Sunday 28 February 2016

Three Runs And A Curry!

Hello blog lovers.

I have a lot of writing to do!  I have had an extremely busy time just lately!  Totally unlike me I know, so my writing had to take a back stand.  Three very shortened versions of three very different runs.

Wednesday

The start of a busy days!  After Toddler group I met up with Tanya, we are working on getting her faster and fitter, and then she will join in Group 0.  We started off our session with 4 mins of running and two mins of walking.  We are really going for it, she is also going to be coming back to the beginners course and working hard there as well.

We ran around the park twice with in the 5 lots of walk/run sessions with a slight detour to Normans Park Track, as we wanted to see it.  She did really well and I hope gave her some confidence that she can do it!  She had told me that she had been running by herself while we haven't been meeting up, which is all good.  That's determination, that's what is going to make her fit!

Wednesday Night

Ok, so this  strictly wasn't about running, but it was running related.  One of our members in PWR had a brilliant idea of all meeting up for a curry!  So 60 of us said yes!  Now how can 60 people all book a table at the local curry house? Well the answer is it's not possible really. but we can book the restaurant for the night!  How cool is that!  We all met up at The Sovereign Of The Seas pub for a swift pint (although I had coke as I was driving!) and then we all walked out of one door and into next door were the restaurant was!  

A fab night was had by all.  Here is just a couple of photos!

Me, DottyKat and J.J.

J.J. Michelle, Nicola, Sue and Wendimoo

DiscoRich, sue, Wendimoo and Trish



Thursday Morning

I met up at the rec with DiscoRich and all the others.  The faster group had planned to have a mid-run stop at a coffee shop today, just for a change.  But I couldn't plan to meet up with them, but I did give the rest of the my group the option of going there too with the route that I had planned, although none of the ladies wanted to do that.

I took the middle of the woods path, my plan was to run down Goss hill.  I should remember to check the mileage on my Garmin sites so that I know exactly where to run because I had forgotten!  So the run  was a bit of a mystery tour, just see where we ended up and how long we had ran for.  

It was still pretty sticky in the woods, I was glad that I bought my old trainers to run in, especially as I was taking Kirsty out for coffee, so I needed nice clean trainers for after my run.  We were doing pretty well with our running, and I felt sure that we were running more, but it was still slow going through the sticky muddy stuff. 

We had ran down Goss Hill and along the river, the sun had been out but it had crept behind cloud.  It was still a a perfect day for running.  By the time we got up to the railway lines I realised that we were going to be short of a 5k run.  So I quietly said to the girls "So we shall be turning left here and going back up"  I said it very quietly, and I wasn't sure if they heard me, it was just going to be a surprise for them!

But they managed it pretty well.  there was a lovely tree up her, and I took it as a great photo opportunity, (and a quite stop!)  but I am sure you agree, it really is a lovely tree!

Tracey, me and Diane

Tracey, Dianne and Trish


This path took us right up to the top of the woods again, and then we had the joy of running all the way down the middle path to Dog Poo ally!  A great run, great company and they still smiled even after I made them run to the top of the woods twice!


There wasn't anytime to run in the evening as I had to alter my dress for a Ball I was going on Saturday!  Kirsty's Ball, it was to raise awareness and funds for cystic Fibrosis and St Christophers Hospice!  

Beginners Course!

Our twice yearly beginners course started this Saturday!  Of course I jumped at the chance to help out, to be ready to encourage all those new people wanting to get them selves fit!  But this time was slightly different, as this time I was one of the leaders, one of those who actually stand out there and let them all know what they will be doing and then doing it with them!  On top of that, after me and Sherry had a worked out a schedule, I was to be the one to take the lead on this first week!  How scared did I feel!

I shouldn't have been worried, Sherry was there with me, DiscoRich was there, he actually introduced us all to the eager runners, and there was also PhysioMike and Trish.  But it was still scary!  I had hope they all hadn't noticed too much at how much I was shaking in my boots, there were 61 pairs of eyes on me, waiting, probably just as anxious as I was with what was in store for them, but all there ready to start at new chapter in their lives.

