behold Shepherds" said this chap "Behold, I am Angel Gabriel and I bring you good news, A baby is born this day, He is the Saviour of the world. Follow yonder star and you will find where the baby is" Well as you can imagine, I was terrified! My brothers, although a bit scared, they of course were keen to go and find this baby, I just wanted to run and hide. I am sure I saw a place where they were serving tea and coffee, I may just rest there till they come back, I am afraid I over did it with the jollys these past two days and wasn't really 'feeling it' ! But then I noticed that one of our tiny little lambs was missing. "You go ahead without me, I shall see you back here later" I called to my brothers, "I will go and save the lamb!" I said, trying to act all cool! By then they were joined by some others. Some very fine looking geezers with crowns on their head and a few other of these angels and the Inn keepers too along with donkeys! I watched as the whole group disappeared among the very strange and colourful people, and sprouts! Yup that's right big huge green sprouts......and turkeys......lots of turkeys!
A stream of people were all heading in the same direction, maybe they were following the star too! But I had a mission, I had to find my lost lamb! Let them go and follow some bright star that some Angel told them about, my missing lamb was most important. I looked everywhere for it. I was running for about 1 and half miles or so keeping my eyes peeled. I looked at my time recorder (Garmin) and I saw that it had stopped, dead! I had no idea how far I had ran all ready, I was guess it was about 1 and half miles as the last time I looked at my time recorder it said 1.34 miles. With my tunic slowing down my running I decided to hitch it up instead, and run along showing off my 'breeches'. It was hard going, but then just up ahead I saw my little lost sheep! He was trying to hide in some leaves.
As I got closer to him I think he heard me and ran off before I could get to him. I was beginning to think this little lamb was just as frightened of the Angel Gabriel as I was!
I ran on some more, being heavily laden with my cumbersome costume. It was getting wet and caught up on stuff. The ground was difficult to run on and I kept stumbling over things, bricks and roots. My ankle started to complain a little! But this is a most important job, I had to get the lamb, keep it safe so I ran on. I spotted some people, soldiers I think, looking rather bright in yellow tabbards. Standing next to one of them was a child and in his arms was my little lost lamb! "Very clever" I thought to myself "Fancy trying to disguise your self as a knitted childs toy wearing a PWR buff, very clever, but I have spotted you."
I ran up to the boy but my lamb jumped out of his arms and ran off again.
I was getting very warm as I tried all sorts to try and run fast without undressing in public! I tried tying my skirts up, I tried hoicking it up some more under the tie belt, I even tried tucking it in to my breeches! But it still came down and wrapped around my ankles! Just up ahead I saw a watering hole, "I shall stop a while and refresh myself, maybe the inn keeper will have a room for the night" But then I remembered the Inn keeper was also following the star! "I will stop and have a drink at least before I continue on my way" I thought to myself. It seems as if the yellow tabbard soliers are in control. Just then on the grand table I saw my little lamb drinking from one of the cups!
I quickly downed my water and tried to grab my lamb! Too late, it had ran off!
I had no idea where I was, or where I was going, but at least I wasn't following the crowdor the star. There was no one in front of me and no one behind me! I am safe, apart from some rather friendly yellow tabbard soldiers (marshals) pointing to pathways and roads. I don't know why they were doing that, some of the paths were nothing but more than huge mud hols filled with cold water and very sticky, slippery mud! Why would anyone want to run along there, only crazy people would do that! But there was no way of getting away from them. They seemed so friendly too, cheering me and clapping! Maybe they had heard of my quest, after all and were impressed with my efforts to save the lamb, some of them even mentioned my flock of sheep!
I could see up a head of me one such soldier, and with him I could see my lamb. He had a blue cow bell attached to him!
Now pretending to be a cow?! "No lambsey, no! You are way to small for that" I thought to myself. I tried to creep up slowly to my lamb but the soldier rang the bell, and cheered as did all the other yellow tabbard wearing soldiers! My little lamb startled, jumped out of his hand an ran off again.
By this time I was feeling really tired, my feet were wet, my tunic was wet and I hadn't got a clue as to how far I had come. I was sent up hills and down hills, along muddy paths and roads. One such road led to a fine looking home, and just behind a rock I could see my lamb.
There were no soldiers about, there were no people about. I again crept slowly, slowly getting nearer to my lamb, but he spotted me and once again escaped my clutches. The road lead to a path behind some other dwellings. I looked closely at one of the back gardens and I could see my lost little lamb!
But with one little 'baaa' he sprang back over the fence and ran off in front of me! The people who lived there was most amused by this!
I didn't spot my lamb again for a while. But I came across this ancient stone with an arch structure embedded in it, just placed by the foot path. Maybe the lamb was taking shelter from the sun, or having a nap!
I almost managed to grab him as I ran towards it. Surely I must catch him soon, it cannot keep on running! I am exhausted and in need of food! I knew I should have eaten something earlier. Those sprouts and turkeys came back to my mind!
I came out on the road again. It felt good not to be stumbling over roots and bricks. My poor ankle! I could hear some more cheering in the distance, but the cheering was not from the yellow tabbard cladded soldiers, no! This was different, there were more voices in the mix, and one a particularly loud voice as if it was being amplified! I was intrigued. No longer afraid, I was way beyond that now! I decided I will head for this noise and see what it's all about! I then heard my name being called out "Welcome Shepherd Pie" I looked over and there in the distance was my lamb, he was with my flock of sheep! Not only that, but The wise men, Angel Gabriel with a host of other angels, my brother Germain Shepherd and Chris with the inn keepers of Petts Wood Runnersville. They were all there, they had followed the star as it lit up and shone brightly in the day over Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus! I was here, seeing the baby! I need not have been afraid after all! Whether I am fast or slow, I still got to see baby Jesus! Brave or scared, I followed the lamb!
