Hello blog lovers.
I have just looked back on the last 10 days for my blogs. From the 18th August until the 28th August, I have done 8 runs and 1 cycle ride (which I am still behind of writing up!) That's nine activities in those ten days. I had a lovely relaxing bank holiday yesterday, becoming very much the couch potato. And today I am here running again with my club.! Thats just daft! Even I know that I should have a rest day! Just as well I had yesterday off really!
So it was no surprise to me that I have some aches and pains showing themselves. The route I had planned had a few undulations in there, and it's all going to be on the pavements. It's too dark in the woods now, even to just touch on it for a short while. Our route was one of the old winter routes, the first one that our new group 1 did. At least there, if I have some faster group 1's then I will do some hill training.....in fact.....I think we should all do a bit of hill training anyway!
There were 14 of us today, and the lovely LittleJ is back with us. and we also a new face with us too, a lady coming back from injury, she is doing it the proper way, working her way through the groups until she gets back to her preferred pace.
When we come out of the rec we turned left and the ran along to the end of the road. Then we turned right to run up the hill! The biggest hill first, get it out of the way! That was a toughie. Still warming up and then we had to run up the hill to the very top! It's a great cardio workout thats for sure. I took a stopping break there, mainly because I needed it myself. "I used to like you" said one oour group "I don't even like me!" I said as struggled to gain control of my breathing!
I took them to Tilligbourne Green, I like this little route, it has the cheeky little hill to do some practise pushing yourselves just a bit. And that's what I did with them. Three times up and down the hill to get them all fitter and stronger for when it's move up week and then feel they want to go 'explore' group 2.
I did two reps of the hill before the pain in the hip showed up! It was anything two painful, but it certainly made it's presence known! I just grinned and bared it for the rest of the run from the hill. Most of the others did the 3 reps with just a couple of ladies staying at the top with me.
The way home was pretty much uneventful. I did try rally troupes from group 1 to try doing the Assembly league on Thursday evening and I would join them if they did. But as they didn't have enough of group one to come along I decided that I wouldn't go along either. But there are maybe 2 going from group 1 so not too bad! Oh well, maybe next Year
The down hill and the up hill of Petts Wood Road was tough, and we still had just a mile to do! "Just go for it, Old Girl" I said to myself, and then found all the excuses of why I should be walking. I got the front runners to run down Little Thrift while the others at the back had a chance to catch up. And then it was just a few roads along before we were finished. My hip wasn't liking it, the slight ache in my knees had gone, so silver linings and all that! But with just a few hundred meters to the rec I pushed and pushed as far as I can to finish the run. It was a tough one, but I still had fun!
I am literally falling asleep as I write this. So I am going to upload the geeky stats and not write anymore. I don't think I have missed anything.
Tuesday 30 August 2016
Sunday 28 August 2016
Solo Run!
Hello blog lovers,
Finally, I've been on a solo run! Was I as tough on my self as Naggy would have been or even the Old boy?......Nah! Was I as tough on myself as I am with my group 1 runners, or my other running buddies?.......Hmmmm So so! I was just happy that I was finnaly out!
That mojo really does help with the running! I don't know what it is, and if I did I would bottle it and make a blimmin fortune out of it by selling the stuff! I had to get up real early......well, 7 in the morning, just so that I could wake up and prepare for my run. The Old Boy was up as well, he was going cycling for 20 or so miles. Me, I was really thinking about creeping back into my pit! It, looked like it was going to rain! But that still, quiet voice in my head said "Get out there now, any little tiny excuse not to go any you will take it!" So there I was wresting with myself, "Come on Old Girl, get out there for goodness sake!"
So I procrastinated a tad more before I finally got out of the house! My music in my ears and I headed up to Farringdon Ave and promptly stopped and turned around! The ear phones fell out of my ears! I wasn't feeling it, they were the wrong ones. I couldn't possibly run with these ones. I couldn't find my 'sports' ones just these old round shaped Ipod earphones! They just dont do it for me! I went back and looked some more, for my others. I still couldn't find them but I found the newer 'weird' shaped earphones that came with my Iphone! A quick change over, and reset my Garmin and started again!
I was just going to do my usual plod to Turpington and back. Not going to beat myself up, just run and have some fun with it! With that in mind I plodded on my way. It was about 08;05 and I was out on a Sunday morning running by myself! Well, I wasn't smiling! But I wasn't feeling like I want to go back and not bother! I was thinking, when I got to the top of my road, "I can't wait to be coming back down this way!" And for me, that's a big plus, because any other time I have tried to do a solo run I suddenly had things that needed doing!
It wasn't my fastest time around this route, but.....blimey, I gotta stop using 'but', that word is just as bad as 'an excuse' but I don't know what else to use! I wasn't planning on running my ass off, not like I did yesterday, today was just all about me getting out on my own again, and looking for my mojo, which I am sure is not really in Naggy's tummy. I think she will be safe next time we go out running together!
Running along Oxhawth towards Farringdon Ave was lovely, had this perfect tune playing on my Ipod that just kept me at a perfect pace, it was 'Can't you See' by the Allman Brothers Band. For me it was a perfect running tune. Just as I was crossing Lovelace I heard a someone behind me, in a car! It was Naggy herself! Blimey, now was I running or walking when she saw me! I just don't know, I must have been running, yeah, I think I was! I stopped and went over to her car and chatted to her, and I told her that I wasn't going to fast, just nice to get out and do you know what she said......well....she said "You worked hard yesterday, you shouldn't be knocking yourself out today!" Well that was music to my ears, it was like having a free choccie bar or something! After I said goodbye to her I put that tune back on just so that I could run at that pace again. I actually ran down Farringdon Avenue with a smile, it felt like the old days, the days when I used to dance along to some of my tunes and thoroughly enjoy my running solitude!
I got back to my house and stretched out in my garden, and then just relaxed for a couple of minutes before I went for a shower. But before that happened the Old boy came back from his ride and asked me to go with him. He had lost his cycling rain jacket! He wanted to take the car and drive the route the he tooke, from the place he noticed it was gone to the last place he saw it! Alas we didn't find it! We stopped off for a takeaway coffee and Costa's in Petts Wood and who should I be standing behind, but the Petts Wood Runners Sunday coffee runners! They had just finished their run and we going to indulge in a coffee and treat!
Here's my geeky stats.
Finally, I've been on a solo run! Was I as tough on my self as Naggy would have been or even the Old boy?......Nah! Was I as tough on myself as I am with my group 1 runners, or my other running buddies?.......Hmmmm So so! I was just happy that I was finnaly out!
That mojo really does help with the running! I don't know what it is, and if I did I would bottle it and make a blimmin fortune out of it by selling the stuff! I had to get up real early......well, 7 in the morning, just so that I could wake up and prepare for my run. The Old Boy was up as well, he was going cycling for 20 or so miles. Me, I was really thinking about creeping back into my pit! It, looked like it was going to rain! But that still, quiet voice in my head said "Get out there now, any little tiny excuse not to go any you will take it!" So there I was wresting with myself, "Come on Old Girl, get out there for goodness sake!"
So I procrastinated a tad more before I finally got out of the house! My music in my ears and I headed up to Farringdon Ave and promptly stopped and turned around! The ear phones fell out of my ears! I wasn't feeling it, they were the wrong ones. I couldn't possibly run with these ones. I couldn't find my 'sports' ones just these old round shaped Ipod earphones! They just dont do it for me! I went back and looked some more, for my others. I still couldn't find them but I found the newer 'weird' shaped earphones that came with my Iphone! A quick change over, and reset my Garmin and started again!
I was just going to do my usual plod to Turpington and back. Not going to beat myself up, just run and have some fun with it! With that in mind I plodded on my way. It was about 08;05 and I was out on a Sunday morning running by myself! Well, I wasn't smiling! But I wasn't feeling like I want to go back and not bother! I was thinking, when I got to the top of my road, "I can't wait to be coming back down this way!" And for me, that's a big plus, because any other time I have tried to do a solo run I suddenly had things that needed doing!
It wasn't my fastest time around this route, but.....blimey, I gotta stop using 'but', that word is just as bad as 'an excuse' but I don't know what else to use! I wasn't planning on running my ass off, not like I did yesterday, today was just all about me getting out on my own again, and looking for my mojo, which I am sure is not really in Naggy's tummy. I think she will be safe next time we go out running together!
Running along Oxhawth towards Farringdon Ave was lovely, had this perfect tune playing on my Ipod that just kept me at a perfect pace, it was 'Can't you See' by the Allman Brothers Band. For me it was a perfect running tune. Just as I was crossing Lovelace I heard a someone behind me, in a car! It was Naggy herself! Blimey, now was I running or walking when she saw me! I just don't know, I must have been running, yeah, I think I was! I stopped and went over to her car and chatted to her, and I told her that I wasn't going to fast, just nice to get out and do you know what she said......well....she said "You worked hard yesterday, you shouldn't be knocking yourself out today!" Well that was music to my ears, it was like having a free choccie bar or something! After I said goodbye to her I put that tune back on just so that I could run at that pace again. I actually ran down Farringdon Avenue with a smile, it felt like the old days, the days when I used to dance along to some of my tunes and thoroughly enjoy my running solitude!
I got back to my house and stretched out in my garden, and then just relaxed for a couple of minutes before I went for a shower. But before that happened the Old boy came back from his ride and asked me to go with him. He had lost his cycling rain jacket! He wanted to take the car and drive the route the he tooke, from the place he noticed it was gone to the last place he saw it! Alas we didn't find it! We stopped off for a takeaway coffee and Costa's in Petts Wood and who should I be standing behind, but the Petts Wood Runners Sunday coffee runners! They had just finished their run and we going to indulge in a coffee and treat!
Here's my geeky stats.
Saturday 27 August 2016
Got To Get Fast ParkRun - Yes I can!
Hello Blog Lovers.
Naggy made sure that everyone saw me agreeing to come along to parkrun run today, by asking me on Facebook last night! So this morning I went over to her house and we made our way to Normans Park. It's the seventh anniversary of Bromley parkrun, so there is a bit of a party atmosphere and not only that but we are running the course in reverse! Starting from the other end of the park, so at least we don't have the long walk to the other side, but it does mean that we have the long straight running upwards!
I was in two minds as to what I really wanted to do.Especially after Martin, the Run director said that we should take it easy, it is warm afer all, and it is fun! But still, did I want to just plod around and see if I can do well by myself, or do I run with Wendimoo! Well I have missed her chat! Or......and this is subconsciously what I really want.....do I get Naggy to try and get me to sub 37, preferably 36 minutes? I opted for Naggy! Of course I did. Well, if I dish it out to all those that come under my wing then I must be prepared to have it dished up to me! I don't tell people to do something if I am not prepared to do it myself. Pushing through the mental barriers! It's going to be blimmin hard!
My last parkrun was 38 minutes dead, so now I am attempting to try and cut off 2 minutes! Well that is something I dont tell the beginners to do, I usually say try and cut of just a few seconds each time! At least each parkrun will be a PB! See, I'm not just a pretty face.......seriously at the moment I am not......hot flushes does nothing to make you look good, even when I'm not running!
We started our run, I think I even managed to start my Garmin virtually the same time as the whistle went! So the time at the end should be the same as mine, but I won't be looking at my Garmin, I was thinking of running gadget free, but I just love Geeky stats! I just had to do it! Naggy was on my case straight away, "Ok, this is a good pace, keep this going for the whole way round and we will be on for a 36" Literally from that moment it was non stop.........encouragement from Naggy!
I ran the first mile, no problem, I usually do run the first mile no problem, once I get over that initial starting off. And then thats when my Psyche starts on me. And that is where Naggy comes into her own. She kept me going for another half a mile maybe before I did a walk, which really was only for a few seconds, but it's a big be fat No No in Naggy's world. "You can do this, it's all in you mind" she kept saying to me. I know it is all in my mind, at least I think it is, it's probably with my mojo to be honest! I know I had it before! I just kept glaring at the back of Naggy! Maybe my mojo is somewhere 'inside', you know just like the 'Fifth Element' that blue singing creature! Yeah, mojo is there, just got to get closer!