I tried not to waffle on too much as it was quite a chilly morning, but to see so many people on a chilly morning was positively encouraging for all of us a PWR!  I was  given a whistle by DiscoRich, which  I was pleased about as I thought my whistling through my fingers probably wouldn't show my leadership skills to their max, and I got the session under way!

The session was a walk around the green twice followed by drills and then the walk run which for the first one was 1 min running and 5 minutes walking!  I know it probably sounds quite a lot of walking, but for someone who has never ran before just running for the 1 minute is going to be a challenge, having a five minute walking break after that is something good to focus on!

Five times we did the run/walk around the green followed by a cool down stretches.  First session done of the first week of the first beginners course this year!  And my first time being the leader on a beginners course!  What a brilliant feeling that was!  I just love this running club!

  

Tuesday 23 February 2016

Club Night - On The Starters Pistol!

Hello blog lovers.

What a lovely evening to go for a run.  Of course it was chilly, we are still in winter after all, but it's not raining or snowing, and there is no frost on the cars, in my mind, that's perfect!  I had good feelings that this run was going to be a good run.

I took them all on a route I had done only once before, but this time I was taking them in the opposite direction!  So it's going to be doubly confusing for me!  I felt pretty sure we will all muddle through if we all work together!  There were a few newbies to group 0 this evening, one coming back from illness, he was with his wife, both of them usually run in group 4/5 and 1, respectively, and also another lady coming back to running, trying to chase down the illusive mojo!

The route, if you have a good imagination (like I obviously seem to have) looks like the starters pistol at a race meet.  I won't tell you what some others have said, but we shall just stick to it being a pistol!  The hill section of this evenings run is at the almost the very beginning of the run, just as we run down Crossways, we turned right on Petts Wood Road and then....run up it!

Compare this to the original route
and to that we did tonight!


Not all the way up though, which I think everyone was quite pleased about, but it's still a good warm up if you take it nice and slow and steady, I think it's actually the steepest part of Petts Wood Road, but shhhhh, don't say anything.  There is no racing off in this group, so whoever got to the top first had a bit of a breather!  We took the first right turn and then the next right turn.  This is where it's all still new to me, I am not sure of these streets, and considering the last time we did this route I was running in the opposite direction it does look all a bit different! I think I did pretty well to remember that much!

I knew once I got them on to Tudor Way, then it will be all plain sailing..... or running from there!  I still find it incredible that I have become a leader in the best running club around, my sense of direction is not,... well, it's not the best, hardly 'Sat Nav' standard!  And getting my left and right mixed up, always, is a challenge too! I am not sure that DiscoRich thought it necessary to ask if I was good at directions!  If the truth be known I could get lost going around the block!

Without too much difficulty, and with asking for directions (I know, it's a female thing!) we got to Tudor way and made our way under the railway bridge to do the other half of our run.  From here I got them all to do the lamppost to lamppost thing. or at least run 3 lampposts walk 1 lamppost!  Get them to do as well as they can today, give them some confidence for moveup Tuesday next week.

I know one of the group 0's 'jumped' over already to group 1, which is just amazing!  That's what it's all about.  There is a new beginners group started this Saturday, some more amazing people to start their love of running!  My mojo is getting back slowly slowly, still got to find my 'solo mojo!'  I know it's in there somewhere, but for now I am just over the moon that I have my club that I can run with, it's them that are keeping me running!

We finished of this evenings run with a choice of directions.  We can still stick to the plan, which is the pistol shape, or we can take the shorter route, or longer route.  We actually settled on an intermediate route!  You got to love this club!  We cater for everyone!


So geeky stats for you, and I have drawn on a picture of the original route, just to show you what I was, but with the slight detour, it's gone a bit weird

Thursday 18 February 2016

Love Thursdays!

Hello blog lovers

Thursday Morning


Thursdays morning saw a couple of extra bods out for a muddy run through the woods.  It was a cool morning but not the promised snow that was forecasted!  Which was good, but I was expecting the woods to be a bit muddy to say the least, but I wasn't worried as I had my old shoes with me!  I had told the others that we would be going through the woods so they were prepared too!