I realised then that actually I was not saving the lamb, the Lamb had saved me! He had been guiding me the whole way! But it was still a strange topsey turvey day, with running sprouts and turkeys, and Mary looking noticeably masculine while Joseph some how had some feminine charms under his beard!
There were also other residents of Petts Wood Runnersville here today as well, I managed to capture the moment, although there were still a few more around that didn't get in the picture
Thursday again, time seems to be flying by! Although there were a few PWR Thursday Morning runners, there were none in my group! But that's ok, all enforced solo running for me has to be good right, after all, that solo mojo is not going to find itself now, is it? So the woods it was but I will also do a little bit of road work as I planned on going through the manor housing estate, the one with the lovely houses.
I started off towards the gate and turned left and then bumped into my friend from Panagua Ladies! So just a quick chat with her and then I was off for the woods. I ran through Dog Poo Ally and then straight up the middle path. There were plent of dog walkers out this morning, the mild weather, I expect, was bringing them out, such a lovely morning. I looked up the path looking at all the leaves that covered it. No sunshine to make them shine like gold, no rain to make them shiny, slippery, hard to run on. Instead they were just lay there, not happy, not sad, but hiding all sorts underneath! I bit like I feel actually. Sometimes I run through the woods and have all sorts to think about or all sorts I want to forget! But today, there's nothing! My mind was really just empty! Could I say my mind was resting? Well, maybe that is what it means. To have nothing to think about, worry about!
I kept trying to prompt things to think about, but those thoughts only lasted for a few minutes and then I noticed I wasn't thinking about anything again! Weired! But nice. So I just ran along, not thinking, just running. Not noticing the paths or trees, or the peace and quite. It's all so natural, those things, when I am in the woods. Maybe they just look different depending on your mood, or the sun or even the rain! I am enjoying my run, there is no doubt about that, I am not finding it a chore. No, the only chore I have is actually getting out when I KNOW I am going to be the only one! But I have decided. January! January will be the start of my new regime......again.......like it is every year! But hopefully I will have a new new plan, something I have never really tried before! But I will talk about that when it happens.
So really, my run was rather none descript! I guess if you are a non runner, than all my blogs are non descript! But It was a productive run.......I came across a crook! Well a stick really! I shall try and make a crook bit for the top of it later! It's for my run on Sunday at Ditton......I am running in fancy dress. There will be a few of us........but again.........that's another story.......Sundays blog!
I was hoping this route was at least three miles long and no less than that, so you can imagine my smile when I saw my geeky stats. For the second time this week I have hit the target, spot on! Three miles done!
Club night tonight. I do love club night. It's also move up week so my group today was a smaller one! Just 6 of us running in group 1, it does make me feel proud seeing them all move up to the higher group.
In group one today there was, J.J. LittleJ, Chris, Tanya and Charlotte, you may remember Charlotte from my Thursday Morning blog. We were all in need of a good run, just to run out the day. Whether its been a hard emotional day, long hours working, crap crapity crap day or just a wonderful day, that a run would be the cherry on the top! I hadn't really planned a route and I was thinking about it all the while, driving along to the rec. I decided on one of the routes that we hadn't done for ages......in fact we have only ever run it once before, but I do remember it had hills in there! Just a couple of short ones!
I stood out front and gave my directions to the PWR's looking nice and twinkly in my arm bands and ONE shoe lace! (the other one packed up again!) Then after all the other leaders gave out their directions and pace we all went over to our numbered stakes. My group did look smaller, group 1's rank seemed to have swelled as it accomadated my group 1 move-uppers. It was soon time to get running!
Now, as I had only just decided on this route I obviously had had a chance to look at the route on line, to check it all out, re-acquaint myself with the road names. It is going to be a all done on recognition, once we get there. The thing is, my memory is just awful, which is why I always write my blogs up, so that I know how well or bad my exercises are going! I just need to remember to look back at them though, to help with my mojo! Our first hill was Birchwood, we ran all the way to the top! Yeah, we're bad, we're hard core, we can get to the top non stop! But we did have a little walking section one we got to the top and turned left, just while we all stuffed back our lungs into our bodies. We ran all the way to the first road on the right, Marlings Park Ave. Don't it sounds just so posh! Avenues always do, Park Avenue, Shaftsbury Avenue! Stick a number in front of it and it still sounds posh! Anyway, I digress as usual. We ran along there and then turned left. We were going to do a loop and then back up the Avenue after that, if I don't get lost!
I kept looking at all the road signs that we came across and just hoped that they triggered a memory in my one functional brain cell I keep around in my head. So far so good, it all came back to me just as I hoped. It was also coming back to one or two of the others as well. "This is the route with the cat!" I think Tanya said that, Chris also remembered the cat too, and the J.J. remembered the cat! I am so glad it's not just me that is forgetful these days! But what they did forget was the hills! Even the little short sharp one that I asked if they wanted to run up it 2 more times the first time around! This evening though I only suggested that they might want to do it once,,,,,,,more! The second time going up though, we all ran it, the first time we all WALKED it, which is why I got us to do it again!
The loop finished and we ran back along Opington Road towards the round about. Then it was all the way down towards Petts Wood. Tanya needed to leave us at Crossways. Usually I never send runners back alone, but this is the road near the rec anyway, the finish line! We said goodbye to her and we continued up the hill to the memorial Hall and then right on Towncourt and then right again on to Kingsway. A nice little down hill section to finish the route! Nice! A good run today with some lovely ladies!
I woke up this morning to a glorious day! It was a lot milder than it was last week! Not a cloud about, a perfect running morning. I drove to Normans park feeling positive! I parked my car up and locked up and started my warm up walk to the other end of the park for the start. I went to look at my Garmin and that's when I noticed that I had forgotten to put it on after charging it! It's just as well it's a parkrun and having it all timed for me!