When I did walk a bit too long then Naggy came behind me and starting shoving me along, "Oh no you don't" she said, "You wanted me to push you, and that's what I will do" She's tough! But she knows me, she knows what I can do, probably better than I do! That second lap around the park was really tough for me! Going down the ........no I shall re-phrase that, going up the long straight seemed like a 10 mile stretch before me. The heat was getting to me by this time, Naggy had bought her water, I did have some of that a bit earlier!
I really wanted to do well. Doing this in the opposite direction does make it 'feel' different, seems harder....or it could be that it's just warm, and I was running a bit faster than normal and other factors! I stopped running and gave out a "argggh!" "Don't you stop, you can do it" said Naggy. Just then a chap came running past me "Don't give up, don't ever give up, keep going" he called back at me as he ran on by!
From the car park at Hook Farm end of the park I really tried to stay focused. Naggy was giving me a count down of what time was left for a 36 something finish. I really wanted it, I really wanted it. I ran as best as I could, "Look, there's the yellow sign, there's the funnel, you can do this, under 37" she said, "Come on, you can do it" "I can do it, I can do it, ys I can!" I was saying in my head, I tried to pick up the pace just a little bit more, I ran as hard as I thought I could, the yellow sign getting nearer and nearer! And then it was over! I did it. I stopped my Garmin as I went past the 'counter' marshal and then walked along the long, long.....long funnel!
Oh boy, I must have really did pushed hard, I mean really hard, especially that last bit. My stomach decided that it no longer wanted anything in there! I started heaving,.....and farting as I walked to the end to collect my token, but the heaving wouldn't stop! I was nearly sick in the funnel, but I managed to 'hang' on for just a little bit longer, just not long enough! I had to run out of the funnel, ignoring my token, to puke up by the side!!
My goodness, that was awful! The puking bit, not the running.....all though that was pretty tough also! After just a few minutes of sitting on the grass, getting my breathing all right again I got up and walked over to the water to grab a cup, gratefully received from Carole.....one of our newest PWR's from the beginners group this year. She and her hubby are doing brilliantly! Both of them got in before me, and looking totally at ease with it all! Sterling stuff!
Geeky stats, oh and my official time for parkrun today was 37:12! One second quicker than my Garmin!
Naggy made sure that everyone saw me agreeing to come along to parkrun run today, by asking me on Facebook last night! So this morning I went over to her house and we made our way to Normans Park. It's the seventh anniversary of Bromley parkrun, so there is a bit of a party atmosphere and not only that but we are running the course in reverse! Starting from the other end of the park, so at least we don't have the long walk to the other side, but it does mean that we have the long straight running upwards!
I was in two minds as to what I really wanted to do.Especially after Martin, the Run director said that we should take it easy, it is warm afer all, and it is fun! But still, did I want to just plod around and see if I can do well by myself, or do I run with Wendimoo! Well I have missed her chat! Or......and this is subconsciously what I really want.....do I get Naggy to try and get me to sub 37, preferably 36 minutes? I opted for Naggy! Of course I did. Well, if I dish it out to all those that come under my wing then I must be prepared to have it dished up to me! I don't tell people to do something if I am not prepared to do it myself. Pushing through the mental barriers! It's going to be blimmin hard!
My last parkrun was 38 minutes dead, so now I am attempting to try and cut off 2 minutes! Well that is something I dont tell the beginners to do, I usually say try and cut of just a few seconds each time! At least each parkrun will be a PB! See, I'm not just a pretty face.......seriously at the moment I am not......hot flushes does nothing to make you look good, even when I'm not running!
We started our run, I think I even managed to start my Garmin virtually the same time as the whistle went! So the time at the end should be the same as mine, but I won't be looking at my Garmin, I was thinking of running gadget free, but I just love Geeky stats! I just had to do it! Naggy was on my case straight away, "Ok, this is a good pace, keep this going for the whole way round and we will be on for a 36" Literally from that moment it was non stop.........encouragement from Naggy!
I ran the first mile, no problem, I usually do run the first mile no problem, once I get over that initial starting off. And then thats when my Psyche starts on me. And that is where Naggy comes into her own. She kept me going for another half a mile maybe before I did a walk, which really was only for a few seconds, but it's a big be fat No No in Naggy's world. "You can do this, it's all in you mind" she kept saying to me. I know it is all in my mind, at least I think it is, it's probably with my mojo to be honest! I know I had it before! I just kept glaring at the back of Naggy! Maybe my mojo is somewhere 'inside', you know just like the 'Fifth Element' that blue singing creature! Yeah, mojo is there, just got to get closer!
 |
| Look at all them missing mojos! |
When I did walk a bit too long then Naggy came behind me and starting shoving me along, "Oh no you don't" she said, "You wanted me to push you, and that's what I will do" She's tough! But she knows me, she knows what I can do, probably better than I do! That second lap around the park was really tough for me! Going down the ........no I shall re-phrase that, going up the long straight seemed like a 10 mile stretch before me. The heat was getting to me by this time, Naggy had bought her water, I did have some of that a bit earlier!
I really wanted to do well. Doing this in the opposite direction does make it 'feel' different, seems harder....or it could be that it's just warm, and I was running a bit faster than normal and other factors! I stopped running and gave out a "argggh!" "Don't you stop, you can do it" said Naggy. Just then a chap came running past me "Don't give up, don't ever give up, keep going" he called back at me as he ran on by!
From the car park at Hook Farm end of the park I really tried to stay focused. Naggy was giving me a count down of what time was left for a 36 something finish. I really wanted it, I really wanted it. I ran as best as I could, "Look, there's the yellow sign, there's the funnel, you can do this, under 37" she said, "Come on, you can do it" "I can do it, I can do it, ys I can!" I was saying in my head, I tried to pick up the pace just a little bit more, I ran as hard as I thought I could, the yellow sign getting nearer and nearer! And then it was over! I did it. I stopped my Garmin as I went past the 'counter' marshal and then walked along the long, long.....long funnel!
Oh boy, I must have really did pushed hard, I mean really hard, especially that last bit. My stomach decided that it no longer wanted anything in there! I started heaving,.....and farting as I walked to the end to collect my token, but the heaving wouldn't stop! I was nearly sick in the funnel, but I managed to 'hang' on for just a little bit longer, just not long enough! I had to run out of the funnel, ignoring my token, to puke up by the side!!
My goodness, that was awful! The puking bit, not the running.....all though that was pretty tough also! After just a few minutes of sitting on the grass, getting my breathing all right again I got up and walked over to the water to grab a cup, gratefully received from Carole.....one of our newest PWR's from the beginners group this year. She and her hubby are doing brilliantly! Both of them got in before me, and looking totally at ease with it all! Sterling stuff!
Geeky stats, oh and my official time for parkrun today was 37:12! One second quicker than my Garmin!
Thursday 25 August 2016
Double Double!
Hello blog lovers
What a beautiful day it was today. And for me, and a few other PWR's it started early! Yup, you heard, this Old Girl got up early to start the day with a run! Well, it was early for me, I know that people start work the same time, the Old Boy for instance and others, you can tell that by the traffic on the road! I even spotted a friend of mine on his way to work on his bike! And yet there I was just going to park up my car to start my day with a run! Perfect really.
The chat in the chat box was all about getting up early to beat the heat, I found myself agreeing to it! I text Wendimoo and she was up for it too! So that was that, I didn't have any kids to look after so it a run was just what I was looking forward to. Come this morning though and the Old Boy reminded what I had agreed too I turned into a moody teenager, even shaking my legs saying "No I want to sleep!" It lasted just for a few minutes! Then I was up and dressed into my running gear, ready to do battle with the bulge(s)!
When I got there Wendimoo was already there, and Ralph and a few others, Trish turns up with the rather lush looking car! Crazy eh, all us lot here ready to run at 8 in the morning, just so that we can beat the heat! Ralph and maybe Viral were even going to do the 9:30 session as well, as some of them couldn't make it at 8:00!
Mine and Wendimoo's route was just around Petts Wood, and Hawkwood, the usual one, as both she and I are looking for mojos! Even at 8 this morning it was still pretty warm and by the time we got into the woods, and half way up the hill by the rail lines, heading towards the road, I was sweating! Wendimoo was on top form, with her chatting. Oh how much have I missed her chat. It just helps you stay focused, even if I can only answer a one word sentence to her conversation.
Our route was the usual loop around past the woodmans house, top of the woods and then along the path to the top of Goss hill. That Goss Hill bit felt pretty good, all the running down! I must try and turn the feelings around, and enjoy running up these blimmin hills too! As we were running up the hill towards the rail lines we spoke to a dog walker, and told her all about our beginners group! Well, when you run with the best club you just help yourself from wanting to share the love.
I was pretty hot, very sticky and in need of a shower by the time we got to Dog Poo Alley! And the thing that makes this run even better, is the fact that I have time go home and have a shower before going to see Kirsty! Brilliant!
Geeky stats.
What a beautiful day it was today. And for me, and a few other PWR's it started early! Yup, you heard, this Old Girl got up early to start the day with a run! Well, it was early for me, I know that people start work the same time, the Old Boy for instance and others, you can tell that by the traffic on the road! I even spotted a friend of mine on his way to work on his bike! And yet there I was just going to park up my car to start my day with a run! Perfect really.
The chat in the chat box was all about getting up early to beat the heat, I found myself agreeing to it! I text Wendimoo and she was up for it too! So that was that, I didn't have any kids to look after so it a run was just what I was looking forward to. Come this morning though and the Old Boy reminded what I had agreed too I turned into a moody teenager, even shaking my legs saying "No I want to sleep!" It lasted just for a few minutes! Then I was up and dressed into my running gear, ready to do battle with the bulge(s)!
When I got there Wendimoo was already there, and Ralph and a few others, Trish turns up with the rather lush looking car! Crazy eh, all us lot here ready to run at 8 in the morning, just so that we can beat the heat! Ralph and maybe Viral were even going to do the 9:30 session as well, as some of them couldn't make it at 8:00!
Mine and Wendimoo's route was just around Petts Wood, and Hawkwood, the usual one, as both she and I are looking for mojos! Even at 8 this morning it was still pretty warm and by the time we got into the woods, and half way up the hill by the rail lines, heading towards the road, I was sweating! Wendimoo was on top form, with her chatting. Oh how much have I missed her chat. It just helps you stay focused, even if I can only answer a one word sentence to her conversation.
Our route was the usual loop around past the woodmans house, top of the woods and then along the path to the top of Goss hill. That Goss Hill bit felt pretty good, all the running down! I must try and turn the feelings around, and enjoy running up these blimmin hills too! As we were running up the hill towards the rail lines we spoke to a dog walker, and told her all about our beginners group! Well, when you run with the best club you just help yourself from wanting to share the love.
I was pretty hot, very sticky and in need of a shower by the time we got to Dog Poo Alley! And the thing that makes this run even better, is the fact that I have time go home and have a shower before going to see Kirsty! Brilliant!
Geeky stats.
Speed and Core!
This is a double double, so of course I went out this evening for the core session. It was the Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove today, aka Illustrious Leader. I had it in mind to try and push past everything that hurts and just keep going on all the running sections and the core sessions. No wimping out!
So after the usual 2 laps around the green, with the fabulous company of SingstarJo.....yes she is back to running!......we went straight into the drills to really warm our muscles up, side steps, skipping and Illustrious Leaders favourite, 'the ministry of silly walks' or as I.L. calls it The Chewing Gum Scrape! It's quite an amusing sight really!
Then we did 'Running around the Cricket Field', 'non p.c.' set up of boys against girls! The boys even had a bigger circle to run around too! But alas they still won! After that it was some core training. I think I.L. had her 'Hard Core' head on today as she had planned for 2 minutes of each discipline. Squats, push-ups, lunges, planks and a new one called the wall! Two minuets, two whole minutes holding a plank. DiscoRich managed to talk her down to just 1 minute of each discipline! We are hard core, but......but nothing really, just but!
The last running section was the 4x4 relay running. Two teams of four running approx 100ms before handing over the baton. It was a timed thing rather than how many times around we did. But I really did try and push myself to run that extra bit faster! Especially when I heard.....oh darn it, I have forgotten his name,......running behind me getting nearer and nearer!