There were six of us in my group, a few more in DiscoRich's group.  Diane was with us with her daughter Hollie, here only because of school holidays!  One of the benefits of being a teacher! She aquired her nick name today, Tigger!  She was bouncing around, even when we were having a catch up stop, such boundless energy! Mind you, in DiscoRich's group they also had a 'school worker' but a pupil! I'm not sure of what her age is but I think she is either year six or seven, so young!  But she was going with her mum in the faster, longer distance group!

I started out first with my group, but we soon moved to the side to let the other group run pass by us.  In through 'Dog Poo Ally' both groups went, with DiscoRich taking his to the right heading for Scadbury, our destination after running through Petts Wood.  We were running up the middle path, I was thinking that that would probably be the 'easiest' way, but it really was a case of 'lets just wait and see'  Janet said that it was raining last night, I think I must have missed that, being all nice and cosy in my blanket!

To be fair, it wasn't that bad going through the woods, of course there are the big puddles, but having my old shoes on I just ploughed on through them, or I ran on the little gravel path that the water has created as runs through the woods.  It got paticularly bad when got to the top of the middle path and ran to the left.  It's a bridle path so it's a little churned up.  Trish noticed the difference between my running last week and they way I ran this morning!  'You can tell you got your old shoes on' she said as I merrily splashed through yet another deep muddy hole!

I think the best bit was walking along the path that has been separated by a wire fence, one side for horses they other side for walkers.  I usually just stay on the horses side, but today we went on the walkers, just to see if it would be any better. Well ........it wasn't. and he is a couple picture to show you just what I took my group through today,


Did you notice the little pink people in the background, well, let me enlarge for you.



When I saw this photo it made me laugh out loud indeed.  I've yet to get Hollie....oops Tigger to embrace the mud!  From here we turned right and faced a lorry taking up the whole road.  There were busy fixing the big holes that were there, filling them up with gravel, so maybe next time we run up here they will be all sorted.

A bit of road work to do now, while those on last weeks run try and remember the history lesson that David gave us last week.  I think we remembered quite well and should easily smash the test that David said he will give us later in the year!  I wasn't going to take them through the housing estate today, we were going to touch on Scadbury Park now, well, the faster group were running through it we can as well!  It didn't take long to get through there, our run seemed to be going pass so quickly now.  I don't think we were particularly fast it's just so lovely being out here!  The sun had even come out to shine for the last bit of our run.

We got back to the rec feeling pretty good with muddy shoes and legs!  Apart from Tigger!  She seemed to have hovered over the puddles, but looking at the picture up above, I can see how she avoided the puddles!

Geeky stats




Track Thursday

So now it's time to push myself hard!  I hadn't looked at what PhysioMike and CoachHels had planned for this evenings session, it will be a nice surprise!  I got to the track along with about 20 or so others all ready and looking forward to what was in store, strange I know, as it's going to hurt!

The sessions was a 15 minute run at 10k pace then a rest, and then 4 sets of 3 minutres running with a rest in between each 3 mins, and then the 15 minutre tempo run again!  This really is a very tough session.  I am really going to have to work hard.  I am determined to get fitter, I know it's not going to happen in an instant, but it don't stop me wishing that it would happen like that!  A magic pill!  Take it and then the next morning voila....healthy, fitter, lighter! Why does it taste so good getting fat, and why is laying in on a Saturday morning feel like the best morning ever spent!  I don't know.  For an old ex-couch potato I really have to dig deep to see the love of working hard!  But I know it's all doing me good.  

At the end of the session I always feel like I could have done better!  I beat myself for a few minutes, only a few minutes, before reminding myself of what I have actually achieved with the new active lifestyle I started on back in 2008.  Not bad really, not bad!  So next time Old Girl........work blimmin harder!!

Geeky stats for the track session.

Tuesday 16 February 2016

Club Run - Taking It Easy!

Hello blog lovers.

I was wondering if I was going to make a club run this evening after feeling really shite yesterday.  But when I woke up this morning my headache at least had gone, and I was just left with slight sneezes and sore throat.  I think I am quite resilient when it comes to fighting colds, they rarely come to anything when I get them!  So no one running after me making me tea and toast to get better!

