Monday 30 January 2017

SMS - Short Monday Slog!

Hello blog lovers.

You know those mornings when the alarm wakes you up but you feel like your head has only just hit the pillow? Well, that's how  felt this morning.  The feeling of tiredness just didn't leave me for the whole day.  I ambled through the day, doing housework, a bit of shopping and laundry.  The pooch was looking at me too, I was going to take him for a little run around the park, but then he just sate on my lap and snuggled down.  I knew how he felt.  I just wanted to snuggle down too.  Anyway, by the time I did all of my chores I didn't have enough time anyway.  So a snuggle for the last 15 minutes before the school runs begin was nice.

It doesn't mean that I didn't do anything, as you know, if there is a blog there has been exercise,  with just one or two exceptions, like when I've been volunteering!  I finished work early this evening, 6 o'clock. or just after, and from that moment I started to think about running.  I really, really wasn't feeling it.  I decided that I would watch my usual soap and then go after that!  The Old Boy has started back to his cycling, so I just have to go out, keep up my regime of getting back to fitness going.  But I really, really wasn't feeling it! My programme finished and I got slowly up from my seat, all I kept saying to myself was "That's it, keep moving, get changed and then get out!"  My legs felt like led going up the stairs, the tiredness was still with me, I could quite easily just sit back and have a snooze instead!  Or even a full on sleep!  I really, wasn't feeling it!

I mentioned to PhysioMikeTheMod that he probably needs a crow bar to get himself out of his house on freezing Thursday evenings, to go and STAND on the freezing cold track watching us running around him!  Well, I really needed a crow bar to get out of my house today, but there I was, outside, ready!  I started running along, all I could think about was going back.  I decided to just enjoy the tunes in my ears, see if that can take me away from my tiredness.

I really tried to get to the mile before I even thought about taking a walk, but I didn't even get to about half mile!  I tell you what, those rest days are really so necessary!  I know I have missed a couple of days in this month, I am beginning to be glad of that too!  I guess if I had been used to running longer distances then it would be different, I am going to have to try and keep up a 7 mile once a week at least after the Paddock Wood HM!

 I knew from that first walking stop that my planned 3 miles was not going to happen. I am going to struggle to even cover a mile!  I had planned to just to a complete out and back for 1.5 miles.  Stay on the main road and my road.  There has been a nutter wanting to take things from people in the area, although I think they have caught him, it's still best to stick to the bus routes until we know for certain.  I still did an out and back, but I made sure I got to a mile before I turned around and came back.  Two miles is worth going out for a slow run.  I really wasn't feeling.  It was tough.  But it's the last day of January tomorrow, so at least I won't have to try and run every single day.  Although, I have to run tomorrow, it's the last day. And then Wednesday, with Tracy, and of course I will have to do Thursdays double, because that's what I do! But Friday, Friday will be a rest day!

Geeky stats.




Sunday Solo!

Hello blog lovers.
My mum.  

With the Paddock Wood Half Marathon coming up in a couple of months I really need to start to push out the miles.  NaggyNeighbough is on a mission, she is doing some crazy ultra marathon around the Isle of White.  Wendymoo has upped and left us to go oop north, and all the other marathoners are way to fast for me to tag along with.  And besides, they have probably all started first thing this morning! I start my training after church.  It's always good to start on long runs with His words in your mind first!  I doubt it will make me any quicker, or even easier!

I got myself ready and looked out of the patio window and saw that it was wet, yucky, horrid rain!  It was so not motivating.  I wanted to do my longest run for this year too.  I wanted to run for at least 6 miles today, not speedy, but then of course I wouldn't, would I.  I need to start to build up the miles slowly, in readiness for the 13.1 miles I have to do in the beginning of April. Only a month to go!  I already feel woefully unprepared!

I set off up Farringdon Avenue, along Oxhawth and Southborough Lane.  I felt ok, not perfect, but ok.  There will soon be a rest day coming up soon.  I didn't complete my challenged of 31 activities for this month, but I think with just a couple more days to do, doing over 70 miles this month is not too bad for me!  The run up to the A21 went ok, I had to stop to cross roads but I did it. It wasn't pretty, it was faster bits, and slower bits.  I need to just keep it nice and steady!  The first two miles though, I was just trying to get as far away from any short cuts home!  The rain wasn't too bad, it was just heavy mist really, but I still felt soggy and still not very inspired.  Those two miles did not pass all of the short cuts.  Now I had to switch my brain off, just look up the road and see how I go! I didn't want to think about the three or four shortcuts that I will be passing.  Once I get to the bus garage, pass Mc'D's then there is no turning back!