We ended up with some favourite stretches to keep our muscles nice and flexible and then finished for the evening.
a brilliant days running and training, on a beautiful evening!
Tuesday 23 August 2016
Club Run - What Warm Evening!
Hello blog lovers.
I can't believe this weather, it's like a final throw of summer. I just wished the sun stayed out though so we could enjoy running more in the woods. But as it is, we have just enough light to run for about half a mile before we need to 'pop' out onto the pavements.
I did a new route today, I thought maybe the group will be getting bored of running along the same roads, and sometimes we do need to experience new routes, just so that we don't too comfy, too much routine in our usual routes. I know from personal experience about psychological mile posts, or half mile post. The bits of the route where you say to yourself "Ok, I can stop here, because this is where I stopped last time"
I got busy with MapMyRun and planned a route, it looked like Doctor Who's little K9 character, with a bit of imagination! I mapped it, out, I saved it and then I posted it on the FaceBook page. Only then did I just take a look at the profile of the run! I knew about the first hill, because it's something we do regularly, but then I noted the other little incline! Hmmm. I won't mention it at the briefing, I shall say it's a new route!
We had 13 of us in group 1 and Wendimoo was back with us! It's been a while since she was here. I think her mojo has gone off with mine, so it's good she is back,we can hunt the mojo together! Also Tanya is back too! It's great to see that she is keeping her running going, just got to get Tracy back and the whole gang will be together!
I was determined to try and keep the pace to group 1 advertised pace, 12:00 - 13:30 m/mi, last week I was running at 11:30 m/mi, but it still all works out in the end. But this evening I really did need to keep an eye on it, it is still so very warm and very muggy, I don't want anyone passing out.....or me for that matter!
I memorised the route quite well, the road name signs really helped to show me that I was on the right track. There was only one that didn't have the name showing. But I felt sure that it was the one that I needed. And this was coming from Ravensbury Road into Kevington Drive. It was a nice down hill road, before we got to Kevington Drive, and Michael said "We are running down, which means only one thing, we have to run up again!" Well, yes, um......not a lot else to say really! We sometimes need a challenge. So there were were running up Kevington until we got to the little round about. I stopped the group, for a catch up breath. And then introduced the .5 of the rest of the route to make a distance of 3.2. MapMyRun said it was 2.97 miles, you know me, it's three miles or a tad more.
There they all were, looking up this little cheeky fecker of a hill. "Run just a tad faster than you usually do to the first tree, and then nice easy jog back" I said. I think I got a few looks from the group. "Um, you do know it's quite warm" said one of them "Yes, but we are hard core" I replied.
Once we were back to the bottom of the hill, I again said "Ok, so now run to the lamppost at the top of the hill and back down to here again" Hmm, now I know how Naggy and The Old boy feel when 'those looks' hit you! It really does feel like daggers!
Some of them did it, some didn't. Of course I had to do, as I suggested it. It was a good workout. It's good to throw some exciting like that into our runs. We don't want to be too comfy, do we! We ran the rest of Kevington until we got back the road we started, and then ran had a walking section to Orpington Road.
It was virtually all over, we were back on the roads that we knew, everybody was comfortable again with where they were and we headed on to Petts Wood Road. The 'sweeties' of the lovely down hill to Crossways felt really good, I sent some of the faster ones on first so they could enjoy the down hill and their own pace. Once we were all together at the bottom by Crossways, I gave them the option of sprint finishes, or nice and steady paced ones!
It was a tough run, due to the heat, and those cheeky hills, but always with great company! Geeky stats.
I can't believe this weather, it's like a final throw of summer. I just wished the sun stayed out though so we could enjoy running more in the woods. But as it is, we have just enough light to run for about half a mile before we need to 'pop' out onto the pavements.
I did a new route today, I thought maybe the group will be getting bored of running along the same roads, and sometimes we do need to experience new routes, just so that we don't too comfy, too much routine in our usual routes. I know from personal experience about psychological mile posts, or half mile post. The bits of the route where you say to yourself "Ok, I can stop here, because this is where I stopped last time"
I got busy with MapMyRun and planned a route, it looked like Doctor Who's little K9 character, with a bit of imagination! I mapped it, out, I saved it and then I posted it on the FaceBook page. Only then did I just take a look at the profile of the run! I knew about the first hill, because it's something we do regularly, but then I noted the other little incline! Hmmm. I won't mention it at the briefing, I shall say it's a new route!
We had 13 of us in group 1 and Wendimoo was back with us! It's been a while since she was here. I think her mojo has gone off with mine, so it's good she is back,we can hunt the mojo together! Also Tanya is back too! It's great to see that she is keeping her running going, just got to get Tracy back and the whole gang will be together!
I was determined to try and keep the pace to group 1 advertised pace, 12:00 - 13:30 m/mi, last week I was running at 11:30 m/mi, but it still all works out in the end. But this evening I really did need to keep an eye on it, it is still so very warm and very muggy, I don't want anyone passing out.....or me for that matter!
I memorised the route quite well, the road name signs really helped to show me that I was on the right track. There was only one that didn't have the name showing. But I felt sure that it was the one that I needed. And this was coming from Ravensbury Road into Kevington Drive. It was a nice down hill road, before we got to Kevington Drive, and Michael said "We are running down, which means only one thing, we have to run up again!" Well, yes, um......not a lot else to say really! We sometimes need a challenge. So there were were running up Kevington until we got to the little round about. I stopped the group, for a catch up breath. And then introduced the .5 of the rest of the route to make a distance of 3.2. MapMyRun said it was 2.97 miles, you know me, it's three miles or a tad more.
There they all were, looking up this little cheeky fecker of a hill. "Run just a tad faster than you usually do to the first tree, and then nice easy jog back" I said. I think I got a few looks from the group. "Um, you do know it's quite warm" said one of them "Yes, but we are hard core" I replied.
Once we were back to the bottom of the hill, I again said "Ok, so now run to the lamppost at the top of the hill and back down to here again" Hmm, now I know how Naggy and The Old boy feel when 'those looks' hit you! It really does feel like daggers!
Some of them did it, some didn't. Of course I had to do, as I suggested it. It was a good workout. It's good to throw some exciting like that into our runs. We don't want to be too comfy, do we! We ran the rest of Kevington until we got back the road we started, and then ran had a walking section to Orpington Road.
It was virtually all over, we were back on the roads that we knew, everybody was comfortable again with where they were and we headed on to Petts Wood Road. The 'sweeties' of the lovely down hill to Crossways felt really good, I sent some of the faster ones on first so they could enjoy the down hill and their own pace. Once we were all together at the bottom by Crossways, I gave them the option of sprint finishes, or nice and steady paced ones!
It was a tough run, due to the heat, and those cheeky hills, but always with great company! Geeky stats.
Monday 22 August 2016
Wind It Back Again!
Hello blog lovers.
Second Monday for running! Shhh, for goodness sake don't say it out loud, I don't want to jinx anything! The Old Boy came with me again so it was through the woods. But I wanted to do the same route as last week but in the opposite direction, hence the title, winding back! I think it's tougher than last week, strange really, just as many hills, going up, coming down, same elevation, but that's just the way it is!
After my fav soap, Hollyoaks, (it's the only soap I do indulge in these days!) I went upstairs to get ready for my run. I called the Old Boy to go and ready and we changed into our running gear. The weather was very warm and muggy indeed. When we pulled into the car park (yes we took the car!) I was wishing that I had bought along some water! I don't usually like to carry anything when I am running, but I would have done this evening.
So there we are, in the car park, satellites connected and we started running. Already I was warm, and clammy, but that seems to be my usual existence these days. I am thinking that maybe I am half frog! The first thing we encounter going in this direction is those steps! Three lots of them! The first set of steps really hurt me, I guess still warming up, I should maybe just walked up them. but of course I didn't. I had to walk across the bridge and down the other side. I always walk down steps anyway, just so that I don't take a trip!
The second and third set of steps though I ran up and over, then walked down. Psychologically going this way round, it seemed that once I was over the third set of steps then I was half way there. Of course I wasn't, we still had at least two miles to do, maybe more! Going through the woods is a popular pass time for everyone, runners, walkers and cyclists! As I was running along behind the Old Boy, by the rail lines I looked up and saw the cyclist coming towards me! It did make me jump! Just then Naggy's voice came into my head "I told you, keep your head up" I can just see her saying that to me! Then the Old Boy called to me "Come on keep going"
It does look slightly different going in the opposite direction, and I could see Dog Poo Ally entrance and just slightly lost my bearings. I told the Old Boy that we should take the left path that we just came along, "Are you sure?" he said, "Yes of course" But I was wrong, being a bit tired, sweat in my eyeballs and of course me spotting the entrance, I was a bit eager. We had to run back and then carry on the way we were going for just a few feet more! It does take us to the same place, but I just wanted to keep the same route as last week, just in the opposite direction!
And so it was the long hill, the middle path! I was hot, I was sweaty and I was feeling tired. This was going to be a tough section. In fact from here on till the end I found it tough going, really tough. I told myself off, the Old Boy urging me to keep on running, but that hill just mocked me! It kept on going up and up, each step felt like I was scaling a wall! The Old Boy seemed to be striding so easily, and when I stopped, or at least started walking and urged me to keep on running. My mind refused to tell my legs to run! I had to take those few seconds of walking.
The down hills I just used the momentum and gravity to keep me moving, the up hills was just so blimmin hard! I enjoyed.......I know, can you believe that I am using that word at this particular point in my run, but I did enjoy running down Goss hill! "You can take a tea break at the bottom" said the Old Boy, I was looking forward to that! I think he could see how well I was coping with running down hill and so changed the goal post for 'taking tea' to the rail bridges! "I can do that" I said to my self, it's all flat until then, just keep running over the little bridge, through the barriers and turn right! Just to the bridges, I can do that! I had that in mind and I pushed myself to keep on going. It was really tough, I know my fitness levels have gone really down hill, and I know my energy levels are some where in my left little toe, but I wanted to get to the bridges. I did it......almost, I saw the bridge just a couple of feet away but at least I got to the left turn.
Then it was the up hill of Barnet Wood Lane! "Why or why did you have to change the direction of the route" said the devil of a 'couch potato angel' on my left shoulder, "To get her fitter and stronger!" answered the 'fit muscle bound angel' on my right shoulder! You can see how my mind was working by now. The warm muggy evening was getting to me, I was getting delirious! I was also feeling a bit sick! But I think that is because I was really pushing hard! I think I need to start looking at my nutrition, but while the kids are off school I just grab what ever I can! My diet today hasn't really been what a runner needs. Toast for breakfast, fruit salad for lunch and several cups of tea! Put it this way, I was looking forward to my dinner when I got home, salmon with salad and couscous.
The struggle wasn't quite over as I still had the slight incline of Thornet Wood Lane! Even this little hill seemed like a mountain to me. I tried and tried to run as much of it as I could, but I still took walking sections, even through to the gates that go into the park. But from there, from that bit of open space I kept on going, even though I wanted to stop, the Old Boy was in front of me and I just fixed my steely gaze on the back of him and chased after him. I was pleased to see the car park coming into view! Just a little bit more and the run was done! What a bloody hard run that was.
After a walk about in the car park and a stretch out we got into the car, the air con on full blast as we drove home. You would have thought that would have helped cooled me down, but no, here take a look at this, this is me, 10 minutes after the run, and still leaking water from skin! I feel sure I must be at least 2 lb lighter after this run!
Yes, exactly, not the most flattering of pictures, but it does go to show that I really did work hard!
So geeky stats.
Second Monday for running! Shhh, for goodness sake don't say it out loud, I don't want to jinx anything! The Old Boy came with me again so it was through the woods. But I wanted to do the same route as last week but in the opposite direction, hence the title, winding back! I think it's tougher than last week, strange really, just as many hills, going up, coming down, same elevation, but that's just the way it is!
