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| This is just at the other end of the path from the bridge |
It's been a while but I eventually managed to get a double run today. But not the track though, but let me tell you about it from the beginning.
This morning I picked up Tracy to go for our usual Thursday morning run. It was a pretty damp morning and it got wetter as we ran along. There were quite a few people missing this morning when we turned up at the rec, numbers were well depleted in the two faster groups, some were at the races others had work! Our group was quite healthy, number wise! I decided that I really needed to go through the woods. I knew that some of the ladies wouldn't like it as it was going to be muddy! But I am not a heartless leader, honest, its true, I was going to choose the easiest, probably the dries parts of the woods to go through, throwing in some road work too. The best of both worlds. I get to run in the gorgeous woods and the ladies will get to keep their shoes fairly mud free!
Instead of going in through the woods via Dog Poo Ally I ran up the road a little further and turned right into Little Thrift. There is the two ally ways here, the left path goes to Jubilee park over the new bridge the right path goes through to Petts Wood and Hawk Wood, over the two old bridges. We were going right, over the two bridge and then straight on to Botany Bay lane. I do love this name for this road(?) path, it is a very pretty path, I love running up and down here. Thankfully it wasn't that muddy.
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| This is the gate where I rested after getting up the fist bit of Botany Bay Lane |
We ran down to the little river, then it was the up hill to the gate and the lovely house there is there. I just set my sight on the gate and ran it all. It was a struggle, 'Hills are our friends' did not come jumping into my thoughts! Once the other ladies caught up, that's, Auriol, Tracy, Kay and PinkLadyJo, we had a bit of a rest, and then a walk to the first post, where the electric lines are attached. "Ok, let's see how well we can get up to the next flat bit, count the posts that you pass as you run" I said to them. I started off, Auriol by my side and a steady plod up the hill. The other girls fell in behind going at their pace. I started counting, 1, 2, 3. It's not a particularly steep hill but it's enough to get you working hard if you put you mind to it, 4, by now Auriol was just behind me, 5, 6, 7. I didn't quite make it to the 8th and final one. I should have done, I should have pushed that little bit harder to get there. next time. Auriol said that she got to post 5, the other ladies I could see were running up, I didn't know if they had done any walking on this bit, but PinkladyJo came up to us and she said she hadn't stopped at all, and she got further than me! Brilliant.
Just getting up to the road now we had to pass by the side of the school. There are trees planted all along here and some of the school kids were hiding there having a cheeky ciggie! Oh I remember those days, good old school days, having a fag behind the gym! Long time ago! Now were had a bit of road work to do, along the front of the school and on towards the Tigers head. More school children, well actually I should say students outside the school gate, not smoking this time, just chatting away. A little further up I saw some other ladies, three of them sitting on the steps of some building, I don't know what the building is, I don't think its part of the school, I always thought it was where the nuns lived, but there were all sitting there having a smoke too. "Go on girl" they said to me as I huffed and puffed my way towards them "You're doing well" they said. I just indicated that I would like a puff on the ciggie! "She wants a fag" said one of them to the others "She probably would do as well" said Auriol as she past them. I just laughed!
We got to the main road and then crossed over to run through Scadbury park. Just the edge of it and only just a little bit of it as I knew it was going to be pretty muddy. This was to be our last bit of running through the woods. We came out to run on on the pavements, try and keep the speed up get a good run in. I think I was running a bit fast though as Auriol said to PinkladyJo that it was her turn to 'keep me company' in front. Ooops!
We finished our run down Birchwood, smashing! Love running down hill. The rain was really coming down now, a fine misting rain but enough to get you very wet. I needed to get back and showered before I go see Kirsty so I said to the ladies I would do my stretching at home, they all agreed that they will be doing the same too! A lovely run, I am glad I managed to get out.
Thursday Evening
So, here is my evening run, it wasn't at the track either! It was way to easy to say that I couldn't cope with the marathon sessions that PhysioMiketheMod had planned for all those doing the marathons in the spring. The sessions are perfect for them, I kind of look at them and think "hmm, maybe that's not for me" and then don't do anything. I usually can just go along and 'do my own thing' based on what PMTM has planned, but then NaggyNeighbour suggested that we could go our running early in the evening do our own thing, as she didn't really fancy doing the marathon training too. So that's what we did. Pounding the pavements is not what I like to do, undulations usually slow me down and I get despondent, so I suggested we still go to Norman Park but run around the park instead, do the Bromley parkrun route instead! Three laps, about 3.5 miles, perfect for a Thursday evening!
We drove to the park and had to go around to the Hayes entrance (after going in through Bromley entrance and speaking to the security guard who was about to lock up) And then it started! The nagging. I wanted to do just a little bit of a slow run to warm up! Oh no, "Well, that's what we are doing" says Naggyneighbour "Come on". Hmm, yup I have missed running with our Naggy! Of course the first half of the lap I was chatting away, and keeping up, or I should say she was staying down with me. I know that Naggy can run a lot faster. I was quite pleased actually because she had the light! I had forgotten to charge chest light!
The first lap went fine, I think, the second lap was a different story. My lunch seemed to want to remind me that it was still very much with me! I had one of those ding ding curries from Sainsburys! When I bought it I had actually forgot what day it was, even though I had been running in the morning, but the thought of a little curry popped into my head when I was thinking about lunch and so it just had to happen!
The second lap, it was interesting. Naggy couldn't believe the....um noises coming from behind her as I burped my way round. It wasn't pretty and it certainly wasn't pleasant. How I managed to keep the whole of my lunch in place I don't know! Suffice it to say that a couple of 'tasty burps' is really not pleasant. Being a lady at that point was totally out of the question too. Thank goodness we had opted to do the park and not the track is all I can say about that, although I do enjoy the track! I shall be back to it soon!
The third lap was a big struggle, as I plodded on after Naggy, my garmin had ran out of battery a long while ago, I think I managed to get the first mile on there! I was just relying of Naggy to let me know the pace. I kept on doing small walking sections, Naggy refused to stop so I had to run faster to catch up to her! She then told me, after we got to the very last Pavilion on our run that if I had just slowed down my pace she would have slowed down but because I had stopped running she kept the pace going and I had the hard work to catch up! Oooo, she's an expert, isn't she! I might try that on one of our Thursday morning sessions. Mind you, that will mean that I will have to run non stop all the way from beginning to end!
But not a bad run, in the dark, around Norman park. It was also quite warm, I opted to wear short sleeves for this evenings run and I was sweating like it was midday in August! Surely this should have dealt with that curry I had for lunch, oh and that chocolate eclair! And I wonder why I am not losing weight! tut!
No geeky stats, but I shall grab them from NaggyNeighbour!
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