I decided that I would take Group 0 on one of our easy routes anyway, especially as last week was a particularly nasty little surprise for them.  Besides my ham string was still reminding me that I tried to break records from a cold standing start on Saturday!  Our club is getting bigger each week.  We now have 11 groups.  My group being 0 running, at 12-12;30 pace, and each group after that getting progressively faster and longer distances!  We have every pace covered I should think!

In my group there were about 8 of us and we were the last out of the park.  I took them right then right again, up the hill. which is virtually the only 'noticible' hill and then we went to the memorial hall.  I like this route, it's fairly flatish and a great route if you are not 'feeling it', as if makes you feel like you have done a lot of running!  Running is all what is happening in your head as well as whats happening to your body.  Being part of a running club also is a great motivator, and being a leader is even more of a motivator!  Because sometimes when you're not 'feeling it' but you know that once you are with your mates, you are going to be glad you got out there!

We all got up that first little hill with no problem, Jenny said that she felt good getting up there, no stopping!  Brilliant.  It just shows that we are all improving so well!  With a short walking section to the hall and then running, nice a light, just like Scooby Doo!  Running over the bridge while we practise this 'Scooby Doo'  style running is an excellent opportunity.

It seems to me that once we run around Crest View, we seem to be 'running home'.  Even though we are actually running in the opposite direction.  What I mean is, that to me, we seem to be half way through our run, yet it seems that we only just started!  Maybe it's because this route really is such an easy route to do.

We were all running well together, with not too much of a gap.  Everyone was running and chatting well, I think they were all pleased it wasn't like it was last week!  Well, you can have hard runs without having the fun runs as well, can you.

All too soon the run was coming to an end, but I did remember to run down Little Thrift today, just to make sure that we have a full 3 miles for a club run!  I did enjoy todays run, especially as I didn't think, yesterday, that I would be able to run today!

So geeky stats for you









Sunday 14 February 2016

Parkrun Shenanigans!

Hello blog lovers.

So when there are celebration runs to do then we get up an do them!  Today was Wendimoo's 50th Parkrun!  I met the girls in the car park of Normans Park, and we all sat in the car waiting for the star attraction, our Wendimoo, to arrive.  When she got there, she was presented with a balloon, a card and a delicious cake!   We tied the balloon on her ear warmer hat thingy, so that everyone will see her.

We made our way, with the cake, to the Pavilion, and to a 'before' photo of all of us!  There, this is us, with another lady who is also running her 50th!

Other lady, Janet, me, J.J. and Wendimoo
We walked (ran) over to the start of the run time was getting on, it was pretty darn cold too, so good to try and at least look as if we were warming up!  I could already feel my legs wanting to seize up!  Oh well, this is all for Wendimoo anyway!  If I get round, I get round, if I don't, it don't matter!

We were at the front of the crowd for a change, I think maybe Wendimoo was on a mission, but she said that she just wanted to start from the 'gun' time rather than a couple of minutes after. We were standing very close to the starter and time keeper, so as soon as she said "3, 2, 1, Go!" we were off. Now if you know our Wendimoo, she is tall with legs that go right up to the top!  Talk about cover ground with just one stride!  Well I was already pulling away from her, and of course when I say 'pull away' I mean that she was stretching out her lead in front of me, on the the first long straight!  I think she only had done about 10 steps too!  So I grabbed a chance to get an action shot of our leading lady.

By the time we got to the third corner my leg really cramped up!  I guess running without warm ups in freezing weather and trying to keep up, is probably not a good thing to do!  But of course by then the runner within decided that 'I had started so I will finish!'  What on earth was I thinking earlier, 'if I don't get round it don't matter'  I must have still had my sleepy head on!

So I limped and ran and walked around the next two laps! Two laps!  The winter route for Normans parks has us running around 3 times.  I can cope running laps at the track.  Track is different, it's track.  But doing laps for park run, well I just don't like it! The summer route, with just twice around the park, going across the middle, is so much nicer than this winter route.  Bring on the summer!