After my fav soap, Hollyoaks, (it's the only soap I do indulge in these days!) I went upstairs to get ready for my run. I called the Old Boy to go and ready and we changed into our running gear. The weather was very warm and muggy indeed. When we pulled into the car park (yes we took the car!) I was wishing that I had bought along some water! I don't usually like to carry anything when I am running, but I would have done this evening.
So there we are, in the car park, satellites connected and we started running. Already I was warm, and clammy, but that seems to be my usual existence these days. I am thinking that maybe I am half frog! The first thing we encounter going in this direction is those steps! Three lots of them! The first set of steps really hurt me, I guess still warming up, I should maybe just walked up them. but of course I didn't. I had to walk across the bridge and down the other side. I always walk down steps anyway, just so that I don't take a trip!
The second and third set of steps though I ran up and over, then walked down. Psychologically going this way round, it seemed that once I was over the third set of steps then I was half way there. Of course I wasn't, we still had at least two miles to do, maybe more! Going through the woods is a popular pass time for everyone, runners, walkers and cyclists! As I was running along behind the Old Boy, by the rail lines I looked up and saw the cyclist coming towards me! It did make me jump! Just then Naggy's voice came into my head "I told you, keep your head up" I can just see her saying that to me! Then the Old Boy called to me "Come on keep going"
It does look slightly different going in the opposite direction, and I could see Dog Poo Ally entrance and just slightly lost my bearings. I told the Old Boy that we should take the left path that we just came along, "Are you sure?" he said, "Yes of course" But I was wrong, being a bit tired, sweat in my eyeballs and of course me spotting the entrance, I was a bit eager. We had to run back and then carry on the way we were going for just a few feet more! It does take us to the same place, but I just wanted to keep the same route as last week, just in the opposite direction!
And so it was the long hill, the middle path! I was hot, I was sweaty and I was feeling tired. This was going to be a tough section. In fact from here on till the end I found it tough going, really tough. I told myself off, the Old Boy urging me to keep on running, but that hill just mocked me! It kept on going up and up, each step felt like I was scaling a wall! The Old Boy seemed to be striding so easily, and when I stopped, or at least started walking and urged me to keep on running. My mind refused to tell my legs to run! I had to take those few seconds of walking.
The down hills I just used the momentum and gravity to keep me moving, the up hills was just so blimmin hard! I enjoyed.......I know, can you believe that I am using that word at this particular point in my run, but I did enjoy running down Goss hill! "You can take a tea break at the bottom" said the Old Boy, I was looking forward to that! I think he could see how well I was coping with running down hill and so changed the goal post for 'taking tea' to the rail bridges! "I can do that" I said to my self, it's all flat until then, just keep running over the little bridge, through the barriers and turn right! Just to the bridges, I can do that! I had that in mind and I pushed myself to keep on going. It was really tough, I know my fitness levels have gone really down hill, and I know my energy levels are some where in my left little toe, but I wanted to get to the bridges. I did it......almost, I saw the bridge just a couple of feet away but at least I got to the left turn.
Then it was the up hill of Barnet Wood Lane! "Why or why did you have to change the direction of the route" said the devil of a 'couch potato angel' on my left shoulder, "To get her fitter and stronger!" answered the 'fit muscle bound angel' on my right shoulder! You can see how my mind was working by now. The warm muggy evening was getting to me, I was getting delirious! I was also feeling a bit sick! But I think that is because I was really pushing hard! I think I need to start looking at my nutrition, but while the kids are off school I just grab what ever I can! My diet today hasn't really been what a runner needs. Toast for breakfast, fruit salad for lunch and several cups of tea! Put it this way, I was looking forward to my dinner when I got home, salmon with salad and couscous.
The struggle wasn't quite over as I still had the slight incline of Thornet Wood Lane! Even this little hill seemed like a mountain to me. I tried and tried to run as much of it as I could, but I still took walking sections, even through to the gates that go into the park. But from there, from that bit of open space I kept on going, even though I wanted to stop, the Old Boy was in front of me and I just fixed my steely gaze on the back of him and chased after him. I was pleased to see the car park coming into view! Just a little bit more and the run was done! What a bloody hard run that was.
After a walk about in the car park and a stretch out we got into the car, the air con on full blast as we drove home. You would have thought that would have helped cooled me down, but no, here take a look at this, this is me, 10 minutes after the run, and still leaking water from skin! I feel sure I must be at least 2 lb lighter after this run!
Yes, exactly, not the most flattering of pictures, but it does go to show that I really did work hard!
So geeky stats.
Sunday 21 August 2016
Solo Run? - Nah!
Hello bog lovers.
As promised to myself, stilling the quiet voice in my head, I went out for a run today. I was planning on running solo, but as I was going to church this morning I saw Naggy Neighbour over the green. "Morning!" she said.
"Morning" I replied, "I'm going running later, after church, do you fancy it"
"Yes sure, what time?"
"Oh about 1:30"
"Yup sure, I'll be ready" she said. What have I done! I think it's my subconscious is kicking my ass, because running, just me and Naggy, is tough going. Because she knows what I need! It's scary! I do need telling that's for sure.
So after church I went over to Naggys to see if she was ready, I was a tad early! So I sat down and told her about two possible routes, Normans Park, the parkrun route, or through the woods. She hasn't really run through the woods before, and it is a slower run, what with looking out for routes, low branches and those hills of course. The parkrun route will be for speed. Getting my speed up and completing the route quicker than I did yesterday! Of course, Naggy likes that idea. "You know you didn't ask me for anything else" she said. Damn my subconscious!
We piled into her car with Chocs, maybe her having a pee or 'big jobs' well maybe just slow the pace slightly, but still keep it faster that yesterday! Flip, I don't know what I want! I just know that I have a lot of work to do, get my weight down, mojo up, black moods buried and fitness flourishing! Trying everything possible, and Naggy is the perfect coach for me!
Of course we didn't walk all the way down to where we usually start, we started our Garmins from Hook Farm end, but we were still going to follow the same route, the big 'B' shape around the park. As soon as we were on the grass we started running, both starting our Garmins to keep an eye on the pace. Our pace goal was 11;30 mi/m. That will get us in about 36 mins, two minutes faster that yesterdays parkrun. Well that's the aim!
The first bit of course is brilliant, perfectly on pace, if I stayed with Naggy all the way round at this time then I will deffo smash that parkrun time! Now I just got to engage brain, get the positive thoughts embedded in there, "I can do this!" I do feel stronger in the beginning, I guess everyone does. What I find difficult is staying strong, or is it all just in the mind! Naggy says it's all in the mind, she says to me 'You can do this, you've done a couple of marathons for goodness, this is piss easy!"
All the way round the first mile the pace was pretty steady. See I can do it! In fact at times I was running faster that what I needed to be doing, just check out my geeky stats, and my heart rate! I think that is what I got to learn to control. I need to relax more, keep the heart rate at a nice steady pace too! But I am sure that losing weight will go a long way to help sorting that out! But then I think my brain starts to think too much. I start thinking "That was a pretty fast mile" (well it was for this year it think!) and then I start thinking I might 'burn out!' And there it is! The self doubt! My legs turn to lead, and then Naggy comes into her own!
Now that is why my subconscious called out to Naggy this morning! I need some more ass kicking! From the finish of that first mile she kept me going, she was always a couple of paces in front of me from that point, urging me to keep the pace going. I must admit, I did struggle, I walked some, as it shows on my geeky stats, I think I forgot to relax while running again, and just thought about how bloody hard it was! Even after all these years running, I find it difficult, the only difference is, its difficult over longer distances than when I first started.
The second mile was finished at the other end of the park it was a lot slower than the first mile! I know it, the third mile I was even slower! I tried not walk as much, not that Naggy was allowing that! "Come on don't stop, I don't do stopping!" she says, "slow the pace down but no stopping!" I tried I really did, Chocs was looking at me all sympathetically, well that hows I enterpreted her look, it could quite easily be "blimey, Old Girl, you call that running!" Chocolate just seemed to literally stroll besides Naggy, occasionally saying hello to other canines!
We were just at the woods, the last few hundred meters, and I really had to stop, I did one of those burps, you know where a bit of yuck pop up into you mouth! But even then Naggy says "No time for being sick, you can be sick at the end!" She's a hard task master! I really thought we would stop where we started our run, but of course that wouldn't be parkrun distance, so I just kept going. I kept an eye on my Garmin, looking for that 3.11 mile to come on my watch, I wasn't even looking at the time now, I just wanted to make sure that I finished this running and not walking. Just a few more yards to do and that will be it. Naggy was in front of me, I knew I wouldn't be beside her when we finished, but I was determined to finish strong! I looked at my watch, 3:08 miles, just a few more steps and I am done, I pushed a little harder, looked at again "I'm done!" That was it. 3:12 miles, finished, and under 38 minutes. Ok so I didn't manage to get a 36, next time! Thanks Naggy, hope the daggers didn't hurt too much!
Geeky stats
As promised to myself, stilling the quiet voice in my head, I went out for a run today. I was planning on running solo, but as I was going to church this morning I saw Naggy Neighbour over the green. "Morning!" she said.
"Morning" I replied, "I'm going running later, after church, do you fancy it"
"Yes sure, what time?"
"Oh about 1:30"
"Yup sure, I'll be ready" she said. What have I done! I think it's my subconscious is kicking my ass, because running, just me and Naggy, is tough going. Because she knows what I need! It's scary! I do need telling that's for sure.
So after church I went over to Naggys to see if she was ready, I was a tad early! So I sat down and told her about two possible routes, Normans Park, the parkrun route, or through the woods. She hasn't really run through the woods before, and it is a slower run, what with looking out for routes, low branches and those hills of course. The parkrun route will be for speed. Getting my speed up and completing the route quicker than I did yesterday! Of course, Naggy likes that idea. "You know you didn't ask me for anything else" she said. Damn my subconscious!
We piled into her car with Chocs, maybe her having a pee or 'big jobs' well maybe just slow the pace slightly, but still keep it faster that yesterday! Flip, I don't know what I want! I just know that I have a lot of work to do, get my weight down, mojo up, black moods buried and fitness flourishing! Trying everything possible, and Naggy is the perfect coach for me!
Of course we didn't walk all the way down to where we usually start, we started our Garmins from Hook Farm end, but we were still going to follow the same route, the big 'B' shape around the park. As soon as we were on the grass we started running, both starting our Garmins to keep an eye on the pace. Our pace goal was 11;30 mi/m. That will get us in about 36 mins, two minutes faster that yesterdays parkrun. Well that's the aim!
The first bit of course is brilliant, perfectly on pace, if I stayed with Naggy all the way round at this time then I will deffo smash that parkrun time! Now I just got to engage brain, get the positive thoughts embedded in there, "I can do this!" I do feel stronger in the beginning, I guess everyone does. What I find difficult is staying strong, or is it all just in the mind! Naggy says it's all in the mind, she says to me 'You can do this, you've done a couple of marathons for goodness, this is piss easy!"
All the way round the first mile the pace was pretty steady. See I can do it! In fact at times I was running faster that what I needed to be doing, just check out my geeky stats, and my heart rate! I think that is what I got to learn to control. I need to relax more, keep the heart rate at a nice steady pace too! But I am sure that losing weight will go a long way to help sorting that out! But then I think my brain starts to think too much. I start thinking "That was a pretty fast mile" (well it was for this year it think!) and then I start thinking I might 'burn out!' And there it is! The self doubt! My legs turn to lead, and then Naggy comes into her own!
Now that is why my subconscious called out to Naggy this morning! I need some more ass kicking! From the finish of that first mile she kept me going, she was always a couple of paces in front of me from that point, urging me to keep the pace going. I must admit, I did struggle, I walked some, as it shows on my geeky stats, I think I forgot to relax while running again, and just thought about how bloody hard it was! Even after all these years running, I find it difficult, the only difference is, its difficult over longer distances than when I first started.
The second mile was finished at the other end of the park it was a lot slower than the first mile! I know it, the third mile I was even slower! I tried not walk as much, not that Naggy was allowing that! "Come on don't stop, I don't do stopping!" she says, "slow the pace down but no stopping!" I tried I really did, Chocs was looking at me all sympathetically, well that hows I enterpreted her look, it could quite easily be "blimey, Old Girl, you call that running!" Chocolate just seemed to literally stroll besides Naggy, occasionally saying hello to other canines!