I saw Carole and Michael walking over to the start and a ran to catch up to them and we chatted as we walked over together. I didn't know who else would be there today but I was sure there would be a couple more people that I knew at least. There were loads of 'blue shirts' there this morning too, the Zero to Hero group were graduating from their beginners class today! There looked like there were quite a few of them too. In fact there seemed to be quite a few people running, it must be the lovely perfect running morning that has bought them all out! Then I saw Wendimoo and K! They came over to chat to us, I also noticed quite a few others as well, but there were a lot of PWR's that were not here too because of various reasons, I believe John was doing is 150th at another parkrun venue.....no cake for me then! And also there is the KFL races going on a bit later, so they were all saving their legs!
And so the start began. We all surged forward, I said to Carole that I was going to do my own thing, run at my pace and just see how I get on. That was my plan, have fun with parkrun, and just push it a little bit, maybe, if I can! But if I didn't then I wouldn't beat myself up about it! I shall just have to try next time! Put it this way, I shall be aiming not to get any slower than I do today! I will just try and get a few seconds quicker each parkrun that I do while I am running by myself! My quickest this year was when I was running with NaggyNeighbour! All that puking and farting going through the tunnel was not pleasant, although I was blimmin pleased I that I got under 38 even though I was hoping to be 36!
Carole an Michael was running next to me for the first half mile, chatting away so easily like they were out for a stroll. I was running next to them answering with just the one word. When we had run around the little stream I started to fall back, they started to pull away in front of me. So now I was running on my own, well apart from 556 other runners of course. With my plan in mind I plodded along, just a little bit extra than I did last week, I still wanted to try and beat last weeks results, it's the competitiveness!
I gave myself little goals to do, catch up to the woman walking, keep running pass the pavilion, a walking break only after......! It worked for me. It should do, as that it what I tell all my beginners to do, and those that come to group 1! With each tiny little goal I started to feel a little more confident. I can get this 'non stop' 5k under my belt...one day! But for now, it's just getting a few seconds quicker from this week! I can't keep an eye on my timing, I am just going to have to rely on what I feel like as I run, but still make it all about enjoyment as well. There is no need to dislike running, that will just make it a chore!
I kept going, each little goal getting me to my bigger goal, the end! There were walking episodes and there was some running episodes, more running that walking of course. I also had a chat with whoever was next to me when I was doing the walking sections too! Parkrun is all about the friendliness of the runners after all! It was good having a chat with the Zero to Hero runners who were doing their first parkrun, and a couple of little chaps running with their daddy too! One of them said they were tired after the first lap, but he kept going. I think his dad used me as a little goal for the kids after that as they were running behind me. So I tried to keep running for as long as I could. I think they finally lapped me when we got to the woods, (Hook Farm end of the park) for the second time. I think that must have given them some extra energy because they just seem to have shot off then.
I was feeling pretty good about this run, I didn't push too hard so that I found it too difficult, nor did I take it too easy. I think I paced it about right for my new plan. next week I will knock off a couple more seconds from todays result, and I shall remember to bring my own Garmin too! But I won't look at it while I am running! I shall try and do exactly what I did today and then some!
My result by the way was 38:14 mins! Almost a minute and half faster than last week!
So it's just the one run today! I turned up at the rec in glorious sunshine, just like DiscoRich had said it would be! There was not a cloud in the sky, a brilliant morning for running. There were quite a few others there as well, including a new one to Thursday Morning running. She was one of our beginners and now is a club member. She, Charlotte, got there early, as she wasn't sure what time we all set off. And she sat in her car waiting to see if I turned up, because she is not ready to run with the faster runners just yet!
My route was the usual loop of the woods, going the easy way around, which would take us down Goss hill, not up it! We all set off together, heading for Dog Poo Ally. The faster groups getting there before us! Me and Charlotte went through the tunnel to see the middle group head up the middle path. We took the path on the right, straight up to the road. It was quite cold now, the ground underfoot was nice and firm, just as Phil said it was (he was coming into the rec just finishing his run with Andy). I was glad I had company this morning. My solo running, as you know, is taking a while to get back into place. But I know that I have to go to the rec on Thursday mornings just to see if anyone else turns up, so up, out and ready to run I will do it by myself if I have to. We ran to the top of the incline, by the road and I took a quick walking break! My lungs were ready to pop out! The cold weather is great to run in, but it is also a lot harder! And besides, I am still a bit poorly!
We chatted all the way around on our route today, I do like a chat, except when we were on those little undulations, they always get me puffed out. I also had to concentrate so hard on the ground, because it was so frozen over I kept twisting my feet down the ruts and grooves! Charlotte blamed my new shoes! I guess that is one of the pitfalls of running through the woods, especially when the floor is still covered up with the fallen leaves!
The hill at the top of the woods was fun this morning. I 'galloped' down it, you know, like you used to do as a child. Gallop like a horse, with hands hitting the side of your legs! I think Charlotte was amused by my style of getting down there! It really was a lovely run, still chatting all the way around the route. We soon was back to Dog Poo Ally. It was a shame, I felt like I could have gone on for more! But I had to get back, tidy up the house and shower, a double glazing man was coming to my house! I needed to be ready to kick him out of the house if he went in for the big hard sell! (incidentally, he was here for no more that 15 minutes, I told him what I wanted and bish bash bosh, he was out the door)
So geeky stats for this morning! There were a couple of little speedy sections among the slow walking sections! I was pleased with that!
You may have notice or maybe not, but I haven't written anything about Club night run. That's because I didn't go running yesterday! I was eating curry and chocolate cake! Boy was it good, but I left group 1 in the capable hands of J.J. I was out celebrating a birthday with Tracy!