I ran, walked, jogged and nagged myself to just get pass those roads.  Once I started on the ascent to Locksbottom then the thoughts started coming.

Why am I out here running in the rain?
You know who would be so proud of me right now?
How did I get to this point in my life?
You know who I would like to tell right now, all about this!?
How long have I been running for?

This answer to all of this is 'Mum!'  My mum, Why am I running, well that's simple, because I have worked so hard since my mum died. My mum would be so proud right now, she'd think I was daft as a brush as well! How did I get to here, because I just wanted to do something to remember my mum, or my sister did, Bims. Blimey, that was a day, all twenty or so of us, dressed in Pink, Tracy was there too! I would so love to have a conversation with her right now, instead of putting it all down in this blog. How long have I been running for, well that's easy, 9 years!  It was 9 years ago that we started training for our very first 5k run.....which we all walked by the way. 9 years of missing her.  9 years and 2 months since she left us.  Still hurts like fuck!
Race For Life 2008

You can imagine what I was like as I tried to run up hill on the A21!  I was just a mess, I mean I lost it, I had a complete meltdown, sobbed like a baby!  I couldn't run!  I knew that I just had to let it out, so I sobbed, loudly!  After a few minutes I managed to pull myself together and got going again.  Running and walking, running and walking and that was pretty much the way for the rest of my run!  I tried to figure out why I kept walking, was I tired? Well yes, but I can still keep going. Does it hurt? Well, no, not really, a little twinge on my back, but that happens when I walk or sit as well. Lazy? No I refuse to believe that, after all I am out here running in the pissing rain!  So that was it, I talked myself out of a beating.  My conclusion was that at least I am out here.  I am never going to be the fastest running in PWR, I will probably always only ever lead group 1, with maybe an attempt to lead group 2, in an absolute emergency, which I will lead from the middle!  But I am still here.  Nine years after my mum died, nine years after I had a reason to keep on going.  I was still here.  I can think about my mum when I am running, I can cry when it's necessary, and I can give thanks that I had the most beautiful mum in the whole world, who gave us all brothers and sisters to support and care for each other!  And I can continue running, because I know that I am not going to stop.  Slow, or slower, I will always run for as long as I can!

The last bit of the run, I started to 'feel' better, my running didn't get any better though, but at least I was still running.  I think 13:30 m/mi is not a bad pace for an old ex-couch potato really.  No need to beat myself up.  I ran up to the place where I started my Garmin in the first place and switched it off!  That split second that I was looking at it I noticed the distance!  6.98 miles!  Stuff that, I am not going to stop my run on that!  I just had to run pass NaggyNeighbour's house and the next neighbours house and boom!  Done it!  7 miles!  Considering I only planned to do 6 miles today I was very pleased with that, so definitely no telling off!

Geeky stats




Saturday 28 January 2017

Dash and Hash

Hello blog lovers.

Two blogs rolled into one!  I bet you all thought I let another day of January go by without an exercise involved in there somewhere.  Well I think I have probably failed the 31 lots of exercise in January, but I think I have done more than I usually do! There is still time! But seriously, I don't think I am going to make it!  I am, however thinking of keeping the 'dry' going at least until Auntie Evie and Uncle Tonys Wedding Anniversary party!  Which is next month, on the 18th, so only a couple more weeks! Dash and Hash? Well the dash is of course my mile dash!  The Hash, no, not the weed, nor even been, but I did feel as if I had made a hash of my parkrun! (but read on, I have got over that now)

So the first is all about my quick dash to Turn around Lamppost and back yesterday, Friday.  Well, what can I say?  It was a run of two halves! First half I really thought I had it!  I ran my little heart out, thinking about the way I run on track on Thursdays, thinking about what PhysioMikeTheMod tells us.  I didn't have my music with me, I just wanted to run this as fast as I could.  Well I did.....the first half, but from that turn around I just lost it!  I really struggled to find my pace again, get back into the zone.  Every time I slowed down or walked it felt like I was going backwards!  I really told myself off!  Maybe next time I do this I should put my loony tunes in and just not think about anything!  Or maybe sort out another 1 mile route and go with that one, mix it up a bit! Yeah, I deffo got to do something!  I will keep at it though, I am almost beginning to like these 1 mile dash mornings!  I may even keep them going after this ridiculous, non drinking, non smoking, non eating, full on exercise January!

