Muddy, Muddy, Muddy, Mob Match.

Photo from Women's running Magazine

Hello Blog lovers.

Saturday park run at a new venue for me! It was also our mob match, against the Orpington Road runners and the New Eltham Joggers. I like doing park runs, just not normally after a very lovely Friday night out with the Old Boy.

As me and Nagging sister were a bit unsure of exactly where the venue is and how the parking facilities are we decided to leave our homes a little earlier just to make sure that we were not late! The phone rang and I answered it. It was Nagging Sister, sounding bright and breezy! How can she, I think she maybe trying to kid me! I wasn't quite ready when she called, I still had to find my old running shoes. We have been told this route is very muddy!

I walked to the car, the sun was shining but it still felt a little chilly. I had a long sleeve black top on with my Pettswood Runners vest over the top, flying the colours of our running club. I couldn't have looked as if I wanted to be there as Nagging Sister said to me
"You look exactly how I feel"
"It's cold, and it's early, and I know its going to be muddy. Tell me why are we doing this" I said to her as I got into the car.

Her car was nice and warm, comforting, and I could quite easily just sit in the car and watch Nagging Sister run around. But that is not the aim. It's a mob match, I must support my club, I love supporting my club when ever I can!

We found the park, no problem there! The parking was great, again, no problem there. The sun was shining, it looked fabulous out, no problem. We walked over to the start. The mud stuck immediately to our shoes. There was our problem! It built up as we approached the pavilion, the start of today's Park Run. Waiting, waiting for the start. Shivering, chatting, laughing and general camaraderie as we waited for the off.

The man with the mega phone, he started the count down "Three, two, one, go!" and we were all off. The course looked long, it looked huge! It looked bigger than Normans Park, even though it isn't. When I was told that we have to do three laps my heart sank to my very muddy boots! I know its only 5k, but psychologically it looks so far. Mark said he had run this course last week,
"When I got to the 2k board it felt as if I had already ran 2 miles" he said. Well, that doesn't surprise me, our Mark has been known to get lost on the odd occasion.

The first corner was just about 10 strides away and already we had a faller. It seemed as if he had taken out another runner as well! He was wearing a white shirt, but now it was carrying the ParkRun badge of honor, a great big muddy streak across the front and the back! I think the other chap had his badge of honour too. Note to self, take it easy when running on very slippy muddy grass.

I was being very girly about the whole muddy thing, and also, I just didn't want to land up on my ass! I don't want to do any damage to myself to jeopardise my marathon training, (it's a very good excuse today, and must remember to add that in the Old girls book of Excuses) I was being passed by everyone! I think if I went even slower I would  be passed by the sweeper marshal as well!

The course has bit of tarmac to run along. I noticed a runner on the floor. As I got nearer I saw that it was Nagging Sister, clutching at her ankle, one of our group leaders was with her. I stopped and asked if there was anything I could to.
"No, it's ok, go on, you just run" So with that I left her on the floor with Sue. A marshal came to look after Nagging Sister and Sue caught up with me and told me that she was being cared for. But from then onwards I really did concentrate even more on not falling over. Watching out for the really sticky muddy parts and the tree roots as we ran passed the tree lined lined path.

Oh, by the way, when the megahorn marshall heard about her fall he put a loud 'ambulance sound on his megahorn and ran across the green to give assistance, much to the embarrasement of Nagging Sister, who insisted he turned it off. Oh, I wish I had seen that!

The next little bit was through to the rugby field. Oh my goodness! A little boys dream place. a huge sticky wet puddle which took the whole width of the entrance to the field. There was no way to go around this, or even go through here running. Tippy toe through the mud, and, if you're like me, then trying to find the driest bit of mud to step on! (which there wasn't any there at all) Now I know why they said 'Old shoes if you have them!' Running around the rugby field was as sticky as the park, but the exit point to start the second lat was again one huge muddy puddle! Why am I here!?

The second lap started and I was still pacing along with a lady in grey flowery socks! She over took me, I over took her, as we ran around the second lap. I wasn't quite the last one, I do believe there was one other person behind me, well two really, a young lad with his dad! I wish I wasn't so girly when it comes to the whole muddy experience!

The second lap was uneventful. I think everyone had got the measure of this course now, and knew where the more sticky danger points are. I started to get lapped by the front runners, the Orpies had all their best runners passing me.
"Good going Pettswood" they said as they passed me. Although we have this rivalry going, its all in good fun. And usually if the mob match was on our own turf and during pub opening times, then we would all end up in the pub enjoying a pint together.

I was approaching the marker boards, lap 1 and 2 turn left, lap 3 straight up! I was still having to do the turn left part. Through the sticky patches. Three laps does seem a lot for a 5k! But the Garmin has it right! One more lap and I would have done 5k.

I was pleased to to be doing the third and final lap, and not having to go through to the rugby field as on this lap we just run straight up to the pavilion, get our token and a nice cup of tea and piece of cake! It was another careful, slow lap. Give me nice tarmac any day, well, only in the raining season! I love running through the woods and trails and parks, but this mud, yuck! No thanks.

The lady with the socks was ahead of me now, I was tired, the muscles in my legs ached slightly as I overcompensated trying not to slip over in the mud! (Ooo look, another excuse for my book) but this was the last lap, thank goodness.

No more incidents of people falling over, no more mud, but plenty of cakes and a nice coffee. We run so that we can eat! Oh yes. I love running! Muddy puddles and all! Oh and Nagging Sister has quite a sprained ankle, here is a picture of it, for the squeamish I suggest go straight to geeky stats!




Nagging Sisters swollen ankle

Geeky stats, oh and my official park run time for this course was a very slow 37:06, the slowest park run I have done so far! And don't forget to go and buy the magazine, its out now, a great read and you can read all of the interviews that we did.