Because of circumstances I didn't get out running with Tracy and Ade this afternoon, so I had to go out by myself this evening! Alone! Just me! Solo! My goodness if that isn't that hardest bit of running in the winter time then I don't know what is! Getting out in the dark, freezing night all by yourself! But, I went out! I went out looking bright as a button, and no, it wasn't because of the smile on my face, although I did have a rather big smile on my face! No, the reason I was looking as bright as a button is because of these bad boys!
What do you think of these!
How they look in the dark!
My birthday presents from my son! I was lit up like a Christmas tree, I would have used them yesterday if I wasn't eating curry! At least using these this evening it helped me with my running mojo! I was so keen to get out and light up Petts Wood! Maybe I should have had a 'Lighting up ceremony' on my own! I only wanted to run about 3 miles this evening. I don't know when I am going to further than that, but I will, I promise! It may come after Christmas, when I am in the right frame of mind to lose weight, get fitter and who knows, maybe even lose a few inches!
I wanted to do a different route, not the usual Turpington Lane and back. That one has got a bit demoralising for me now. So I planned a route in my mind, I didn't know exactly how far it was, whether it was more or less than 3 miles, but that was the route I was going to do. No deviations to make it longer or shorter, just run it, show off my lights and try and have fun! I ran out of the house and up my road then on to Faringdon Avenue to the round about! I was hoping people would be around to see me coming, I don't think they could miss me! But there wasn't anyone around! I ran up Hollingworth road and onto Prescott. I looked down at my shoes and then I noticed that one of my light up laces wasn't lighting up! Boy was I a bit peeved about that! I thought that some how it had switched off by accident. I switched the button and it flashed and then died. Darn it! It must be a loose connection! (I am only saying that now because that is what the Old Boy said when I got back!) So I ran the rest of my run being a little peeved, but at least I still had my arm bands flashing away and one shoe flashing away! It was then that I remembered I didn't pick up my Ipod! I was so eager to get out looking like a Christmas Tree I forgot to pick up my music! Oh well!
I just had to concentrate on my running now. I tried to to worry about it, just concentrate on doing some good running. It wa pretty cold out, but by the time I was on Crescent Drive I was nicely warmed up. I had a long sleeve top on under my cycling jacket! Can you image what I must look like when the car lights hit me! Red flashing arms, purple light up shoes.....er shoe and hi viz on my jacket! There is no way people are going to miss me!
I ran along to Shepperton Road and then straight up to the main road. I ran along to Tudor way. At least there were people around now! They could see me! I wish I knew what they were thinking! I saw a runner as I was going under the bridge, she noticed me and said "Hi!" Not that I like to be in the lime light, but I do like to make people smile! And I think seeing a big old pink clad bird lit up like a Christmas tree would probably do exactly that! It did me! When I first saw these light up laces and arm bands last year I had 'light up' envy! So I had promised myself that I would get myself some for this winter! Having a birthday in November is quite handy when my son had asked for suggestions for a gift!
My route took me pass the Daylight Inn. I knew there wouldn't be too many people outside there this evening, its way too cold, even for the hardened smokers! I took the left turn by the round about and ran passed the One Inn the Wood, a favourite haunt of many a PWR including me! I ran over the 'Troll Bridge' and in the opposite direction was a running pal of mine! I think I was walking at the time too because I was chatting to the chap from the Kebab shop he was walking to work! But then he said to me "Come on, you should be running" and he ran just along the rest of the bridge with me! It made me smile!
So just the last couple of roads to do, Southborough lane, bottom Oxhawth, Farringdon and then mine. Ok a couple more than just a couple! When I was running along Farringdon I found myself walking a couple of steps! "No Old Girl, I don't think so! This is the road where you do not stop!" I thought to myself! "Get you ass back to running" I tell you, I was totally flabbergasted with myself for walking those couple of steps, just by the roundabout! My gast was totally flabbered! I gave myself a telling and got back to the business of running! I reasoned with myself that I was still not feeling too good. I'm still snotty and weak. This cold together with missing mojo and lazyitus is tough going!
I got back home and I saw that I had done 3 miles, exactly what I hoped this route covered. I know I have done this route before but I couldn't remember how long it was, another reason to smile! Yup I enjoyed this run! It was tough, it was tough getting out in the first place, and tough to keep on running when I wanted to walk. Oh, I did walk, the geeky stats will show that, darn it! It's all there to be studied. I study it, I look at it and try and visualise what I was thinking while I was walking. I don't know if it helps me, but I know the next time I do the route, I do try to run on the bits that I walked on!
Saturday morning gave us a rather misty, foggy start to the day! NaggyNeighbour headed out on foot to parkrun while I took the car with Tracy and Ade. Ade, incidentally was doing his first parkrun. I wasn't feeling too bad that morning, although I went out with the Old Boy and my sister in law the night before, we had a rather nice leisurely curry and just the two beers, I wasn't tired, I may have been a bit stuffed from over eating but deffo no hangover!
Foggy by the woods
We made our way over to the start on the other side of the park to where the gathering masses were.....well..... gathering! I looked out for my pals, I couldn't see them. We stood at the back of the pack, where we always put ourselves and then I heard them! "#Happy birthday to you#" came the chorus behind me! My pals had found me, J.J. LittleJ, Wendimoo and Carole. I also looked out for little Matthew, he did his 150th parkrun on this day too. This little lad is still only 14! How did he rack up that many parkruns! Totally impressive. I run with this lad and his dad on Track Thursdays, he is fast, really fast! Of course when I say run, I mean I am on the same track as him as he flys by me!