So the geeky stats for that Friday dash, well, I have been slower and not just with the dog!


K, PinkLadyJo, Tracy,  Michael
Carole, Gary (back) Becky, me, Tim
and LittleJ (front)

parkrun

Would you believe I nearly didn't make it to parkrun this morning.  I had forgotten to put my alarm on!  I woke up at 8:15 this morning!  I was to pick up Tracy at 8:30!  I kind of fell out of bed, opened my drawer and rummaged through there to find some running clothes!  I have loads, I found tee shirts galore, but I wanted a long sleeve one!  I eventually found my black one.  I pulled out jog pants, three quarter length, I wanted long ones!  I eventually found one!  I couldn't find my shock absorber!  Both of those were in the tumble dryer! (thankful not the washing machine, it would have been cold!)

Well I made it in time, I picked up Tracy and drove to Normans park.  The only good thing about the winter route is that it starts from Hook Farm end of the park! Other wise there is nothing.....well apart from all those running, volunteering, watching.....and the water, biscuits.......and even the coffee van.....but apart from that there is nothing to like! Ok, it's the laps, I hate the laps.  Three times down the long straight, it really does my head in, that is the only bit I really dislike!

We sat in the car and waited just for a few extra minutes.  The weather was, well, mild!  After that freezing day on Thursday to this positively spring like morning, it was just perfect running weather!  Michale and Carole pulled up next to us and so we got out!  We all walked over to the start line and saw LittleJ and Kay, and Ali, and some others as well!  I just love parkrun!  I must say this, marathon training gets people doing crazy stuff, like today, Ali had already covered 11 miles before she got to us at Normans park!  She must have got up blimmin early! And she still had to run home after parkrun too! See, crazy!

Andy was run director today, and he gave out the safety instructions and stuff and then it was time for the off!  The crowd started to move slowly at first.  The speedsters were all at the front just eager to get the best time.  Us mere mortals were at the back, we have our own times, we know what we can do! I was running along thinking about nothing in particular, apart from my how lead like my limbs feel.  The one thing I wasn't thinking was how cold it was!  That was going through my mind actually. The weather!  How can it be that just the day before yesterday it was blimmin freezing, yet this morning it was a very mild 6 degrees!  I'm not complaining mind, but it does get me thinking how very changeable our weather is! Just so very British to be talking about the weather, right!  Well if it takes my mind of the running then it's fine!

  I was talking to another young lady, who's name escapes me (I am just useless at recalling names!) but she was another great distraction from me thinking about my aching limbs!  We ran about three thirds of the way around the first lap, but then she was just keeping the pace up, I started to wimp out again.  But by that time Becky was by my side, the three of us were running together for a bit.  Afterwards it was just me and Becky!  We ran the rest of the way around together.  Keeping each other motivated was our goal.  I couldn't believe that I was the first one to stop running and did a walk.  Becky said that she was grateful though, but I still think I should have not done it!  It was like that the whole way around.  

On the last lap we were both flagging a bit.  Running up the long straight Becky spotted the bench between the two buildings, "To the bench" she said, meaning that she would run to the bench and then take a walking break. I had already had it in mind before she said it that I was going to run to the building, the second building, so a bit further than Becky had said. "Come on to the building"  It looked a lot further away, and I was wondering if I could get there without wimping out, "Ok!" Becky said. We put our heads down, figuratively speaking, to get to the building.  We managed it, and we were pleased that we had too, but oh I was so pleased that I was taking a walk! We walked a little further than I had planned but we were soon back to running. It was the last lap, our cheer leaders of Sian and her crowd had gone now, they had been there for the first two times we got to the top of the park, they had probably gone to meet their friends at the finish! 