As you can guess, it was a slow slog round, but it was tons of fun.  Wendimoo came in to huge cheers a good few minutes ahead of me, J.J. and Janet!  And then there was cake!  Even better bit about parkrun today!

Some pictures of the cake cutting ceremony!



Congratulations Wendimoo!  I guess I should start working on getting my parkruns to 50 now!

Geeky stats


Thursday 11 February 2016

Thursday Double!

Hello blog lovers.

History And New Paths!

It was such a perfect winter running day today, I am so glad it's like this on a Thursday morning, it makes for such wonderful runs through the woods.  And we did go through the woods, even though we almost changed our minds when we got to the bridge.  But let me start from the beginning.

I pulled into the car park to see all the others, ready for the off.  They park was bathed in glorious sunshine.  Although the air was still chilled I could feel the sun warm on my back, I just knew I had to go through the woods today.  The frost on the grass made me think that maybe the frost had got to the paths in the woods.  I had contingency plans if it was still too muddy in there anyway.

The route that I took Janet, Trish and David after we entered the woods through 'Poo Ally' was to the left.  I had planned to get to the walking bridge, then head down to the river.  But the path was muddy.  I had my 'good' shoes on, I really was hoping that the ground underfoot was going to be hardened by the frost.  We picked our way through the muddies bits, ran on the solid ground but it was a slow slog.  I know if I had put my old shoes on I would just have 'gone for it' and ran through the middle like I normally do. I would even have gone through the middle with my good shoes if I wasn't going to run this evening.  I didn't want my shoes to get to wet and muddy.

We got to the bridge where I stopped to discuss strategies.  We could go over the bridge and run along the roads, taking in the three parks.  At least then we will get some running done.  But David looked down the path, "It looks ok really, we've probably run through the worst of of" he says.  I looked up at the steps, thinking about the pavements, the cars, the fumes. Yes we will go through the parks, but we will still have to run along the roads to get to each one.  I looked down the path.  He was right, It didn't seem that bad, and maybe we had already ran the worst of it.  "Oh, go on then, lets finish off through the woods, muddy shoes anyway, we can always bash it off"  So we continued along the path and then down towards the river where we turned left.  The path along the river, in comparison, was clear from all the muddy puddles, we could run along here, feeling the sun warm us up, chatting as we do.  

But then came the Goss hill.  I looked up at it and just thought, "I gotta try to get up there"  David and Trish went up first, they will be able to run it quite well.  Janet went up next, I insisted!  I thought then that if Janet walked then I would walk!  A great reason for being sweeper!  But the path was a bit muddy going up, so it was again another slow slog up there.  David and Trish made it, running, all the way to do the top!  One big high five to them!

The path along the back of the school was just fully of deep puddles and I ran side to side, straddling them. but being very careful because of the barbed wire along the top.  I thought as I was running along here that I may change the route.  Go straight up Botany Bay lane to the very top, and then run along the road before popping back into the woods. We got to the bridle path and looked along the path, I could see that it was muddy too.  So that made up our minds.  Straight up! 

Once we got to the top of the road David then told us some interesting things.  The house that is on the left was once a mansion.  and at the back of here is an avenue of trees that can only be spotted on google maps!  The chap that used to live there had apparently lived in Australia before but he loved this area so much, he called the road Botany Bay Lane!  There is the history lesson, at least some of it.  The next interesting thing was that St Nicolas church was built in the 1300's, so I think David said that was when Catholic churches the mainstay of the community back then, although now it is a Church of England church.  But also the mechanism that works the clock in this church is the same as that of clock in the tower of St Stephens Tower, commonly known world wide as Big Ben!  But this mechanism, was actually put in two years before.  I think I have that right, don't I David!  It also keeps brilliant time, I think just 5 seconds over a week faster/slower, which I can't remember!  I think David is going to test us at the end of March!

So that's the end of the History lesson, and quite frankly I am amazed I still remember this late in the day!  It just goes to show what a wonderful run it really was!  We got to the top of the road and I gave another option, through the woods on the other side or through the houses, and then the woods on the right hand side.  We chose the houses, just because we just love being nosey!  I was telling the girls of the wonderful house that was down here that inspired my 'romantic' style blog last year, 'Into The Veil' if you would like to have a read of it!  We will still go into the woods from here.