We were just at the woods, the last few hundred meters, and I really had to stop, I did one of those burps, you know where a bit of yuck pop up into you mouth! But even then Naggy says "No time for being sick, you can be sick at the end!" She's a hard task master! I really thought we would stop where we started our run, but of course that wouldn't be parkrun distance, so I just kept going. I kept an eye on my Garmin, looking for that 3.11 mile to come on my watch, I wasn't even looking at the time now, I just wanted to make sure that I finished this running and not walking. Just a few more yards to do and that will be it. Naggy was in front of me, I knew I wouldn't be beside her when we finished, but I was determined to finish strong! I looked at my watch, 3:08 miles, just a few more steps and I am done, I pushed a little harder, looked at again "I'm done!" That was it. 3:12 miles, finished, and under 38 minutes. Ok so I didn't manage to get a 36, next time! Thanks Naggy, hope the daggers didn't hurt too much!
Geeky stats
Saturday 20 August 2016
parkrun - Bromley!
Hello blog lovers.
I managed to get my fat ass out of the door this morning to do my local parkrun. It was all Naggy Neighbours doing really. She text me last night to see if I was doing parkrun, and of course, being the in pub with the Old Boy and Sister-in-law I had to say "Yes of course". Its amazing how much a beer can affect your mood! We didn't stop off and have a curry afterwards either, so I wasn't 'pigging' out. Oh, apart from we did stop in Tescos, I needed the loo, and then we had to buy something of course. As we didn't have any dinner I had just a nice little snack of sushi, the Old Boy had a sandwich..........oh and we bought 3 Kispy Kreme donuts!
So come this morning when my alarm went off to remind me of what I said last night I had to get up. I think Naggy knows me quite well know. Sending me a text last night instead of this morning was a very cunning plan of hers!
So there I was, in the park with Naggy and chocolate (that's the dog by the way and not a pre run snack) and we were walking over to the start of the run. The wind had picked up, and it was a lot cooler than it has been, so maybe this saturday will be the start of chipping away those slow times on my parkrun. But really I should be just happy that I am at least out running. Matthew Stevens was there this morning celebrating his 50th parkrun. And there is cake! I am hoping that will get me around a bit faster too!
The whistle was blown and the crowd surged forward, Naggy said "Come on then, get going" And with that she she disappeared along with Chocolate into the crowd. She seems to run so easily at speed, like she is just out for a walk! I must learn to run like that, like it is not bothering me at all. I am sure my face contorts in to squished up raisin look as soon as I start running!
I stayed with the crowd and kept an eye on my Garmin, I think next week I am going to run Garmin free, and just take the official time. sometimes I looked at my watch today and saw that I was running a bit faster than I have been used to of late, so if I haven't got it going then I won't know! Less pressure! I will wear it though, just so that I can count my steps, it would be sacrilege not to record all those steps!
I was finding it tough, but then I have always found running tough! The very odd occasion, way back when, I got into 'the zone' where I though I could run and run and run. But I just want to keep on running. I know that exercise boots your mood, gives you a natural high, and I know that I have been feeling off colour. I blame 'this time of my life' when mother nature decides for you that things need 'changing'. It truly is awful!
My temperature gauge is now 'out of order'! My body don't know if I am hot or cold. Even during the night my body thinks that I am in the Sahara Desert, and throws everything there is to try and 'cool me down'! And apparently I have been a bit moody, (not noticed it myself) with everyone. And loads of other things. And of course the stress and bereavement of my mother-in-law has all taken a toll on me.
But from today (again) I need to refocus (again) and try everything to get back to that happy go lucky, Old Girl that I was before I become Ancient Girl! On the second lap of todays run, (or was it the first? Another symptom, forgetfulness apparently) I was passed by a lady and we started chatting. And for the rest of the run we both used each other to pace ourselves. She passed me, I caught up and over took her, she caught up and over took me. It was a game of cat and mouse! There were times she was so far in front of me that I thought I just wouldn't bother keeping up with her. But I told myself off, even slapped my ass to get a move on again. I caught her up. with just the last little bit to do I even over took her as we came off the grass onto the tarmac for the short straight to the funnel. I was puffing out my backside as I tried to remain in front of her. but I ran out of steam again, and she over took me! I walked for just a little bit and then picked it up again. I could see Naggy by the tree stretching out, she had finished her run and she was waiting to do what she does best when it concerns me and that's nag! "Come on Old Girl, keep it going, push it, push it" I picked up the speed again, I focused my steely stare at the back of 'my race' head as I followed her, breaching the gap with every three strides! I just wish there was just a little bit more tarmac to run because I felt sure I could catch up to her! But alas no. She got in about 10 seconds before me! What a great run that was! I felt a bit sick afterwards but I managed to hold on to my dignity! Probably just as well I didn't remember to get any of the cake that Matthews mum brought along!
So my official result from parkrun is 38:00 dead! And my Garmin says......well, all the geeky stats are here! Almost 2 minutes quicker than last week! I will take that!
I managed to get my fat ass out of the door this morning to do my local parkrun. It was all Naggy Neighbours doing really. She text me last night to see if I was doing parkrun, and of course, being the in pub with the Old Boy and Sister-in-law I had to say "Yes of course". Its amazing how much a beer can affect your mood! We didn't stop off and have a curry afterwards either, so I wasn't 'pigging' out. Oh, apart from we did stop in Tescos, I needed the loo, and then we had to buy something of course. As we didn't have any dinner I had just a nice little snack of sushi, the Old Boy had a sandwich..........oh and we bought 3 Kispy Kreme donuts!
So come this morning when my alarm went off to remind me of what I said last night I had to get up. I think Naggy knows me quite well know. Sending me a text last night instead of this morning was a very cunning plan of hers!
So there I was, in the park with Naggy and chocolate (that's the dog by the way and not a pre run snack) and we were walking over to the start of the run. The wind had picked up, and it was a lot cooler than it has been, so maybe this saturday will be the start of chipping away those slow times on my parkrun. But really I should be just happy that I am at least out running. Matthew Stevens was there this morning celebrating his 50th parkrun. And there is cake! I am hoping that will get me around a bit faster too!
The whistle was blown and the crowd surged forward, Naggy said "Come on then, get going" And with that she she disappeared along with Chocolate into the crowd. She seems to run so easily at speed, like she is just out for a walk! I must learn to run like that, like it is not bothering me at all. I am sure my face contorts in to squished up raisin look as soon as I start running!
I stayed with the crowd and kept an eye on my Garmin, I think next week I am going to run Garmin free, and just take the official time. sometimes I looked at my watch today and saw that I was running a bit faster than I have been used to of late, so if I haven't got it going then I won't know! Less pressure! I will wear it though, just so that I can count my steps, it would be sacrilege not to record all those steps!
I was finding it tough, but then I have always found running tough! The very odd occasion, way back when, I got into 'the zone' where I though I could run and run and run. But I just want to keep on running. I know that exercise boots your mood, gives you a natural high, and I know that I have been feeling off colour. I blame 'this time of my life' when mother nature decides for you that things need 'changing'. It truly is awful!
My temperature gauge is now 'out of order'! My body don't know if I am hot or cold. Even during the night my body thinks that I am in the Sahara Desert, and throws everything there is to try and 'cool me down'! And apparently I have been a bit moody, (not noticed it myself) with everyone. And loads of other things. And of course the stress and bereavement of my mother-in-law has all taken a toll on me.
But from today (again) I need to refocus (again) and try everything to get back to that happy go lucky, Old Girl that I was before I become Ancient Girl! On the second lap of todays run, (or was it the first? Another symptom, forgetfulness apparently) I was passed by a lady and we started chatting. And for the rest of the run we both used each other to pace ourselves. She passed me, I caught up and over took her, she caught up and over took me. It was a game of cat and mouse! There were times she was so far in front of me that I thought I just wouldn't bother keeping up with her. But I told myself off, even slapped my ass to get a move on again. I caught her up. with just the last little bit to do I even over took her as we came off the grass onto the tarmac for the short straight to the funnel. I was puffing out my backside as I tried to remain in front of her. but I ran out of steam again, and she over took me! I walked for just a little bit and then picked it up again. I could see Naggy by the tree stretching out, she had finished her run and she was waiting to do what she does best when it concerns me and that's nag! "Come on Old Girl, keep it going, push it, push it" I picked up the speed again, I focused my steely stare at the back of 'my race' head as I followed her, breaching the gap with every three strides! I just wish there was just a little bit more tarmac to run because I felt sure I could catch up to her! But alas no. She got in about 10 seconds before me! What a great run that was! I felt a bit sick afterwards but I managed to hold on to my dignity! Probably just as well I didn't remember to get any of the cake that Matthews mum brought along!
So my official result from parkrun is 38:00 dead! And my Garmin says......well, all the geeky stats are here! Almost 2 minutes quicker than last week! I will take that!
Thursday 18 August 2016
The Olympics Comes To Petts Wood!
Hello blog lovers.
We can't go through our core sessions without giving tribute to the Olympics out there in Rio. This evening DiscoRich had planned our own little mini Olympics. There were 12 of us this evening with DiscoRich being leader, referee and scorer.
As usual we did the obligatory two laps around the rec followed by the warm up drills. And then it was getting into the Olympic spirit. DiscoRich had two races planned. The first one was relay racing. We were put into teams of four. Team Yellow, Team Green and Team Red. I was in red team, It's not like the the par luffs we do, this is the real deal, DiscoRich even had a 'Hand over' section where we could hand the baton to our team member. And there was no running just half way and then handing over the baton, we were to run the entire rec and then hand over to our team member.
DiscoRich had placed us all in our teams, so it was fairly equal, with faster runners down to me, the not so fast runners! You can feel the eagerness to win for their team mates, in a fun way of course. The faster runners in each team started off and then after that it was any order after that. The faster runner in my team was Viral. All four fastest runners set off, Viral was hanging around in the second position, just biding his time, then with just the last 50 meters or so he kicked up into top gear and just raced past the leader and then handed the baton to me, the slowest runner in the team!
Well at least I had a bit of a head start, but soon the other teams were all chasing me down. I just tried to stay focused as I followed the white line around the perimeter of the rec, got to the half way point, where we usually hand over the batons to our team members doing the par luffs, but I had to keep going all the way round. I did it, and handed it over to our third member in the red team, IlustriousLeader. She continued all the way around the rec running really well, (read faster than me!) and then handed the baton to Michael who had to do the catchup!
The next Olympic discipline was brilliant. We all took it very seriously, and this time we were teamed up in two! I was pleased that I was teamed up with Viral (he did just whizz pass all the others in the relays!) We were handed our apparatus that was to be used in the race. the course was well marked out earlier by DiscoRich. Viral was practising using the apparatus, figuring out which is the best tactic to go for, positioning and handling! And then passing on his findings to me, quiety so as not to let anyone hear!
Then DiscoRich cited the rules, no holding the egg with your thumbs or fingers, no holding your hand under the spoon to catch the egg if it falls off. If it falls, it falls to the floor! You may hand the spoon and egg to your partner with both hands once you have reached them. Yes it was an egg and spoon race! And no matter how fast Viral was on the cricket field, that had no bearing on how fast he was on the egg and spoon course! He dropped the egg several times trying to run with it! No this race was all about how long your legs are, how fast you can walk! Well that's me out of the game again! What with my short fat hairy legs.......ok maybe not hairy! But such good fun! Me and Viral were eliminated in the first leg.
The finals of the egg and spoon saw two very worthy winners, Carole and Fiona! Their handling of the spoon and the balancing of the egg were superb! Much deserving of the medals, here, I took a picture!
So just for relaxation, after the competitiveness of the Olympic games we just done, we had the par luffs. Teams of equal ability were quickly sorted, faster runners together, middle paced runners etc, and then us in the slow lane.
It was a great session today, much fun! Thanks DiscoRich!
We can't go through our core sessions without giving tribute to the Olympics out there in Rio. This evening DiscoRich had planned our own little mini Olympics. There were 12 of us this evening with DiscoRich being leader, referee and scorer.