The finish! Oh so pleased that this is the finish!  Just this last short straight now, to the funnel.  I really was flagging, Becky seemed to have tons of energy! "You go Becky I shall see you at the end" "No, you keep going, you can do this, come on" she said
"No, I shall just walk a bit" 
"No, come on it's just here look" she urged me.
Of course I started running, I really was angry with myself now! Fancy walking on this last bit! "Thank you Becky, of course I can run this last bit"  I think I even shook my head, that's how angry I was with myself!

We headed for the funnel, Carole and Michael were there, they had finished by they came back to run this last little bit with us, urging us to finish!  It was a good run, not my fastest even though it felt like it was faster!  It wasn't.  I kicked myself even more that I had walked!  But as Becky said when we were out there running, at least we were out there running, doing it, not curled up in bed still!  Yeah there is that!  No run is a bad run, just slower or faster than the previous!

Geeky stats.


Thursday 26 January 2017

Double Thursday - I'm On Fire!

Hello blog lovers

My goodness, wasn't it cold this morning!  What I couldn't understand is why I wasn't scrapping frost from my car to get to the rec! The temperature was reading -1 degrees in the car! Driving along to the rec I was thinking "Why, why are you out here, in the freezing cold? You are are only going to trip arse over tit again!"  It was this time last Thursday that I took m tumble in the woods!  I have this beautiful bruise now, but at least it's not hurting anymore!  And the aches in my arms where I supported myself from face planting the frozen mud had stopped as well! But I was still thinking 'Why?'  There is one thing that gets me to be totally lazy and that's the cold! I just don't like it!

So getting out to run is hard, but not the morning one, the evening run might be a bit tough.  As I was leading this morning its always easy to get me out! Rain, wind, snow or shine! Thank goodness that I became a leader!  The ladies I was led though are normally in the faster groups on a Tuesday, but Amy is coming back from injury and so is Diane!  They would normally run in the middle group on the Thursday!  As I have said before, (and I need to start to really take it on board myself!)  it's good to run with faster runners as it pushes you to try harder!  Well I hoped I did  that this morning, even in this blimmin cold! BRRRRR.

There were quite a few people missing from all the groups, the Facebook chat was full of apologies for people not being able to run this morning.  You can almost tell from they way they have put it that they really are sorry that they couldn't make it, mind you, there was one who went dog walking first then wimped out of running because it was cold.....I shall name no names!!

The route I had planned was the middle path, straight up, get the hill over and done with!  We all set off together, first the middle group, just two of them, Michelle and Emma, then followed us, just the three of us, followed by the fast group behind us, only three of them too.  It really was just a smattering of runners this morning!  The faster runners, Phil, Ian and another chap whose name I don't recall, soon took over us.  All three groups were heading into the woods, and all three groups were running up the middle path!  The other two groups soon disappeared from our sight as we ran on up the hill!  I really do try and enjoy running up hills, I try to think of pleasant things, of thinner, fitter thighs, but I just can no feel the love!  I just glare at the hill, wanting to take a sledge hammer to it, and pound it down to its a flat as the stick thin models chests that we are all supposed to be wanting to be like!  (not me though, I like my curves).  Up the hill we went!  Me puffing and glaring at the path, hating every centimetre of its assent.  I was really pleased when we got to the top.  The other two ladies were still just chatting away, they didn't even sound out of breath!

I had it mind to take the path that leads out into the housing estate, but I just knew that we would be back too quickly to the rec.  We were running and walking, the ground was very uneven in places, a hundred frozen footprints that used to be soggy, squishy mud! We walked over those bits too, all of us still having fresh memories of our individuals falls! We passed the place where I took my fall last week, the offending root or branch still sticking up it, like a trap, for any unsuspecting runners! I made sure I took the other path this time!

Up the hill again, running as much of it as I can, the girls were up there already!  I say I am the leader, but actually I am the navigator, Amy had no idea where she was, I think Diane knows these woods so she did.  I took them along the path at the back of the school and then up again (more darn blimmin' hills) to the road.  I felt sure that Amy would recognise where we were once we started running along to the pub. The school kids were out, don't they do lessons anymore? I don't remember being allowed off the school premises during break time, even in secondary school.  These days they seem to wonder in and out when they feel like it!