The houses are gorgeous along this road, some big huge houses, some smaller ones, and some extremely large bungalows!  We ran along to the end of the road, with the entrance to the woods just ahead of us.  Back into the woods, with the birds singing, the sun was still filtering through the trees, lighting up the not only the woods but smiles on our faces.  It feels just so fresh and free to be in the woods.  I was feeling pretty lucky to be able to do this and I said it, "I was just thinking the exact same thing" Trish said.

We ran along to the woodsmans house and David said "Stop!"  I felt another story coming up.  He then began to tell us the the path on our right is the only place we the rhododendrons grow, along both sides of the path creating a beautiful corridor in the summer when the bloom.  "Well, we just got to go down there" I said to everyone, and they all agreed.  I had never been down there before, it's always nice to try new routes, new paths, to get to know more about this fantastic place on the doorstep of the metropolis that is London.

Soon 'Poo Ally' came into view and our run was nearly at an end.  It wasn't the most fastest run, or indeed the longest run but it sure was an interesting run.

Geeky stats for you all.

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/1046734655' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>


Track Time

As it is Thursday it does mean track.  I had to turn up today, it seems my blog from last week had inspired Nicola to 'try out track'  It wouldn't look good if I didn't turn up!  Besides, I do like pushing myself harder on track.  So now is the time for excuses.  I was feeling tired, my legs were a little complaining, but I just thought to myself 'Do as much as you can, just make sure that when you are running, you run as best as you can"  Did I listen to my own advice? Meh!  I know I could have done better, I know I should have done better! And next week I WILL DO BETTER! There I said it.  

When every body else was doing 5 laps in one go, I did 4, when it was time to do 3 laps in one go I think I did 3, and then we had to do 4 x 2 laps.  By that time I was just happy to do 1 lap, rest and then see if I had time to do another lap!

While I am running around track I marvel at the runners as they run past me, lapping me.   The very first section of todays session I had ran around the track one time and just as I started to do the second lap then the first of the runners ran past me. So that means he was running twice as fast as me! Right?  I didn't feel so slow then, only twice as fast as me, it could be worse he could have lapped me before I even got to the end of my first lap!

It was quite a chilly night but I soon warmed up, although I didn't take off a layer, just my fleece that I had on when I had arrived.  I took that to mean that I should have worked harder!  But these days I try not to beat myself up, well, not in my blogs anyway, on track you can hear me calling myself all sorts!  I am out there doing it, twice on a Thursday I am running, trying to get fit and lighter!  Thats all that matters, and yes, just as Mr. S. said in one of his Facebook posts, I am beginning to really enjoy my running again!  But still........'Work harder Old Girl, ok'!!

Geeky stats.

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/activity/embed/1047398542' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>



Tuesday 9 February 2016

Club Running - Hill Surprise!

Hello blog lovers!

After yesterdays storm Imogen, meaning inactivity for me, I was looking forward to getting out, burning a few more calories, thats how I am seeing it at the moment!  My weight loss regime is going really well....shhhhh, I won't saying anymore in case that plateau thingy happens!

I wasn't sure how many I would have in my group today, it had turned rather cold this evening, after have a lovely sunny day, a case of calm after the storm!  Plus it was really raining earlier, that always puts people off too.  But one thing about being a leader, it does give you motivation to get to the rec!

I had planned doing our first route, up Birchwood and the then right, and then cross over to take the left turn.  The little hill is what we use to do a tiny bit of hill training when we run this way.  There were 6 of us today, Janet, Auriol, Jenny, Chris, Casey (I think that was her name, I have a lousy memory) and me of course.  We made our way out of the park and up the hill, the first of the hills.

At this point I still had it in mind to do the usual route, even with running up the little hill a couple of times, just to get them working hard.  But when I got to Tillingbourne Green I looked across the street and started thinking about going around the green.  It's got a couple of cheeky little hills as well as a nice down hill.  It will give us a work out, especially if we take a running sprint up them!

