Hello blog lovers.
Mojo is definitely coming out of hiding! Back pain and cold virus is on the way out. And old couch potato has been kicked to the kerb! Now lets gets the this marathon training started!
Ok, I'm only running a 5k, but I told myself on New Years Day, that I am going to do as many Parkruns as I can this year, and yet what did I wake up to? Grey skies and rain! I was so tempted to just stay in bed, but I had no excuses to keep me there. Due to my drunken planned two 'dry' months there was no hangover to blame, also due to new diet regime, there was no late night takeaway, so I was feeling as fit as a fiddle for a nice 5k! Why oh why did it have to rain? Is this a test to see if I am totally committed to this, has He got a wicked sense of humour?! When will I stop talking to myself!
I had already decided that my new running shoes will not be visiting Normans Park, I just know it is going to be a muddy run. I am also guessing they may be revising the route, we will be running the winter route, (there is also another name they use for it, but I just can't remember it!) It's basically the same route, but run backwards, with us just staying off the mud at the top of the park (Hayes end) for just that little bit longer......I think!
Anyway, after being cajoled by the Old Boy, for trying to snuggle back down in the duvet, I had to get up and get myself ready. Old trainers on, Garmin on, warm coat for drive back home and then I was out of the door! It wasn't until I got to the car park that I remembered Bims was going to come along as well. So I gave her a quick call to make sure she was on her way, which she was, by the way.
I sat in the car waiting for her. The rain was coming down, my car was lovely and warm, there was good music and I started doing the questioning thing again, "Why, Old Girl, Why? Surely when it's stopped raining would be a better time to go" Then the other voice started, "What if it rains all day, what then eh" This is how my mind goes first thing on a wet morning, while sat in my car in the pouring rain, at ridiculous o'clock in the morning,....waiting for another yet crazier relative of mine to turn up!
"Well it might stop later"
"But it wouldn't be a Parkrn, would it"
"No, but I could make it a longer run, that would be good"
"Could you be trusted to do that"
"I...I...yeah...of course!"
"Yet you can't even be trusted to run in a tiny bit of rain for a morning 5k Parkrun!"
And so that's the inner workings on a crazy ladys mind first thing on a Saturday morning. By then Bims had turned up, and I had 'come back to earth' with a shudder (brrr) as I stepped out of the car to greet her! We started walking over to the changing rooms until we noticed that everyone else had started to walk towards us! That's when I realised that they will be using the wet route. At least we didn't have to walk all the way over to the other side of the park today, and probably not for a couple of weeks by the looks of the field!
It was good seeing some of my running friends, SingstarJo, ChattyWendi, Emma and her daughter, I can't believe it was last year when I saw them all.....oh, hang about ....it was last year! Well, the announcements and safety instructions and rules were all done and we were on the starters orders! And ......Go! There seemed to be an awful lot of people about, and trying to run through them plus stay upright on the slippy mud was going to be a huge challenge (not that I would be trying to run through anybody on this run!) but we set our pace, me and Bims, and ChattyWendi as well! She would be running some of the way with us, but she has been on fire lately, and she deffo wouldn't be hanging about chatting to us. Mind you, we wouldn't be doing too much chatting anyway. My goal, and Bims, was to run all the way round, regardless of time, as long as we run all of it! That was our challenge. It's my challenge! On every run I am going to do, I will try and run all of it! I must build up my endurance for the marathon!
But you can tell that both me and Bims were deffo coming back from that dark, dark place where they turn every healthy fit people into couch potatoes with weeks! The groans coming out of us, you'd have thought we had already done 6 miles instead of 6 meters! I adjusted my pace, I knew I was running off way to fast, but I was hoping that my body wouldn't realise it until I was at least half way through! but of course it did, it always does!
The muddy bits were very muddy, sticky and very slippy. Now normally I tippee toe through the mud, but if I am to run all the way round then tippee toeing is definitely out of the equation! Straight through it, think road Old girl, think lovely sunny days running through meadows, and for heavens sake keep your flipping head up!
When we were at the top end of the park, running on the pavement, I allowed my thoughts to come back again, "just gotta do this one more time" Well, let me tell you, it didn't help! The other end of the park looked so far away! I decided to keep that thought to myself. As we were running along to the river, where we usually cut across the grass I looked towards the top of the park again "It looks so far away, don't it" This time I didn't think it I said it out loud, and Bims answered "Yes, and I am not looking!"
Starting on that second lap some how seemed harder. Why is that? I think it's because I knew exactly was was still left to do. The ground is going to be even more churned up, the mud is going to be totally mocking us, waiting for us to slip so it can cover its self all over us! The faster runners had already been taken over by the mud monsters, as they were totally covered head to toe in mud. It was us slower runners that end up the cleanest runners, which is why mud monsters need us to slip!
I think I only had one slight slip. Maybe be more confident through the mud, attacking it, and not being afraid of it is somehow better. I know that a decent pair of trail shoes would help as well, but for us with just the 'retired' road runners just have to be confident and determined!
The second lap was a lot quieter than the first, as both me and Bims struggled through. "I am going to walk" said Bims, but we were on the pavement, I wasn't going to let her walk while we were on the pavement "Yes, in a minutes, keep going for now" I said to her. And she did, right up to we started our river pass and then she started to walk. But it was only for a few seconds! We kept going all the way round to the other side of the river. "Oh I can't do it, I can't do it!" Screamed out Bims as she started her second walk. "Yes you can, come on move it" I said to her and she started to run again.
At the top of the park it was my turn to 'quite' running! "Aghhh!" It was my turn to beat myself up! We both walked along the path, the flipping easy bit! "As soon as we get to that line we run again, non stop all the way in!" I said to Bims "Ok" she said. We got to the mark and we started to run, the long straight towards Hook Farm, running all the way. Half way down Bims starts talking to herself (It's a family trait) "Get a move on you lazy mare" she was saying. I just kept focused, side by side with Bims "Come on, you can do it" I said,"Keep it going" She fell behind slightly but I could still see her hands as she ran but when I couldn't see them I didn't slow down I just told her to "Move your arse"
We both encouraged each other down the long straight. I noticed that we were gaining on someone. I my mind I wanted to catch up, to over take her, maybe even beat her into the tunnel. She began to get closer and closer, Bims and switched sides and was not trying to play catch up with me. I stayed focused and eventually caught her up just as we started the muddy bit, the last muddy bit of the run! I do go slower in the muddier bits, I was hoping that she would also go slower too.
I over took her! I was feeling bloody good, but she must have been thinking the same as she put a bit of a spurt on. I tried to find some 'dry' mud to run on but I think she had the better line as she over took me. Maybe I can get her back on the pavement, although there will be very little time left for the chase.
She hit the pavement bit 5 or 6 seconds in front of me and then found some energy as she started running faster. I hit the pavement and then chased after her, I left Bims to do her own run, now this is my face. I hadn't planned on 'racing' anyone today, but when the opportunity is given to you, you just got to go with the flow! I ran and ran and I started to close the gap again, and then she turned to see me over her shoulder. That must have turned on the turbo blasters because she just took off! I watched as she ran faster and faster, I tried to close the gap again, a feeling of nausea started to make an appearance, and memories of Thursday was in mind. "Not in front of all these people, oh no!" and I slowed down.
I should have pushed it harder, but there is always next time. I went through the tunnel and then I realised something.......I had actually beaten Bims! I can't remember ever beating her! So at least that was something!
Here is my Garmin geeky stats but my official Parkrun time is 37:53 (three seconds faster, but those 3 seconds can make all the difference in world title runs!) It's good to be back to running!
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