As usual we did the obligatory two laps around the rec followed by the warm up drills. And then it was getting into the Olympic spirit. DiscoRich had two races planned. The first one was relay racing. We were put into teams of four. Team Yellow, Team Green and Team Red. I was in red team, It's not like the the par luffs we do, this is the real deal, DiscoRich even had a 'Hand over' section where we could hand the baton to our team member. And there was no running just half way and then handing over the baton, we were to run the entire rec and then hand over to our team member.
DiscoRich had placed us all in our teams, so it was fairly equal, with faster runners down to me, the not so fast runners! You can feel the eagerness to win for their team mates, in a fun way of course. The faster runners in each team started off and then after that it was any order after that. The faster runner in my team was Viral. All four fastest runners set off, Viral was hanging around in the second position, just biding his time, then with just the last 50 meters or so he kicked up into top gear and just raced past the leader and then handed the baton to me, the slowest runner in the team!
Well at least I had a bit of a head start, but soon the other teams were all chasing me down. I just tried to stay focused as I followed the white line around the perimeter of the rec, got to the half way point, where we usually hand over the batons to our team members doing the par luffs, but I had to keep going all the way round. I did it, and handed it over to our third member in the red team, IlustriousLeader. She continued all the way around the rec running really well, (read faster than me!) and then handed the baton to Michael who had to do the catchup!
The next Olympic discipline was brilliant. We all took it very seriously, and this time we were teamed up in two! I was pleased that I was teamed up with Viral (he did just whizz pass all the others in the relays!) We were handed our apparatus that was to be used in the race. the course was well marked out earlier by DiscoRich. Viral was practising using the apparatus, figuring out which is the best tactic to go for, positioning and handling! And then passing on his findings to me, quiety so as not to let anyone hear!
Then DiscoRich cited the rules, no holding the egg with your thumbs or fingers, no holding your hand under the spoon to catch the egg if it falls off. If it falls, it falls to the floor! You may hand the spoon and egg to your partner with both hands once you have reached them. Yes it was an egg and spoon race! And no matter how fast Viral was on the cricket field, that had no bearing on how fast he was on the egg and spoon course! He dropped the egg several times trying to run with it! No this race was all about how long your legs are, how fast you can walk! Well that's me out of the game again! What with my short fat hairy legs.......ok maybe not hairy! But such good fun! Me and Viral were eliminated in the first leg.
The finals of the egg and spoon saw two very worthy winners, Carole and Fiona! Their handling of the spoon and the balancing of the egg were superb! Much deserving of the medals, here, I took a picture!
 |
| Fiona and Carole |
So just for relaxation, after the competitiveness of the Olympic games we just done, we had the par luffs. Teams of equal ability were quickly sorted, faster runners together, middle paced runners etc, and then us in the slow lane.
It was a great session today, much fun! Thanks DiscoRich!
Tuesday 16 August 2016
Club Run - Last time In the Woods?
Hello blog lovers.
Club nights! I do love club nights. It gives me a sense of purpose (when it comes to my running of course). These club nights have been my 'bread and butter' of running. It has kept me going, week in and week out, just knowing that people will be waiting for me to lead them out on a run, that has kept me positive.
The route this evening was the same as last week, just because we get to run through the woods just for a few minutes. Our summer time seems to be rapidly coming to an end! Well, when it comes to running through the woods in the evening! Taking a big group through though, well I just hoped I wouldn't lose any of them!
There were 17 of us in this evenings group as well as a couple of new chap, they hadn't run for a couple of years, and, as one of the chaps said, "need to blow the cobwebs away". Group 1 is a perfect place to dust off your running shoes, a nice gentle run to get back into it. I told Carole that today, about how this group 1 started out as Group Zero to Hero, for beginners to ease into club life, club members coming back from injury, or even just to have a plod out for some brilliant banter if they don't fancy stretching themselves, but want to keep their legs moving. But it is just a stop gap! To get ready for group 2! I feel I will have to encourage really loudly in the next couple of months for them to try group 2 out!
I know it's difficult to get out of your comfort zone, I mean look at me, I am so into my comfort zone I have grown roots! But today did push them all just a little bit harder. It was having the faster group all about me that kept my pace just a little faster that I should have, and I really had to keep an eye on my Garmin and slow down to get the pace right! I know the overall avg pace will be the normal avg pace for our group, but I do try and keep to a nice steady 12:30 min mile.
I was a tad mean to our group, for the own good of course, and I said that they should all keep a nice faster pace while going up and over all three bridges! My goodness, don't that hurt the quads! But it feels good when you stop at the top of each bridge! At least that is what I was telling myself! It would be good to carry on through the park and finish off running through the woods, but the light would not be good enough, I do need to think about the safety of my group!
So out at Tent Peg Lane and ready to hit the pavements. Auriol was with us again, she has been off running for a while, so it really was good to have her back in the fold. Also Illustrious Leader was with us, she was taking up the middle section while Janet and Michael were sweeping. Auriol, I think was glad that we were going this way, if she needed to peel off and go back home then this route is perfect for her, but I was so pleased to see not to hear from half way along Crescent Drive that she was leaving. To see her come along Shepperton up to the top, Crofton Lane put a smile on my face! I know I've said it before but I will say it again, us folk at PWR are made of stern stuff!
With just the nice easy run back along Crofton to Tudor way our run was done! Some of them did a faster sprint finish to the gate, others just like me, just continued at a nice steady pace and the others came along just a few seconds after!
A great run and all 17 finished together, nobody peeled off and left early. We finished off with out stretches at the rec. Geeky stats.
Club nights! I do love club nights. It gives me a sense of purpose (when it comes to my running of course). These club nights have been my 'bread and butter' of running. It has kept me going, week in and week out, just knowing that people will be waiting for me to lead them out on a run, that has kept me positive.
The route this evening was the same as last week, just because we get to run through the woods just for a few minutes. Our summer time seems to be rapidly coming to an end! Well, when it comes to running through the woods in the evening! Taking a big group through though, well I just hoped I wouldn't lose any of them!
There were 17 of us in this evenings group as well as a couple of new chap, they hadn't run for a couple of years, and, as one of the chaps said, "need to blow the cobwebs away". Group 1 is a perfect place to dust off your running shoes, a nice gentle run to get back into it. I told Carole that today, about how this group 1 started out as Group Zero to Hero, for beginners to ease into club life, club members coming back from injury, or even just to have a plod out for some brilliant banter if they don't fancy stretching themselves, but want to keep their legs moving. But it is just a stop gap! To get ready for group 2! I feel I will have to encourage really loudly in the next couple of months for them to try group 2 out!
I know it's difficult to get out of your comfort zone, I mean look at me, I am so into my comfort zone I have grown roots! But today did push them all just a little bit harder. It was having the faster group all about me that kept my pace just a little faster that I should have, and I really had to keep an eye on my Garmin and slow down to get the pace right! I know the overall avg pace will be the normal avg pace for our group, but I do try and keep to a nice steady 12:30 min mile.
I was a tad mean to our group, for the own good of course, and I said that they should all keep a nice faster pace while going up and over all three bridges! My goodness, don't that hurt the quads! But it feels good when you stop at the top of each bridge! At least that is what I was telling myself! It would be good to carry on through the park and finish off running through the woods, but the light would not be good enough, I do need to think about the safety of my group!
So out at Tent Peg Lane and ready to hit the pavements. Auriol was with us again, she has been off running for a while, so it really was good to have her back in the fold. Also Illustrious Leader was with us, she was taking up the middle section while Janet and Michael were sweeping. Auriol, I think was glad that we were going this way, if she needed to peel off and go back home then this route is perfect for her, but I was so pleased to see not to hear from half way along Crescent Drive that she was leaving. To see her come along Shepperton up to the top, Crofton Lane put a smile on my face! I know I've said it before but I will say it again, us folk at PWR are made of stern stuff!
With just the nice easy run back along Crofton to Tudor way our run was done! Some of them did a faster sprint finish to the gate, others just like me, just continued at a nice steady pace and the others came along just a few seconds after!
A great run and all 17 finished together, nobody peeled off and left early. We finished off with out stretches at the rec. Geeky stats.
Monday 15 August 2016
Finding Mojo!
Hello blog lovers.
Look at this, it's Monday and I'm writing up a running blog! I am seriously looking for my mojo, my solo running mojo, that is. I know it's somewhere around. I tried to look for it at parkrun, with hundreds of others, but it wasn't there. This evening I decided I needed to get out an run, see where my mojo is. The Old Boy decided to come along with me. His mojo for exercises has hibernated! So we are both looking for it.
I had thought I would do about 3 mile or just over, my usual route along the pavements, but with the Old Boy with me we decided to go into the woods instead! It's always a huge bonus going through the woods, and we still had the light with us.
We took the car to the carpark of Jubilee Park and began our run from there, where we used to run together. I have a feeling though that this evenings run is going to be a lot slower than when we ran together way back then!
I always struggle with that first mile, my breathing is all over the place, I'm panting like hot
dog!......mmmmm hotdog..........? No, back in the room Old Girl. I am trying to keep my diet as healthy as I can as well, it's day one! So far I had breakfast.....2 weetabix, lunch....chicken salad wrap and dinner.........dusted lemon sole with salad. So food is on my mind! I like eating, but I like being lighter too, not as heavy as I am now. That is going to take a lot of hard work, I know that.
This run today, on a Monday, is the start of a new regular routine! Just need to stay focused. by the time I get to the other side of the park I am thinking "Ok, so far, so good" It's only half a mile! I know by the time we get to the bridges it will be a mile and I should be into my stride! Oh if only it happened that way, because, of course, after the bridges and just along the road, we turn left and we are faced with Goss Hill! I so hate hills! I really do! I am trying to kid myself that I hate them that much it is bordering on love! You know that whole fine line thing?! Maybe this is the year that I can really 'enjoy' hills! But not this evening!
I walked some of the hill, it's understandable, but while I was walking that hill I promised myself that I would run up that other hill, the one just before the top of the woods, the one that my group 1 ladies did the other week! I had that in my mind, I kept my running nice and easy going with that in mind. I really wanted to run that hill and not give up!
The Old Boy seems to be doing really well, considering he hasn't done any cycling for quite some time, but I guess working still keeps him fit. Hewas encouraging me to go a little faster but I knew what my plan was, it's all about working hard but not going eyeballs out! That to me is not fun. I know some people really love to push themselves really hard, but that is not me. Michael, Carole's hubby, now he pushed himself a couple of weeks ago at Thursday track, and he felt a pain in his calf! It must be a bloke thing........actually not entire true! I know of at least three ladies who push themselves to the extreme! Jaz, Kat and Sue! Ultras, tri-athlons.....Ironman! Me, I will just push myself just a tad more than I usually do on a Tuesday! I am happy with that, and hopefully, slowly, slowly my fitness will come back and my weight will fall!
That hill came next. The Old boy took on the hill (like he did with Goss Hill) with his own pace, his own agenda, his own time. I looked up to the top, I took a deep breath in and then started to run up. My pace was not to bad as I started, I kept going, kept telling myself not to stop, my legs were burning, my breathing became all out of whack again as I started to pant. I wanted to stop but I didn't, I didn't stop until I got to the top, just by the junction of the paths at the top! I felt satisfied with that, I did it. I walked along towards the middle path, feeling like I did what I needed to do. It's all downhill now and I will try and run as much of this as I can.
It felt good running down hill, the Old Boy just slightly in front of me, I was running at my own pace, but maybe just little be quicker as I tried to keep up with. I didn't want to stop, not on the downhill sections. We got to the bottom, just by Dog Poo Ally and then turned right to run along the path by the rail lines. Up and over the three bridges. I tried to run up each set of stairs! Blimmin eck it hurt! and then through the back of the woods and into the carpark! All done!
Geeky stats.
Look at this, it's Monday and I'm writing up a running blog! I am seriously looking for my mojo, my solo running mojo, that is. I know it's somewhere around. I tried to look for it at parkrun, with hundreds of others, but it wasn't there. This evening I decided I needed to get out an run, see where my mojo is. The Old Boy decided to come along with me. His mojo for exercises has hibernated! So we are both looking for it.
