Park Run!

Hello blog lovers.

I have completed two park runs on the trot now, and there is a very good reason for that.  Spider put an update of the current leaders of the PWR Grand Prix, a leader from each running group. guess what? Some how I had managed to nab first position for group 1.  Now, in my mind that is a challenge, to try and stay there, at the top, in the running (sorry about the pun). In reality, it could be that I am the only member of group 1 that has done some of the races in this years Grand Prix! But, I don't think so,....no.....I'm sure there are other members of group 1 that had done some of the races. But it's by the by! I am currently in the lead. And today is the last park run of the month in which there is any point scoring, (after that I shall have to enter at least 1 more race!). So I just had to get up and go and run.

The morning was just perfect for running.  Yes, it's a bit chilly, but it is just the end of winter, at least it's not raining.  The sun even showed itself for a short while.  The ground seems to be drying out slowly, not so much sticky and wet as sticky and spongy!  There seemed to be an awful lot of runners today, maybe it's the sunshine that has bought them all out.

I lined up ready for the off.  I wasn't sure if I should just go to the front and try my best, or start from where I usually do, at the back, with the other group 1 ladies, the new recruits that is, J.J., Kay and Janet. So I decided to start off with them, and then just do my own thing on the way around.

I had on my PWR vest top under my shrunken hoody, and by looks of the sun trying to make a positive move to stay out, I expect to be losing that to the bucket at the first 500m.  The count down began, I started off this new app my friend had told me about, Strava, (I downloaded it so that I can keep an eye on his training for the 'Tough Mudder') and also pushed the button on my Garmin, well, I thought I did! but there were quite a few 'beeps' going on I thought It was mine and didn't really check! I had just ran to the first corned before I realised that I hadn't actually started it! Grrrr!

It's probably just as well, now I have no pressure of the tell tale Garmin beeping at me, it is all going to be seeing if I can push myself that little bit harder.  Just after I started my Garmin, my hat blew off, it was a bit breezy on that first long section!

I found myself passing a few people, there was also a few people passing me.  I passed a couple of ladies who were having a lovely chat on the way around, they didn't seem to be out of breath at all!  Then I saw a young mother with her daughter up ahead. I tried desperately to catch them! They were my race!  it wasn't until  the second time of getting to the starting point that I actually passed them by, and that was only because the little girl stumbled a bit. It was fortunate that she was holding on to her mums hand.  My next race was a couple, he was chatting away to her, encouraging her to keep on going, "This is the last time going down here now" I could imagine him saying to her. I passed them! I was pleased with that, but then I slowed down again. Darn it! They passed me by.  I think then that he must have said to her "We need to keep PWR lady behind" because I just couldn't pass them again.

On the last few meters, of course I started my sprinting. EncouringMan saying to his wife "Keep going, give a little bit more" as he heard me running up behind them. They put on a bit of a sprint, I sprinted faster to try and pass them by but that just made them go even faster! I could hear him all the while urging his wife on, to give a little bit more!  They reached the tunnel before me! It was a good race, and I thanked them for giving me a little bit of a workout at the end. "You made me run faster" said his wife, and we both laughted. 

That's what park run is about.  Encouraging everyone to give a little bit more, to push yourselfs a little bit harder, the friendliness of everyone encouring and cheering you when you run pass people or they run pass you!  And the friends that you can make at the end, along with a cup of tea and cake,  as you chat about your run, and how you did.  Yup, I like park run!

Geeky stats, for you, but the official Parkrun time is 34:40, so it was slightly quicker that last week!  I shall have to see if I can go even faster now, and try and get a PB!