Well, you could say they were not expecting that!  I wasn't even expecting that, but it is good to mix things up a bit!  I know on a thursday I have been known to change routes, take a different path, head off in a different direction, but usually Tuesdays I do try to stick the route that I said!  The girls were looking at the task ahead, and there were mumblings in the ranks when I said that we are going to sprint up the hills!  Do you know what!  They all did blimming brilliant!  They all got up there, the improvised hill training route didn't phase 'em one little bit!  Piece of cake!

After we ran around the green we still had the little hill to do!  Of course it was another sprint up the hill.  As I had changed the route I didn't know how far we would have to go after running down and up Petts Wood road.  Whether we turn down, Towncourt, Manor or Silverdale road depends on what the distance is when we get there.  I am trying to make sure that our distance is between 3 - 3.5 miles, I know last week I short changed them!  I surprise the didn't lynch me for depriving them of their full 3 miles!

It was Silverdale road that we chose, that would get us back with in time and having done over three miles!  We all stayed together, it was a nice tight run today, even with those cheeky little hills!

Geeky stats for you.



Thursday 4 February 2016

Doing The Double!

Hello blog lovers.

What a lovely day today.  I can't believe how well my back has got better and I feel I can run for ever, although when I do my body tells me to 'Sit the heck down woman!'  I didn't listen of course.  I am back into training. What I am training for I have no idea, but you just never know whats around the corner that might take my fancy.

So the first run was this morning, with the Thursdays.  We had a new bod with us, Tracy, she hasn't been on a Thursday morning run before, but she is hoping that it will be a regular thing.  Janet was there as usual and Trish and we also had ZippySherry with us too.  So a nice sized group to go running with.

I did feel like running today, even though I love the woods, running through there I think would be difficult, so it was the Cinder path that was our option today.  I shall work up to the 3 park run again over the next few months.  We set off at a nice pace chatting like we do towards the Tudor way and under the bridge.  I was looking forward to getting to the Cinder path, away from the smelly noisy traffic.

I was wondering if it was going to be flooded still, I think we did have a bit of rain last night, but I don't think it would have been up to flood levels.  ZippySherry was running with me in front and I was finding myself keeping up with her.  It's good to have someone push you just a bit more that you're used to.  I know that when I go running by myself, I do tend to get a bit lazy, which is why I enjoy going to the track.  I know that I am there for hard work.

But the morning run was still a leisure one, we could chat for most of it.  I was still not ready to do the extra loop around, although I think next time I will do it!  I have a feeling that all it is, distance wise, is one lap of the track, round about, totally doable!  Sherry, Trish and Tracy did the loop, which me and Janet just held back and waited for them.

Usually after we have done that we run all the way down next to the traffic until we get to Tudor Way again.  But there is the Cinder path, running parallel to us, there are bridges and entrances along the way to get back on to the path.  So I decided that we would turn down the next road to see if we can find one of these entrances.  Why should we be running, getting healthy and fit yet breathe in all of that fume from the cars?  It's a no brainer, get back into the woods.

So that's why the course looks like a golf club!  We just like breathing in fresh clean air.  Love running with the girls, and I can really see me getting back my mojo to how it used to be, I am loving being outside!   So geeky stats for you, not quite group 1 pace yet, but we are working on it!



And so to Track.  You gotta love track.  As I said to Tracy this morning, I likened track to a treadmill but it's outside!  When you think about its true.  It's spongy, you don't go anyway, and you can put as much effort into is as you want/can.  But the only thing is......track is 10 times better than dreadmills!  for a start, all of your running buddies are on the track at the same time, you have expert coaching from PhysioMike, and every time you (read as 'I') get lapped the encouragement I get from them is.....well encouraging!

The session today was quite tough, only if I work hard of course, it was four lots of 8 mins running with the last thirty seconds we had to sprint, then really sprint, then sprint like we had stolen something!  Three and half minutes of rest between.  Sounds so easy when he said it, just running for 8 minutes but I knew I had to run faster than I usually do!  That's where the change is going to come from, that where the improvement is going to start from.