So my plan for this parkrun was to just get around as fast as I could, comfortably. Not eyeballs out like in August! So I didn't run NaggyNeighbour or with Tracy, or J.J., or my other pals. I had planned to try do this solo! We all started off together, then I started to do my own thing, try and just get into the zone and do well. Just then Ade started running by my side. We started chatting. He was feeling the cold, so I told him not to speed up, he needed to warm up first. There is nothing more that cause injuries then trying to push hard while you are still warming up. About half a mile or so should do it. I ran along next to him, telling him to not run fast yet, until we got just past the football pitches near the finish funnels for the first time. Carole came past us at that point, I could tell Ade wanted to run off, I had a feeling that she would be his race! So I told him to go, but still don't go too fast, it was a blimmin cold morning!
I was on my own again, for a while anyway. Then one of the newbies to our group 1 saw me! We started to run along together. She kept me going the whole way round. When I felt like I wanted to stop and take a walk I couldn't do it! How could I, I was supposed to be a leader! I had to lead by example! We were running at a good pace, not record breaking stuff, but enough to get us in under 40 mins at least! We chatted all the way round, just keeping each other going! We had a couple of walks. I still don't know why I do that! I am really going to have to work hard on that!
As with all parkrun sessions, the friendliness came from everyone "Keep going" "Not far now!" said the runners flying by, "Come on Petts Wood". Now those that said that either knew me or saw my buff, as I was wearing my club colours! I was half expecting the Matthew or Stephen to pass me by! Maybe they did and I was grimacing and didn't notice them. Of course there were quite a few people that passed by us! But as there are only two a bit laps of Bromley parkrun only the really fast ones go past. Still, I half expected the little lad to fly past.
Running up to the funnel I was beginning to lag, but I knew I didn't have to save anything back, I just needed to get through to that funnel......and to cake! Young Matthew and his dad had bought cake along to celebrate his 150th and they had promised they would be saving me a piece of it! It had my name on it! I checked the time, I was slow, I started to think about how long could they protect that cake for! With all the celebrations going on and the congratulating, they were bound to take their eye off that piece of cake and some of the other faster parkrunners, who don't even know Matthew would get their sugar rush from my piece of cake, they would be diving on it like seagulls after your chips! I began to get faster, building up to the sprint finish. NaggyNeighbour and Chocolate were there waiting by the last short straight "Come on Old Girl, you can do it!" she said, "Go on push, push get to the end" she said to me! I sprinted faster and faster pulling away from Kelly by just a couple of feet. I could here her running behind me. All I kept thinking about was "That's my cake" through the cones that guide us into the funnel, the time keeper ready to push the counter, everyone standing watching, walking, chatting.......eating cake! Could that be my cake! Bam! Done it. It's not the quickest, not even the quickest this year. But still, I did it.
As I was walking through the orange netting of the funnel I was thinking, "I pushed it a bit too fast again, I'm gonna chuck up!" But then Stephen called me from the side, "Well done Old Girl" he said and then put a lovely piece of chocolate cake on my hand!! Oh yes!! CAKE I did it! I got the cake! I saw little Matthew as I came out of the funnel, "How did you do?" I asked, "I did it in 19 something" he said! Nineteen something, 19 something, one nine something!! Can you believe that "I was taking it a bit easy today!" he said with a broad smile!
Mind you, I think the hardest bit for him, I have to hand it to the little lad! It was keeping guard on my cake for almost 20 minutes while hungry parkrunners came in looking for the delicious scrumptiousness is amazing! Well done Matthew! Oh and Absolutely well done on your 150th parkrun! And so, here is to the evening! The Petts Wood Runners 10th Anniversary black and white ball! What a fantastic birthday I was having yesterday!
I finally did a double today after having a couple of bad weeks. Ran this morning with the morning Thursday crew and then again with the Thursday Track crew.
This morning I turned up at the rec and there were quite a few people there already. The car park was totally full, but some of these cars are for the tennis people, oh and talking of the tennis people, a woman beeped me again as I was walking up the entrance! She did it last time! I wouldn't mind if the entrance road is a huge long entrance but it's only a couple of feet long, well ok about 50 feet, but still blimmin rude!
There was also one of our beginners there too! She is one of our faster beginners so she will be in the middle group with Nicky! I was there all by myself but I was going to be running with J.J. she had called me to tell me that she could make it this morning, she would just be a couple of minutes late. So we all ran out of the gate, I ran along behind the middle group, just to see how it felt! Blimmin Nora, I was out of breath before we got to the end of the road! I was pleased to see J.J. coming around the corner, as it made the middle group just slow down a bit and have a quick chat with her.
We all headed towards Dog Poo ally after being overtaken by the faster group! Me and J.J. took the right hand path, the same as the middle group. There were pulling away in front of us with every step. Me and J.J. just plodded up the hill. The woods were a bit muddy in places, I had on my old trainers, I think I should have said something to J.J. when she rang me that we would be hitting the woods, her lovely orange trainers might get a bit sticky!
We had a lovely chat as we ran through the woods. I do like running with people, but I know that I am going to have to find my solo running mojo so that I can enjoy the solitude of running again. Last week was an emotional run through the woods, running solo then was probably exactly what I needed to do. Running through the woods with pals though, that is just so lovely! Chatting, putting the worlds to right, getting stuff out of our heads, laughing. No better therapy in my book.
We ran and walked all the way the easy way, all the way down Goss hill. J.J. flew down there! I had trouble keeping up with her. In fact when we were running she was running faster and I found myself having to push myself to keep up, which is good! But the most cutest part of this mornings run was when we ran along the river. J.J. nearly trod on this tiny little furball fluffy thing. I thought maybe it was a dormouse, I am no naturalist so I am probably wrong as to what the furry little creature is, I took a picture of it. I looked up when I got home, and now think it could be a shrew, what do you think.
Little shrew?
Close up!