I had thought I would do about 3 mile or just over, my usual route along the pavements, but with the Old Boy with me we decided to go into the woods instead! It's always a huge bonus going through the woods, and we still had the light with us.
We took the car to the carpark of Jubilee Park and began our run from there, where we used to run together. I have a feeling though that this evenings run is going to be a lot slower than when we ran together way back then!
I always struggle with that first mile, my breathing is all over the place, I'm panting like hot
This run today, on a Monday, is the start of a new regular routine! Just need to stay focused. by the time I get to the other side of the park I am thinking "Ok, so far, so good" It's only half a mile! I know by the time we get to the bridges it will be a mile and I should be into my stride! Oh if only it happened that way, because, of course, after the bridges and just along the road, we turn left and we are faced with Goss Hill! I so hate hills! I really do! I am trying to kid myself that I hate them that much it is bordering on love! You know that whole fine line thing?! Maybe this is the year that I can really 'enjoy' hills! But not this evening!
I walked some of the hill, it's understandable, but while I was walking that hill I promised myself that I would run up that other hill, the one just before the top of the woods, the one that my group 1 ladies did the other week! I had that in my mind, I kept my running nice and easy going with that in mind. I really wanted to run that hill and not give up!
The Old Boy seems to be doing really well, considering he hasn't done any cycling for quite some time, but I guess working still keeps him fit. Hewas encouraging me to go a little faster but I knew what my plan was, it's all about working hard but not going eyeballs out! That to me is not fun. I know some people really love to push themselves really hard, but that is not me. Michael, Carole's hubby, now he pushed himself a couple of weeks ago at Thursday track, and he felt a pain in his calf! It must be a bloke thing........actually not entire true! I know of at least three ladies who push themselves to the extreme! Jaz, Kat and Sue! Ultras, tri-athlons.....Ironman! Me, I will just push myself just a tad more than I usually do on a Tuesday! I am happy with that, and hopefully, slowly, slowly my fitness will come back and my weight will fall!
That hill came next. The Old boy took on the hill (like he did with Goss Hill) with his own pace, his own agenda, his own time. I looked up to the top, I took a deep breath in and then started to run up. My pace was not to bad as I started, I kept going, kept telling myself not to stop, my legs were burning, my breathing became all out of whack again as I started to pant. I wanted to stop but I didn't, I didn't stop until I got to the top, just by the junction of the paths at the top! I felt satisfied with that, I did it. I walked along towards the middle path, feeling like I did what I needed to do. It's all downhill now and I will try and run as much of this as I can.
It felt good running down hill, the Old Boy just slightly in front of me, I was running at my own pace, but maybe just little be quicker as I tried to keep up with. I didn't want to stop, not on the downhill sections. We got to the bottom, just by Dog Poo Ally and then turned right to run along the path by the rail lines. Up and over the three bridges. I tried to run up each set of stairs! Blimmin eck it hurt! and then through the back of the woods and into the carpark! All done!
Geeky stats.
Sunday 14 August 2016
Core Training At The Rec!
Hello blog lovers
My blog is a little late, I know, now lets see if I can drag everything out of my brain cell to lay down on my blog! It has been three days!
Olivia was leader on Thursday evening, and she is very fit! She has been doing the 22 Push up challenge for her charity choice, MIND. She can complete 22 push-ups in, I'm sure, less than 22 seconds! And not the easy version like the ones that I do!
So there we were, about 16 of us ready to battle with bulge, at least that is what I am there for! It was a lovely evening too, after a very pleasant day spent with my grandson, (read previous blog!) We started off with usual 2 laps of the rec, and after the warm up drills we went into the running exercises.
And this is why I normally write everything down straight away, because I can't remember what was first! My memory is like Swiss cheese! Lets just write down what I remember! There was this running thing, between to lines of cones. We had to run up to the top cones then run back to the beginning and then do 1 press-up! That was it. Sounds easy right! Well after that we had to run back to the top cones and then come back and do 2 press-ups, and then 3...... We had to continue this until Olivia said it was half way and then we had to work down, from where ever it was we got to, whether it was 10 press-ups or 5. It was a great work out! And then we did it again, but it was squats instead of press-ups!
We continued with the core work outs but without the running. We just gathered into a circle and we did crunches, and bicycle crunches and planks! All for a minute! It was great fun! Can you see what I'm writing here, I really enjoy trying to conquer my fitness and fatness issues! When I'm doing it! I just got go get back to doing more often!
We finished with the relays of course, I do love relays, and I was so pleased that I was in a group of non speedsters! I noticed that Carole and Michael were in with the speedsters and they were still gaining breath when the baton was thrust back into their hands!
Yeah, it was a good work out. Love the summer evening get together!
My blog is a little late, I know, now lets see if I can drag everything out of my brain cell to lay down on my blog! It has been three days!
Olivia was leader on Thursday evening, and she is very fit! She has been doing the 22 Push up challenge for her charity choice, MIND. She can complete 22 push-ups in, I'm sure, less than 22 seconds! And not the easy version like the ones that I do!
So there we were, about 16 of us ready to battle with bulge, at least that is what I am there for! It was a lovely evening too, after a very pleasant day spent with my grandson, (read previous blog!) We started off with usual 2 laps of the rec, and after the warm up drills we went into the running exercises.
And this is why I normally write everything down straight away, because I can't remember what was first! My memory is like Swiss cheese! Lets just write down what I remember! There was this running thing, between to lines of cones. We had to run up to the top cones then run back to the beginning and then do 1 press-up! That was it. Sounds easy right! Well after that we had to run back to the top cones and then come back and do 2 press-ups, and then 3...... We had to continue this until Olivia said it was half way and then we had to work down, from where ever it was we got to, whether it was 10 press-ups or 5. It was a great work out! And then we did it again, but it was squats instead of press-ups!
We continued with the core work outs but without the running. We just gathered into a circle and we did crunches, and bicycle crunches and planks! All for a minute! It was great fun! Can you see what I'm writing here, I really enjoy trying to conquer my fitness and fatness issues! When I'm doing it! I just got go get back to doing more often!
We finished with the relays of course, I do love relays, and I was so pleased that I was in a group of non speedsters! I noticed that Carole and Michael were in with the speedsters and they were still gaining breath when the baton was thrust back into their hands!
Yeah, it was a good work out. Love the summer evening get together!
parkrun
So, all of the workout, I wonder how I would do on a parkrun! Answer to that is.....not particularly well! It's doing parkruns that you notice your fitness level and how it can change over the course of the weeks, months years. Whether it is getting faster as you train real hard or, as in my case, getting slower!
I know m head hasn't really been entirely focused on my running, and I just feel so glad that I have a club to go to, having a commitment to be somewhere, is what is keeping me running right now. I know that if I didn't have my club to run with then my running really would just slide into oblivion!
I almost turned over and went back to sleep! If it wasn't for Naggy Neighbour sending me a text I probably would have done. This is what I am talking about, running just for me, that's what I got to get back into my head. But I was up, into my running gear and out of the door.
We arrived at the park and then made our way to the other side for the start line, it's back to summer time route, so twice round the park and then run to the funnel! We started out at the back, when the 'off' was given we started running. Naggy started to pull away before we even got to the first corner! I was going to try my best to just keep going. Trying not to think about how far it was, trying to ignore my sore feet, legs and full stomach and chatting as I ran along chatting to Carole. It helped. But then my legs started to feel heavy, and the ankles and feet complained! I seriously need to get some good solo running done! Get my mojo back to where it should be!
I ran/walked my way around the course, telling myself off. It was like back in the beginning where I 'beat myself up' and I know that is not the way that I work well! 'It is what it is' is what I should be thinking, and then just working a little harder each time from there.
My parkrun time was under 40 mins.....just....39:17 official time! Not my fastest, not my best....but I was glad I got out and run! So much better than just laying in bed wishing I had done it!
Geeky stats.
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1301234403' title='parkrun Bromley' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>
Thursday 11 August 2016
Wanted! For being the Best At Hide And Seek
Hello biog lovers!
So this morning the dude turned up at my house this morning so his mum can go to work. We headed for the rec to see if there were any other kids who were going to be there this morning. But alas, it was just me and dudie!, my grandson! Obviously not enough to do team games with so, as like last week, I was forced to run again! This week though I was prepared! Had my tea and breakfast early!
We said our cheerios to all the Thursday runners and we headed out for the woods. Just as we came out of the gate and just a little way along Crossways the dude said "My legs are tired!" I think we had been running for about 2 minutes! This is going to be the longs 1.5 miles I've done in a while!
And so the walking with a tiny bit of running begins. We had a great time in the woods, and of course I had my camera out, and before I knew it, a little story unfolded! Here it is!
It was a warm morning and Nanny decided to take dudie to the woods for a nice walk. Here he is, look how happy he is!
Doesn't he look like a good little boy. They walked on up through the middle of the woods and Dude spotted a great tree to climb, here this is him atop of the tree.....ok just to the first branch! Nanny got the first picture and Dude disappeared. Can you see him?
Dude called out to Nanny "Nanny, look, I can see you!"
Nanny had a job to spot him, can you?
Nanny and Dude continued on the run.......oops sorry, their walk up to the top of the path, they turned right and walked and ran just a little, along the top. Nanny told Dude to look out for a clearing in the woods and a stone with a sun dial on it. Guess what, he found it!
When Nanny checked the lovely picture she took of him she looked up to show it to Dude but he had disappeared again.
Can you spot him?
They continued on there rather surprisingly pleasant walk even though there was just the tiniest of showers falling through the clearing. Dude took his Nanny's hand as he chatted away about all sorts of things, his foot ball skills, what he wanted for lunch, how fast he can run (he may run fast for 30 seconds, but then his legs get tired!). "Oh look, a fallen tree" he said and ran off towards it.
Can you spot him?
They were going down hill now, back the way they came, they said hello to so many friendly dogs, big ones small ones, senior dogs and puppy dogs. It really was a young boys dream walk. Full of trees to climb, sundials to look at and logs to walk along, what more can a small boy possible want. Ferns, that's what! "Nanny, nanny, can you see me? I'm hiding!"
Can you spot him?
He decided that he could have another little run and was doing well, until they came across a fallen tree, with the roots upended! "I can climb this big tree" And with that he disappeared again!
Can you spot him?
They were nearly at the ally way again, "My legs are tired, are we nearly out of the woods nanny" Dudie asked, "Yes we are" she said, "look there is the entrance to the ally"
"Oh good" he said. And then he disappeared again.
Can you spot him?
"I only had a little lay day" he said with a cheeky smile on his face. He held his Nanny's hand as they went through the tunnel, and near the end he ran off again, "Just one last time" he said giggling
Can you spot him?
What a fun morning run.........walk they had through the woods.
Nanny even had her Garmin running, here look at the route they took.
So this morning the dude turned up at my house this morning so his mum can go to work. We headed for the rec to see if there were any other kids who were going to be there this morning. But alas, it was just me and dudie!, my grandson! Obviously not enough to do team games with so, as like last week, I was forced to run again! This week though I was prepared! Had my tea and breakfast early!
We said our cheerios to all the Thursday runners and we headed out for the woods. Just as we came out of the gate and just a little way along Crossways the dude said "My legs are tired!" I think we had been running for about 2 minutes! This is going to be the longs 1.5 miles I've done in a while!
And so the walking with a tiny bit of running begins. We had a great time in the woods, and of course I had my camera out, and before I knew it, a little story unfolded! Here it is!
It was a warm morning and Nanny decided to take dudie to the woods for a nice walk. Here he is, look how happy he is!
 |
| What a sweet boy |
Doesn't he look like a good little boy. They walked on up through the middle of the woods and Dude spotted a great tree to climb, here this is him atop of the tree.....ok just to the first branch! Nanny got the first picture and Dude disappeared. Can you see him?
 |
| I can climb trees |
Dude called out to Nanny "Nanny, look, I can see you!"
 |
| I'm hiding |
Nanny had a job to spot him, can you?
 |
| I'm getting good at this nanny |
Nanny and Dude continued on the run.......oops sorry, their walk up to the top of the path, they turned right and walked and ran just a little, along the top. Nanny told Dude to look out for a clearing in the woods and a stone with a sun dial on it. Guess what, he found it!
 |
| What's the time nanny? |
When Nanny checked the lovely picture she took of him she looked up to show it to Dude but he had disappeared again.