We continued along the road to the end and turned right, ran along there to the end.  Back into the woods after that!  Amy and Diane crossed the road first, I held back for the traffic.  There I was freezing waiting for any one of the drivers to stop to let me cross the road, do you think they would let that happen? No!  I tried looking freezing (which wasn't hard actually) to try the sympathy approach, but still they drove past.  A white van eventually stopped to let me go, I feel only because there was build of of traffic and he would have had to have stopped anyway!

Through Scadbury park was lovely though.  Not too much frozen footprints to negotiate and the we crossed over Leesons hill, again waiting for traffic to let us go by!  We also had to cross back over to the other side of the road to get back into Petts Wood.  This is where Diane became mother hen and ushed me safely across the road, (I would have stopped first, looked at how fast the car was travelling, calculated if I had enough time to cross, double checked my calculations as I'm useless at numbers and then crossed) - and then get frozen again!  We were nearly at the end of our run, with just the run all the way to the rail lines and then down to Dog Poo ally!

It was a great run, probably a little slower for the other two, but I think enough for me, knowing that I am planning on doing track tonight as well!  I will really have to try my hardest tonight! As we ran along Crossways Michelle and Emma came back as well, perfectly timed that we finished the run together!

Geeky stats.


Track Thursday!

So no pressure to be a track today! Nope, none whatsoever! Well apart from this......
Moosh On Fire!

PhysioMikeTheMod did this to motivate all of us to get out there and do it!  The thing is, if it was too cold I may have had to try and find an excuse not to go! This evening when the dad came to collect his child he said "Already minus 2 out there!" There, right there was my excuse to stay in......but for that photo!  The pressure to go....I don't suppose PhysioMikeTheMod realised that it has caused my GOOD than harm!  Yes, he's done it, he has motivated me to get out there and go like hell fire!

I was ready to go, to be honest, I didn't get out of my running clothes from this morning!! Dirty mare, I reasoned with myself that as I am ready, I really need to go out there and do it, create fire!  Lets see what I can do!  I got in my car and started to defrost my windows!  This is not a good start!  "You're out here now Old Girl, you've had your running clothes on all day, so make it worthwhile not get out of them!" I said to myself!  Eventually I could see out of the windows and started the drive to Norman Park Track. "What are you doing, it's freezing!" I yelled at myself! "Crazy" I really do not like cold!  I dislike cold more than I dislike running up hills!  I blame my mother, God rest her.  Apparently way back in the early 60's it was perfectly normal to wrap your baby up and put them in their pram with that plastic cover over, and leave them in the garden for a 'bit of fresh air'!  Really?  Summer time maybe, but I was born in November!!  It was particularly cold that year too!

When I got to the track there was a young lady there doing track for the first time, Michelle, she was a bit nervous!  There really is no reason to be nervous, In fact track is the least intimidating of all the runs that I do!  Because track is all about what you put into it!  Yes there are the speedsters, but they just run pass you, you can be sure they won't need to wait for you because you are all contained at the track.  PhysioMikeTheMod makes sure that he puts the speedsters through their paces, and then gives the slower runners a different goal to get to.  It really works well, everyone is challenged to do their best.  I am sure Michelle will enjoy it and get the feel of it.

This evenings sessions was a 15 minute tempo run, with a rest for 90 seconds and then 8x800m for the speedsters and 5x800 for the mortals.  I will be one of the mortals, in spite of the superpower I posses in the picture above!  Oh, wouldn't it be good to be like that!  At least I would be warm! So the tempo run went well, a steady group 1 pace for the full 15 minutes!  I started to warm up towards the end of it!  Four times around the track, that's how many times I managed to get around the track in 15 minutes, I even timed it perfectly (again!) so that the 15 minutes ended when I go to the finish line!

Then it was the session, the 5x800 meters, that's twice around the track.  I think PhysioMikeTheMod said that it should be a bit quicker than what we had just done.  The first one I ran faster, I only touched on 12:14 m/mi for a second or two, most of it was 11;30 avg I should think. The second time was a bit better, I was pleased with that.  The last two... yes I know, I only did 4 reps,....were a bit slower but I still think there were faster than the tempo run!  I was done though, if I had tried to do another rep it would have been really slow.  I would have been nagging myself too much and then beat myself up because I couldn't keep it up!  I was already nagging on the very last lap, talking to myself!  It's the first sign you know!