It wasn't long before we were running through Dog Poo ally again and our run had finished. It was a really good run. I so enjoyed my run this morning!
Geeky stats.
Track Session
I managed to drag my ass out of the door. My cold is a lot better than it was last week, so no excuses. I need to really start to claw my fitness back. PhysioMike had two plans in mind, depending on.....actually I don't know what it depending on for him to decided which one we were doing! Cold maybe? I walked up to the gathering crowd at the top of the track, and I notice Mr. S looking rather dapper in normal working clothes. I thought he might be a bit uncomfortable running around in the gear! Then he told me that he had bought shorts and a tee shirt, it was a tad cold! That was his excuse anyway!
But It could also be the reason PhysioMike had decided on which session we will be doing. For the first ten minutes the faster runners will be doing tempo running around the track, the rest of us will be doing drills and getting our form right for running. Then we all came together at the start line for the session. At first we all had to pair up. We had to pair up with people who run at the same pace as each other. Well, I am the only one there that is from group 1. In fact, I am not sure if there is any from group 2! Do you remember back in the day, during school days at PE times, there was always some one who was last picked for the rounders team? Well that was me........back in the day and now, this evening! There was no-one who ran at my pace. PhysioMike found me a partner tho, a mere slip of a lad, still at school. And I bet if there were team running races he would be in it. You will see why a bit further on in my blog.
The session was par luffs. I know, it's a peculiar name, basically it's relay running. Our partner would run for 300 meters hand over the beanbag (our batons!) and then walk or jog in the opposite direction for 100 meters to wait for the bean bag. And that was to be for about 20 minutes. LittleLuke took the bean bag first and waited at the start line with all the other beanbag holders, and then all us beanbagless others walked back for 100 meters. As soon as we were in place the runners started. I noted that LittleLuke wasn't slow at all, in fact he wasn't the last person to reach the point were I was! He is a fast little lad! Do they not know about pacing, or at least about not running so fast that this Old Girl will be blue in the face by the end of the session!
It was my turn to run around, I tried my hardest to do as well as I could so as not to leave him standing around in the cold too long. But just as I imagined and dreaded, there he was, all alone, while everyone else had taken off on the second run or walking back 100 meters! Boy did I feel a heel! But we kept it going, at least on the other reps he wasn't standing alone for too long as the other runners, all running at different speeds, there was always someone to talk to him!
We had a two minute break! I was so looking forward to it, because every time I ran to hand over the beanbag, LittleLuke was standing there, freezing, but every time LittleLuke handed beanbag to me I was just about arriving at the handover point. He almost ran 300 meters faster than I walked 100! Then we had to do it all again! I must admit that last one, I knew I wasn't going to do another one. I told LittleLuke to just run all the way round. He took off with the beanbag, which was the 100 meters behind the start. As he took off he got about 50 meters and then the whistle blew! My time of torturing a little lad by leaving standing in the freezing cold was done!
It was a good session. I enjoyed it, even with the pressure of having to try and run fast with a partner waiting! Thanks PhysioMike blimmin enjoyed tonights track session.....strangely!
I only recorded half the track session, hey ho, but this is it! Oh and I forgot to record the first 5 minutes too! Tut, so getting old and forgetful!
Yes, thats right, Graduation day for the beginners! And could you believe it I was feeling blimming poorly! The cold virus had got hold of me! But I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I got up in the morning, went over to see if NaggyNeighbour was coming along, but she was in her PJ's still and her boy was firmly stuck to some game! So I went over my car and then just looked at it! "Where did that come from?" I thought to myself as I looked at the sparkly, diamond like frost on my car! I just didn't expect it, I hadn't seen frost in the mornings for ages, not since last winter anyway. So I scraped away that white cold stuff, taking up precious time! We had arranged to meet at 8;30, so that we could all warm up togethter, get the stickers on the graduates, keep everyone nice and relaxed!
Tracy was up and ready, when I eventually got to hers and we drove to the park. Everyone had already parked, met up, got their stickers and had walked over to the pavillion. We walked over to them us had they started the warm ups. Tracy and I joined in and then we all walked over to the start line. I wasn't quite sure how much of this I was going to be able to do, in fact I was already making plans to just cut across the park just so that I could encourage the beginners, run for a short while and then walk back across the green. Of course I wouldn't have put my bar code in to be scanned!
I was pleased that Liz was there, Tracy could run along with her as they both run about the same pace. The buzz through the entire graduation group was amazing, they were all excited, scared, nevous, but they were all positive that they could do this. It was just so wonderful to see it all coming to a finale, watching them as they look around at all the other runners. It was soon time to run, the crowd surged forward, people ran past, buggie pushers, dogs and the humans passed by and then it was just a nice steady plod as we start ran down the first of the short straights. I was still thinking about not running the whole way but when I was running with them I found that I could quite easily keep up with them without dying of breath, so I decided tat I would try to run around the whole 5k with them.
Tracy and Liz were chatting away as they ran along, keeping each other motivated, I just kept plodding along next to them. I hadn't bought my Garmin along, this was all going to be down to what Tracy and Liz could do on their own. I am only there to give them a little push if feel they could do it! They kept going the whole way round, Tracy ran the whole entire way, Liz had a couple of walking sessions, but they still kept going. The finished their parkrun 5k and they wasn't the last ladies to finish! All the other beginners had done so well, most of them running the entire way non stop! The smiles and the laughter and enthusiasm of them all is totally infectious! Now that was better than any cold remedy out there!
Here is a picture of all the Graduates on Saturday 19th November 2016
Tuesday Club Night
After the huge success of the last beginners group we were expecting quite a few of them to turn up ready to tackle PWR's club night runs! We were all prepared with leaders placed stragetically in all groups so that we had plenty of experienced leaders in each group with sweepers, to be able to cope with numbers.