Can you spot him?
 |
| Hi Nanny, I'm here |
They continued on there rather surprisingly pleasant walk even though there was just the tiniest of showers falling through the clearing. Dude took his Nanny's hand as he chatted away about all sorts of things, his foot ball skills, what he wanted for lunch, how fast he can run (he may run fast for 30 seconds, but then his legs get tired!). "Oh look, a fallen tree" he said and ran off towards it.
Can you spot him?
 |
| I walked along here! |
They were going down hill now, back the way they came, they said hello to so many friendly dogs, big ones small ones, senior dogs and puppy dogs. It really was a young boys dream walk. Full of trees to climb, sundials to look at and logs to walk along, what more can a small boy possible want. Ferns, that's what! "Nanny, nanny, can you see me? I'm hiding!"
Can you spot him?
 |
| They make great arrows! |
He decided that he could have another little run and was doing well, until they came across a fallen tree, with the roots upended! "I can climb this big tree" And with that he disappeared again!
Can you spot him?
 |
| It must have been a big wind to take this down |
They were nearly at the ally way again, "My legs are tired, are we nearly out of the woods nanny" Dudie asked, "Yes we are" she said, "look there is the entrance to the ally"
"Oh good" he said. And then he disappeared again.
Can you spot him?
 |
| Just what I needed! |
"I only had a little lay day" he said with a cheeky smile on his face. He held his Nanny's hand as they went through the tunnel, and near the end he ran off again, "Just one last time" he said giggling
Can you spot him?
 |
| just the last time! |
What a fun morning run.........walk they had through the woods.
Nanny even had her Garmin running, here look at the route they took.
Tuesday 9 August 2016
Club Run - Three Bridges
Hello blog lovers
I really didn't know if I was going to make it running this evening, not after trying to self diagnose my illness! Google is a wonderful thing, but for goodness sake do not ever look up your own symptoms. By the time I had looked at everything I really shouldn't be here! Anyway, the doc put me right, and she diagnosed a......sore throat....... sometimes that is all it is! But what with me feeling just a little under the weather physically, emotionally and everything-else-ally it all just got to me I think.
So with reassurance from the doctor that I don't have strep throat, tonsillitis or impeding tropical hippy festival/camping type disease I left for running with a happy heart! This is going to be good.....tough..... but good. I am not one for breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, so I know my sore throat is going to complain! Just as well I had my paracetamol earlier! "It's a cold, Old Girl, stop acting like a guy and get on with it!" That's what is going on in my head at the moment as I am writing this! It is just a cold, fortunately it's all above the neck, not on my chest, perfectly ok to run in my opinion! (but then again, in my opinion I did have some tropical festival super bug!)
Anyway, enough of my wallowing in self pity, back to the run. I had decided that going through the woods for the entire run is not possible now, but I do like going into the woods, and so does everyone else. My route today was going to be just going along through Dog Poo Ally and then left along by the rail lines to the bridges! Yup that's right, i was taking them over three of them! I 'accidently' told them two, but that was my brain shorting out (due to this tropical hippy flu!) and forgetting Little Thrift that we had to cross over to get to Jubilee Park.
We were only just touching on the park this evening as I led them out again through Tent Peg Lane to do the rest of our run on the pavements. We were all keeping together really well, all 11 of us so my pacing is not too bad. We are running as fast as group 2 do, but we have more walking stops. Our group is the run/walk method, no pressure and of course it is a shorter distance.
We ran along Crescent Drive and all the way round to Shepperton Road. We took another breather there and walked a bit before running all the way to the top. We were still well grouped together, with just a little bit of a gap for one with our lovely sweepers, J.J. and LittleJ. But we didn't have far to go now, just along to Tudor Way and then the Sprint Finish to the rec.
I stopped the watch and walked into the rec with the rest of group one! I was just a bit annoyed with myself for not running in to make it 3 miles exact! My Garmin read 2.95 miles! Next time I will look before I switch it off!
Geeky stats.
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1296454977' title='Group 1 Run' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>
Oh and just one thing. I should have written a blog about Thursdays activities! So a quick summary. On Thursdays mornings, as you know, I take the kids for games and races and stuff, but last Thursday there was only 1 child! Little Miss M. Now she is a sporty girl anyway, loves her football, so instead of her mum taking her back and her missing the morning run with the gang I still offered to look after her, and me and little Miss M will go for a couple of miles run instead. After all she has done park run in something ridiculously fast for someone her age (I think!) anyway her pb is faster than my pb!
The thing was, I wasn't actually prepared to run, I had only just finished my morning cuppa, I usually brought it with me to finish in the rec, so my tea was sloshing about when we were running! So to keep this 'short as the proverbial' she was running ahead the whole time and I was saying 'ok lets take a walking break" Just a couple of miles but boy it felt like 10k!
Here's our geeky stats for that day.
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1296454655' title='Thursday Morning [kids]' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>
And that evening I also went to core and speed training as well. I made up for my 'unreadiness' earlier in the day and I tried my hardest to keep running as hard as I can (without doing injury to my self Michael.B.!) but just enough to know that I worked hard!
So although I haven't blog for a while, I have been doing something. And now that I know my tropical hippy super bug is just .....a sore throat....... I will get right back to where I need to be, training my ass off! Literally! It's huge! It needs to go!
I really didn't know if I was going to make it running this evening, not after trying to self diagnose my illness! Google is a wonderful thing, but for goodness sake do not ever look up your own symptoms. By the time I had looked at everything I really shouldn't be here! Anyway, the doc put me right, and she diagnosed a......sore throat....... sometimes that is all it is! But what with me feeling just a little under the weather physically, emotionally and everything-else-ally it all just got to me I think.
So with reassurance from the doctor that I don't have strep throat, tonsillitis or impeding tropical hippy festival/camping type disease I left for running with a happy heart! This is going to be good.....tough..... but good. I am not one for breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, so I know my sore throat is going to complain! Just as well I had my paracetamol earlier! "It's a cold, Old Girl, stop acting like a guy and get on with it!" That's what is going on in my head at the moment as I am writing this! It is just a cold, fortunately it's all above the neck, not on my chest, perfectly ok to run in my opinion! (but then again, in my opinion I did have some tropical festival super bug!)
Anyway, enough of my wallowing in self pity, back to the run. I had decided that going through the woods for the entire run is not possible now, but I do like going into the woods, and so does everyone else. My route today was going to be just going along through Dog Poo Ally and then left along by the rail lines to the bridges! Yup that's right, i was taking them over three of them! I 'accidently' told them two, but that was my brain shorting out (due to this tropical hippy flu!) and forgetting Little Thrift that we had to cross over to get to Jubilee Park.
We were only just touching on the park this evening as I led them out again through Tent Peg Lane to do the rest of our run on the pavements. We were all keeping together really well, all 11 of us so my pacing is not too bad. We are running as fast as group 2 do, but we have more walking stops. Our group is the run/walk method, no pressure and of course it is a shorter distance.
We ran along Crescent Drive and all the way round to Shepperton Road. We took another breather there and walked a bit before running all the way to the top. We were still well grouped together, with just a little bit of a gap for one with our lovely sweepers, J.J. and LittleJ. But we didn't have far to go now, just along to Tudor Way and then the Sprint Finish to the rec.
I stopped the watch and walked into the rec with the rest of group one! I was just a bit annoyed with myself for not running in to make it 3 miles exact! My Garmin read 2.95 miles! Next time I will look before I switch it off!
Geeky stats.
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1296454977' title='Group 1 Run' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>
Oh and just one thing. I should have written a blog about Thursdays activities! So a quick summary. On Thursdays mornings, as you know, I take the kids for games and races and stuff, but last Thursday there was only 1 child! Little Miss M. Now she is a sporty girl anyway, loves her football, so instead of her mum taking her back and her missing the morning run with the gang I still offered to look after her, and me and little Miss M will go for a couple of miles run instead. After all she has done park run in something ridiculously fast for someone her age (I think!) anyway her pb is faster than my pb!
The thing was, I wasn't actually prepared to run, I had only just finished my morning cuppa, I usually brought it with me to finish in the rec, so my tea was sloshing about when we were running! So to keep this 'short as the proverbial' she was running ahead the whole time and I was saying 'ok lets take a walking break" Just a couple of miles but boy it felt like 10k!
Here's our geeky stats for that day.
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1296454655' title='Thursday Morning [kids]' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>
And that evening I also went to core and speed training as well. I made up for my 'unreadiness' earlier in the day and I tried my hardest to keep running as hard as I can (without doing injury to my self Michael.B.!) but just enough to know that I worked hard!
So although I haven't blog for a while, I have been doing something. And now that I know my tropical hippy super bug is just .....a sore throat....... I will get right back to where I need to be, training my ass off! Literally! It's huge! It needs to go!
Tuesday 2 August 2016
Club Run - Out And Back
Hello blog lovers.
After a fantastic weekend with Kirsty, my friend J.J.'s daughter, I am back to running! The weekend we had was at WOMAD, my first festival and camping trip (although I am told that it was 'glamping') I can only guess that sleeping on a sun lounger is more luxurious than on on the floor of a tent! But still, sleeping was difficult, the first night hardly any sleep at all! But the subsequent nights I did manage to sleep. You will probably notice that I say 'I didn't sleep' or 'I managed to sleep' it's because Kirsty had actually been giving a hospital bed! All the young adults that cam along with St. Christopher's to Festival Spirit had hospital beds, and all the nurses and carers and I had these camp beds! Here, this is Kirsty in her bed with mine next to her. She did find this most amusing!
 |
| Kirsty comfy on her bed. Mine is that one on the right! |
 |
| Our stripy tent! |
Anyway, we had a great weekend, music, food, beer and making some lovely friends! But that all took it's toll on my body, and I am not even going to go into the 'potty' times! (or lack of!) Those that came along this evening did get all the graphic details! It's the sort of thing we talk about!.......or I talk about! So I was feeling rather bloated (although there was some relief finally this afternoon!) I turned up at the rec after popping in to see Kirsty and J.J. and Little.J. and then the three of us said goodbye to Kirsty and we walked to the rec.
All the leaders said their bit, routes, times etc and then we all gathered at our posts, literally these days, with the numbered posts. And then we were off. J.J. suggested running through Jubilee Park as it had been raining today. I knew there were a couple of people returning to running after being out for a while, so going through the woods wasn't a good idea. You really need to concentrate. And also it's getting darker in the evening! I cant believe it! where has that time gone!
So out and back to Blackbrook Lane. At least we are still going through a park, away from traffic mostly! This does include one bridge to get over! A little bit of a challenge! Run up it and then walk down the other side.! Our pace was a pretty steady pace, I kept a close eye on my Garmin to make sure that I didn't actually go over the advertised pace, which is 12 m/mi+ (what ever the slowest runner is) We don't stand on ceremony, but I do encourage them to push just a little harder when it needs it!
We were all pretty tight, however, even though on the odd occasion i checked my Garmin and we were running at Group 2's fastest advertised pace! I slowed it down a bit, and even took some stopping breaks. I sent those that wanted to run a little fast up ahead of me once we got near Bickley Manor Hotel. Then we caught them up after just a couple of minutes later.
On the way back we were all warmed up, it seemed that it was quicker on the way back. Even getting up over the bridge seemed easier. That 'Ouchy burning' feeling in the thighs didn't seem to happen this time. We got back still as a nice tight unit. Running down hill on Great thrift and Hazlemere road we picked up the pace again, running at group 2's advertised pace! Woo hoo! We could so keep up with them these days! That must to twice in too weeks we have ran a good pace!
It was all too quick today. so quick, I felt like I had another mile or so left in me, but I guess it's not good to push group 1 to do another mile......not yet anyway!
Geeky stats for you!
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