I tell you what, as I said up above there, there is no need to feel nervous when you come and do track!  Everyone is just so supportive and encouraging!  It is PhysioMikeTheMod, and all the runners out on track that keeps me coming back each week.  On freezing -2 degree evenings, to come out running around on a track! The thine is, I don't even like laps, the laps at parkrun get's to me, I don't know why, but the track, it's different somehow!  Each lap I try to do my best!  Thanks PhysioMikeTheMod, thanks Stephen, John, Ali and just about everyone out there on the track!  Some how I come back from these sessions really happy......freezing my ass off....but happy!

Geeky stats, yes of course I do my garmin, it's a must!

 



Tuesday 24 January 2017

Club Run

Hello blog lovers.

I am so glad I have a club to go to!  It's flipping freezing out there having my club to run with is what gets me out there on these cold evenings!  A couple of the usual ladies are not here today, J.J. is off sunning herself and Tracy is not very well!  But LittleJ is going to be there so no one will be left behind!

The roads were very slippery out there, I wasn't sure which would be the best route to go! I know some of the ladies were a bit worried about slipping over.  I don't know about you, but way back when we were kids a fall would be followed by a quick cry, pat on the head and we were off playing, knowing that in a couple of days time you will have a scab to pick at!  These days, being a bit taller, the fall blimmin hurts!  My leg has some lovely colours going on after my fall last Thursday!  I decided on one of our regularly routes, as it has a couple of short cuts to get back to the rec.  I was going to go a bit slower than usual so we don't feel to worried about slipping!

I couldn't wait to start running, that first hill should have us nicely warmed up!  We can have a quick walk once at the top and then keep on going.  It was difficult to decide if running on the pavement or the road was better.  They grit the roads but the pavements don't get even an accidental dusting from the gritters! that go by! And then it's not all the roads!  But we did it, some on the road, some on the pavement!  It was the very shiny bits that we had to be careful off.

I felt nicely warmed up by the time we got to the top of Birchwood, just as well as I had forgotten my buff and my gloves!  But luckily my running top had sleeves that you can pull over your hands and put your thumb though the hole to keep them there!  The others all were nicely warmed up as well.  I got them all to walk briskly pass the first tree.  The roots on there could easily trip us up if we were not concentrating!  We ran to the crossing and crossed over.  Our next little hill is the one near Tillingbourne Green.  We were not going to run around there this time.  I think some of the ladies were pleased about that!  But we were going to do this little hill twice!  Not 'eye-balls' out (quote stolen from Tim the 'Headband King!') like we usually do, but just the same pace that we have been doing!  It's much to slippy to put on too much of a sprint!

After we did that we started on the long road all the way to the end, near Petts Wood Memorial Hall!   Just one little stop at the bottom of the hill at Crossways we ran all the way to the top.  I checked my Garmin when were were at the top, the time, not the distance, and I realised that we had plenty of time to go all the way around, Woodland Way, Great Thrift and Hazelmere!  I don't know about the others but that bit of our route I just getting fed up with!  I am not sure why!  Maybe I am going to have to do it in the opposite direction!  Familiarity and all that!  You know what's coming, you know what to expect, you can even predict your thoughts as you're running along it!  There is no cutting it out though, it's right in the middle of our meeting place! We ran along it, I chatted, I listened then I just ran it.  Not thinking about anything, just ran it.  We ran passed Little Thrift, I didn't even notice it.  If I did then the thought of "There is still three more roads that we have to run pass".  But I didn't see it, I didn't even notice the roads that we passed, I was just running along thinking Little Thrift  would be coming up soon.  So I felt really pleased to see that the first road that I really noticed was Towncourt Crescent, which means that Crossways was the next road, our road, the road that has the park entrance on!  It's finished.  That bit of road wasn't as bad this time around.  Sometimes you can just run!

So geeky stats for our slow, slippy run today



Saturday 21 January 2017

Saturday Park Run - Mile Stone!

Hello blog lovers.

Yes, it's finally here, it's taken since 2011 to get to this!  Can you believe it's taken this long!  But it's finally here!  My 50th parkrun!  I am quite excited about it!  I have told all my friends and all who would listen at Petts Wood Runners that it's my 50th!  It's a big thing these miles stones for us in our running club!  Steve is doing his 100th!  Cake, cake and more cake!  That's why we run and keep on running!