In my group 1 we had 18 runners! Most of them were from the beginners group! There were more beginners that went into group 2 and I think even in the higher groups! I decided to do one of the easier routes in my repertoire of routes that I have. My cold is still hanging around, making me sound worse than I actually feel as talk to all, I still have a bit of a headache but deffo on the mend! I gave out my details at the briefing and then we all met up at stake 1.
My group just seemed to swell and swell the longer we stood there! It's just so brilliant! J.J. and LittleJ and Wendimoo were with me to take care of all the newbies and the regulars as well and also ZippySherry was going to take the middle sweep, just to keep everyne motivated! It's a first fun for my new shoes as well! I need to make this occasion! New Brooks shoes, Adrenalines GTs 15 all for the princely sum of fifty quid! I think that's just blimmin marvelous. It's amazing what you can get if you ask around! So what I didn't get this years latest colour, the fact is, Brooks shoes are always the same, they don't change apart from the colour! My last pair of Brooks had done be just fine, so comforatble!
Anyway, enough of my shrewd shopping trip! So the first part of our run is up the little hill of Kingsway. That's about as hard as this run will get! It's a perfect introdcution to club running, lure them in. let them think that this is going to be just fine and then BAM! Take them around Tillingbourne! No, No, I won't do that! lol. But if there is one thing that the newbies will know is, that no matter what route we do it will have a hill in it some where. Whether it's a short hill or longer hills!
There was also a couple of people who were new, but not through the beginners programme and also a 'returnee' who was coming back. The hill, Kingsway, showed me that there was going to be a split in the group at some point in our run, but I was determined to keep us all together for as long as I could. I took them over the bridge, leading them over the bridge in our 'Scooby Doo' fashion, so as not to wake the troll underneath. To be honest, it was bad for a first time! I was thinking although we were not as quite as we could have been, I think the troll would have been only slightly disturbed! But the beginning of next year we will all be running a lot light on our feet!
All the way around Crest View, the road on the left as we come out of the car park from the bridge, is our next road. We kept running all the way around. My cold seems to be reminding me that it' still around, but I am sure that all this running is doing me more good than anything else! We took a little break at the end of this road for a catch up. This is where Tracy can see her house! It's always difficult when you run pass your house, knowing you still got half your run to do!
Once over the other side we walked for a bit and then started running again once we crossed over Lakeswood road. Crescent Drive was the next long road. We were doing some good paced running, but it was along here that my stilly Garmin stopped as it ran out of battery! Just by Diameter road! more or less half way around our route. Now I had no way of knowing if I was running at group 1 pace or group 2 pace! This is probably where my group wil split in too, but at least now we will be heading back to the rec. LittleJ loaned me her Garmin just so that I could keep an eye on the pacing. I tried to figure out out it went, but I wasn't sure! Oh well.
It was at the top of Shepperton were we all split. J.J. LittleJ. and Wendimoo were going to be running with the slower runners, me and ZippySherry were going to take the faster ones. I decided to use the easier route of taking a right and then left over the bridge. This will take us to Beaumont Road. The undulations here are barely noticable, but we did have to be care because of the road being up!
We were all running so well, the group that I had with me were determined to keep on running and as I said, I wasn't quite sure of what pace were were doing. I know it wasn't at the fastest pace of group 2 maybe the lower end of group 2 pace, but we were doing a good pace, that I was sure. A few weeks of this in group 1 and I could be saying bye bye to a few of them as they move up to group 2!
Along Tudor way I got them to run for 2-3 lampposts then walk one lamppost. Tudor way is not that long of a road, so there is only maybe on walking session along here. Once we cross over Petts Wood road, then it's all out to get back to the rec. Group 2 was running along the other side of Tudor way and Emma noticed that her friend was running with them. She wanted to run along with her once we crossed over.
Everyone wanted to do the fast bit up to the rec! It was blimming good! We ran about 3 miles, just 5k today. Not bad as an introductory first club run!
This morning I met up with my running pals for our usual Thursday Morning run. I had an idea that I would be in a group of 1 this morning, the other two groups were well attended. Then I saw my friend Nigel, Auriol's husband, and I just fell apart! This lovely family had lost their son on Tuesday, but their great faith in God they know that he will be in glory! Today's run will be a very emotional run for all of us.
All three groups were heading for the woods, yes that includes me. But I really wanted to be in the solitude of the woods today, run, reflect...cry! Would you believe I was the first to start running towards the gate, but soon the faster group overtook me. I turned left and ran towards the entrance to the woods. Before I got there the middle group passed me. I suppose I could try.........no, not today, trying to run with a faster group today was not what I wanted. They turned right once we were through Dog Poo ally and I turned left. Although it's the middle of November, and it looked cold this morning I had already warmed up and also regretting that I put on a long sleeve top!
I really felt quite peaceful running through the woods, it feels like it's been a while since I've been here. In the heart of a busy town like ours to have these lovely green woody areas so close to us is just so good. When I enter through Dog Poo I can feel like I leave everything behind, just for a while. I am left with only the thoughts in my head. No need for an iPod in here. The birds singing is all the music you need. Just breathing in the air is just so invigorating! The smell of the damp leaves underfoot, it really is all the therapy that you need, you can do a lot of thinking, praying and crying in here! I was suddenly shocked out of my thoughts by a racing greyhound. He was chasing the train as it sped past me, the train that I didn't even notice because I was deep in thought and mesmerised the the beauty of my surroundings. I came across the own of the dog a little further on, just by the bridge. She had another greyhound with her who didn't feel like running! The running dog came back to his human and doggie companion as I chatted for a minute or so with her.