The first 3 laps took me 8 mins, I managed to finish just at the start.  I was pleased with that, that's 1200 meters in 8 mins, not too bad I think.  The next 8 minutes was a little harder as my legs started to complain. But I kept running, for the whole of the 8 minutes.  I was looking forward to hearing that whistle, even with the sprints. But I finished a little further way from the start.  The next 8 seemed to be even more harder.  My legs were wondering where that 3 and half minutes rest was, if seemed to go by so quick.  I thought I would just take a little walk to catch my breath when I head a "Come on Donna" come from PhysioMike!  Darn it I was spotted, how did he see me all the from there, I was about a quarter of the way around the track!  He must have a sixth sense to runners who walk when they shouldn't!  It was just what I needed to hear though and I started running again, with a smile on my face for getting 'caught! I finished that section of the session even further from the start, so definitely a bit slower!

The last one, the last 8 minutes to do.  In my mind I felt like we had only done two lots, had we still had to do one more.  When I heard that this was the last 8 minutes I just thought that I had misheard PhysioMike that we were doing 4 lots and in fact that we were just doing the 3.  I still believed that until I got back here and looked at the stats and can see it!  Right there, 4 lots of 8 minutes of running!  I was so exhausted I forgot to switch my bloomin Garmin off!  And it record some of my journey home, so totally mucking up the average speed, grrrr.  I wish Garmin could allow you to alter things like that, just cut out bits of your run, alter it for when things like that happen!

Oh well, here's the geeky stats.  It was a brilliant session, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.....weirdly, and totally feel I an keep going on my weight loss programme and fitness programme!  Thanks Mike!  a great sessions today

Geeky stats,  as you can see, a nice steady pace all the way round each 8 minutes run, so not too bad




Tuesday 2 February 2016

Club Night - New Vests!

Hello blog lovers,

I'm back and feeling pretty good! My back hasn't twinged hardly at all today, and I feel that the week long rest is just what I needed.  Now I am ready to get back on track with my weight loss programme, Healthy eating, lots of exercise and two more months booze free! (Apart from slight hiccup on 27th of this month!)

So I hadn't let the troops know what route I was doing, I was just going to do the nice and easy route, going up Kingsway to Towncourt Road, and then left to Petts Wood, over the bridge, and.....well, you can see on the geeky stats where I took them all.  All leaders of the groups were given new Hi Viz vests to wear, I put mine on hoping it would go over my hips and was pleased that it did!  But the thing kept riding up, so I loosed it (It was a tabard type thing) and let it 'flap' about while I ran!

We had a newbie with us, a 16 year lad.  We do get chaps in group 0, but generally chaps are very competitive and they just progress through the groups as quickly as possible.  So at the moment, he was the only lad here, among about 8 regular Group 0's.  I wondered if he would find us a bit too slow.  My observations about youngsters is they just go full out and try to get to the end as quick as possible.........with no training!  But the thing is, they can usually do it!  But I was chatting with him, and he seemed to be enjoying running along with us.  We were not to slow for him, just right, so maybe he  understand about pacing.  I guess when you do sports you get to know about all these sorts of things, he used to play rugby! The usual members were here, J.J. Wendimoo, Janet and Auriol were there encouraging the runners, and sweeping. Jenny was back after missing last week too due to illness, and well as Charlotte and ...... darn it, I forgotten her name!  But all were there, enjoying the milder weather.  So much better than last week!  I was glad I was laid up!

On some bits of our run we were running at faster than advertised pace, and other parts slower, but altogether it was still a very good run!  We all kept together fairly well, quite a tight run today.  With a couple of sections for them to 'stretch' their legs with a fast paced running.  Everyone I think a a brilliant run!  It feels good to be back to running, it was only a week, but boy did I miss it!

Sometimes it takes an enforced rest to help you get back to loving the exercise.  I am well on my way to falling in love with running again!  Just the matter of a couple of stones between me loving running to bits!

Geeky stats! And I was surprised to see it was a figure of 8, I sure I must have done something different to the usual route!  I have looked at my routes and now I can see where I went wrong!  At least I know the figure 8 route is a nice easy run, just to get people back to running after injury, just like me today!