I had to defrost the car this morning!  I was there, scratching away at the frosty windows, in my run pants, thinking "What am I doing?"  It was so cold, I had to make sure I was out early enough so that I could scrape the frost off!  The smile was on my face as I scrapped each window, the engine running with the heaters trying to lift the temperature inside the car from Antarctic to fridge temperate! I wasn't sure if in fact the smile was a grimace!  Eventually the car was drivable and I started off for the park.

I was there with plenty of time, I thought I was the first to be at the car park!  I should have realised that the ladies are way more organised than me!  J.J., LittlyJ, and K were there already!  Not only that but they had cake with them!  Pictures to follow!  We made our way over to the pavillion to put the cake down and use the ladies!  Then we walked back over to where the start will be, by the log pile.....which is no longer there, but we still know that that is where it was!  I met up with some other PWR's and Gary too!  SingstarJo was there, Diane, Nicola and just so many others too!  Auriol was there too, though not running as she still recovering from injury.

We had the briefing for the new comers, and then the announcements for the parkrun milestones!  My name was read out!  It surprised me really, because I had forgotten to let the RD know!  But as I have said, my friends are super efficient and let him know!  Steves name was read out too and we both got a cheer from our fellow PWR's and friends!

And so the run begins.  My 50th!  It's amazing that it's taken this long to get here.  Looking at my parkrun stats I can see that it has only been in 2016 that I have done the most runs!  In 2011 and 2012 I can almost count the amount of runs on one hand!  It has taken me this long to realise that I actually love parkrun!  I mean, really love parkrun!  It really is such a wonderful atmosphere, such a wonderful friendly weekly, FREE event!  Every week! Unless it's to darn icy, as last week was! Over six hundred people running!  Can you imagine if one person at the front slips on the ice, it would be like dominoes!  So the parkrun community really look after us all, just like one big family! I did more parkruns last year than all of the previous years!  And that was including the time outs for the two beginners group that we did as well!  I intend to do just as much, hopefully even more this year!

We were all running together, me, J.J. LittleJ, K, SingstarJo and Tracy.  Just plodding out nice a easy along the long straight!  It's the winter route, so it's three times down the long straight.  to me that is three laps, but it's actually 2 and half more or less.  I was a bit cold, even though I was nicely wrapped up.  I had three layers on, my long sleeve top, running jacket and also my fleece!  I thought I might leave my fleece in the bucket if I get too warm, but that first long straight I was thinking that I wouldn't be taking off any layers!

J.J. and LittleJ were running in front of me, K and Tracy were behind.  They will be running at their own pace! SingstarJo was running beside me.  I was going to try and stay with the two girls in front, but they have their own pace going on too.  I should be able to keep up with them, I should be able to run along beside them chatting, but I am not!  I should start listening to what I tell the beginners and to Tracy!  But the last thing I want today is to feel like I did in August last year, pushing hard to get a good time for my club G.P. and I was puking and farting as I was heading up the funnel!

I slowed down a bit, I even took out my camera and started filming a little bit.  I shall see if I can get it on here!

There that should do it!  For the next couple of times up the long straight SingstarJo ran beside me, encouraging me to keep on going, chatting, listening!  It was really good.  I just knew I wouldn't be getting a PB on this run, not today!  But as Ralph said after our run "PB's on milestone runs are an elusive thing to get"  I kept thinking about cake at the end, LittleJ's mum had made it and LittleJ had iced it!  From what I've heard about her cakes they are extremely popular and most tasty!  I don't actually eat fruit cake, but I do eat the icing on top!

With the last little bit of my 50th parkrun to do I ran towards the funnel.  Do I have enough for a little sprint finish.....yeah! Of course I do!  I sprinted off, SingstarJo let me have 'the field' as I took off with only the funnel being my prime thought. PB or not, I am still going to finish in style!  So of the speedy PWR's were there to cheer me on, J.J. LittleJ were there with Diane cheering me in! It was just so good!  I want to do it all again!!!  I shall have to wait until I do my 100th!  I will try and make sure it won't take as long!

My time for my 50th parkrun is 38:31.  Not speedy!  It's something that I am going to work on.....again...this year!

Geeky stats.





Friday 20 January 2017

Wednesday With Tracy

Hello blog lovers!

Just forgot, I still hadn't written about Wednesdays little run with Tracy!