I continued my run all the way down to the little river and then up again, up, up, up to Botany Bay Lane. I was going to do just a little bit of road work before getting back into the woods. The mood always changes when you leave the woods, it's like having the switch back on to 'normality' again. From stepping over litter breathing in school kids cigarette smoke and getting out of the way of cars! All tensions seem to come on you again.
It wasn't going to be a long road section, I am diving back into the woods as soon as I get to the top of the road. I am not even going down the housing estate with the lovely big house. I am going straight to Scadbury Park and then run along there. The traffic stopped me in my tracks as I waited to cross the road. You don't have to stop in the woods. All these people driving along in their cars too busy to stop for just a few seconds to let a lone person cross the road, taking all of 20 seconds off their time. Too busy to even think about letting me cross the road. I wonder if they even saw me standing there. First at the side of the road and then in the middle. I wonder if they did see me then wished they could be running too.
There were a couple more runners running in the opposite direction when I got to this bit Scadbury Park, well, they were walking actually, and chatting as they took a walking break. I continued on through and then I heard a voice behind me "Excuse me" he said, and I stepped aside and a runner ran past me! I was taking a walking break at the time! I always try to run when I see other runners! It's my 'thing' that I have to do! So I started running again, not that he could see that I was running, but it felt good in my mind! Just then the sun broke through the trees making the woods glow like it had shone on to a golden mosaic path. I just stopped and looked in wonder, I felt totally a peace in that instant. I had to capture this moment on my camera.
Gold mosaic floor!
I continued running on and then I saw the guy who had passed me by. He was obviously doing an out an back. But I think at least that time I was running.....I think! I came to the road, Leesons hill, my run will soon be over. I crossed over and then crossed over the other road to get back into Petts Wood. My run really is over now. My emotions came crashing over me as I thought of my friends, and then I realised what date we are at, at least tomorrows date, the 18th. That was when I lost my mum, nine years ago. Her leaving, my mum dying on the 18th is the day that my life took on a different path. If she was still here with us I know I would be this chunky cuddly nanny, (mind you if I don't keep an eye on my weight that can still happen!) But I would deffo be a very unfit chunky cuddly nanny! I miss my mum so much. I sobbed as all these thoughts came over me, I spoke to Him upstairs too. I needed this run.
By the time I got to the rail lines I was more or less composed, I ran down beside the train line towards Dog Poo ally. My run finished at the rec. I was the first one back, followed by the middle group and then the faster group!
So the beginners course had their last session last Saturday, and the next time they all together as a 'beginners group' will be next Saturday at parkrun! But a few of the beginners are just too eager to get out there and run. A couple of them usually do their homework on Monday, but they didn't do it yesterday so decided that they would come along and meet up with us instead! Of course we don't mind, we love it! One of them has been coming along for a few weeks on a Tuesday anyway!
So with that in mind I started to think that maybe the route I had planned to do would be a bit 'off-putting' and that maybe I should do the more genteel route! I thought it would be good to do this week, get us all ready to be able to encourage all those that will be coming along next week! I thought maybe we could just give it our all this week so that next week we will enjoy even more to be able to encourage our newbies. I thought about it, I voiced my idea to my lovely sweepers, J.J. and LittleJ, and with their help I decided......No..... I should stick to what I had planned! Good leadership skills, stick to the plan.....more or less!
There were 13 of us this evening, a nice round bakers dozen to enjoy all the challenges that this route has! I have every faith in each of them that they will rise to the challenge and to even come to enjoy challenges! Of course when I say 'challenges' I do mean Hills! I told them all about the mantra......you know the one 'Hills are our friends!' It's what I say to myself every time I go up one! Living around here there are quite a few 'friends' to meet up with! So like a good leader I introduce some of these 'friends' I introduced to the beginners today! Tillingbourne Green! Now if I had to describe this particular friend it would be,
"Meet 'Tilly', she is a little cheeky little thing that will lift you up, making you think, wow, that was easy! Then she will lead you astray as she takes you down, as you enjoying the freedom and abandonment that Tilly can offer. Just as you really start to enjoy yourselves she shows her true self! It will turn into a love/hate relationship as you try to get the better of her, getting up to that place where you first met her."
Blimey, I don't 'arf come out with some weird shit sometimes! But you see, this evening I really enjoyed my run around Tillingbourne Green. Because some of the beginners group was here I found that I had to make sure that I ran the whole way up, even though I told everyone to run at their own pace back to where we first started to run around the green! Some of them did run faster than me too! But I still made sure that I ran the whole way!
After that it was the 'training hill'. Now that particular hill is a cheeky little hill! A great one to do some group 1 reps on! I just thought to my self (again something that LittleJ mentioned) that in for a penny, in for a pound, lets do just 2 reps of this hill as well! Of course, those who coming back from injury can just run at a slower pace and only do it once. Because this training hill just cries out for a challenge! So we did it, twice, a quick-ish sprint up hill, rest at the top, walk down and then do it again! It felt good....when we had done it twice! Now for the nice stead jog back to the rec.
Running along the road to the roundabout, had forgotten to listen to my own training advice of head up, as I ran with my head down, looking entirely at the pavement and nearly running into someones garden as I followed their driveway! I think I got away with it, I don't think anyone noticed! Or if they did, maybe the next hill would help them to forget!
The next hill was when we ran all the way down Petts Wood Road, which was lovely of course, but then we ran up towards the memorial hall! Everyone did it brilliantly! This is where Steve left us, he gets a train to come along here and as the station was just a few meters away he decided that he would continue his run to the station instead. The rest of us continued towards the rec. We took the first turning on the right, Towncourt Lane and ran down there! Yes it is a down hill, and you really appreciate it after making 'friends' with those up hills!
We got back to the rec all feeling pretty good with ourselves, and I know it was dark, but I know the beginners that joined us had smiles on their faces! Yes, smiles, I am sure they were smiling!