I gave Tracy the choice, a quick once around the park, and I do mean quick, or two laps non stop, but with a bit of pace!  She chose the two laps!

We had the dog with us (those blooming puppy dog eyes of his) which means I could have potentially been playing catch up to Tracy, like we did last week!  It was fairly chilly if I remember, but we soon warmed up!  Tracy was running well, I think she was quite pleased that we were not doing the fast lap!  I think next week we should do that!  Then once a month she can try and beat her time!

Little Dexter was behaving so well, I called to him and he came.  Even when there were other dogs about, he came running up to me after a quick play!  I remember last time he just refused to come to me, even though I had treats!  But this day I didn't even have any treats for him, made me feel guilty!

We finished the two laps though, with the dog behaving very well.....oh and Tracy running both laps non stop, with just a quick walk  after the first mile!  Not bad!

Quick(?) Mile Dash!

hello blog lovers!

Guess where I went for a run today?  It was only a very short one, I am just trying to get up to 31 activities this month.  Well I went to Turn Around Lamppost and back!  It's been a while since I have done this little route.  It's where it all started out from.  This was my 'Struggle to get fit' route way back in 2008.  I think the first time I did this route it took well over the 20 minutes!  I was hoping that it was going to be a lot quicker this time!

I started to get ready, putting on my jog pants and top.  Little Dexter was looking at me, his head turning side to side as I spoke to him "You're not coming, you take too long" He looked at me as if he knew exactly what I was saying.  "No, you're not coming, I need to do this and I can't keep an eye on you." Then he pulled out the big guns, those puppy dog eyes, sitting in front of me, his tail wagging, looking at me as if to say 'that's ok, I shall give you lots of kisses when you come back, I love you nanny!'  Why do puppy's do that!  "Oh ok, you can come" I said.  I am sure he knew exactly what I said because he got all excited!

Once we were ready I was out of the door starting up my Garmin and waiting for the satellites.  Deci was pulling at the leash just wanting to run!  After a couple more seconds we were off!  He was pulling me along so fast!  Surely this could be the fastest one I I keep up with him!  Of course, he only goes fast until we get to the ally way. Then its sniffing, weeing, pooping and playing with all the other dogs! I let him off the lead but I still hang about to make sure he stays with me!

The weather was just perfect, the sun was shining and it felt quite mild considering the weather we have had!  I was smiling as I was running towards the end of the path, I looked at my shadow!  I tried to take a picture of it, I thought I looked pretty good! This picture doesn't do it justice though!
 I kept on having to slow down and to get the dog with me, or clean poop!  I just knew I was going to be breaking any numbers on this run!  So I thought I would show you TurnAroundLamppost!  Here is a quick video of me running up to it! I've never add a video that I have done before, so I hope it works.



A quick touch of the lamppost and then turn around and come back again.  You would think that the dog had sniffed everything on the way up, but no!  He wanted to sniff everything on the way back!  I just settled in to a nice little pace, just enjoying be out really!  Oh well, next time I will have to be harder on myself.....and the dog, and leave him at home on the short 1 milers!

Geeky stats.


Thursday 19 January 2017

Double Thursday! - Cruising For A Bruising!

Hello all!
Trish, me, Diane, Amy and Tracy

It's double day!  It's blimmin freezing! But I'm out here doing it!  How the heck I do it I don't know!  All those years ago of being a couch potato and now look at me!  Out in the freezing cold running!  I tell you, I didn't think it was possible!  I didn't think I would keep it up when way back in 2008 when me an my sister started training to do a 5k Race for Life in memory of our mum.  Little did I know then, that day, the day of the race when all 20 of us, dressed in pink wigs and tee shirts with pictures of my mum on them, when we WALKED the whole way round singing! Little did I know then that I would start the process of me becoming a runner!  I really have amazed myself!  Ok, so I am not the fastest runner in the club, nor will I ever get further that group 2, but I am still out here running!  I am not a 'fair weather' runner either!  Last Sunday proved that!  Or it proved that I am totally crazy!  I think you do need to be a 'off balance' to make yourself come out on freezing cold, dark winter nights to run around a flood lit track.........after running and falling over in the woods in the morning!

So let me begin......Oh and I know I still have to write up about yesterdays run with Tracy too.......So, this morning I met up with all the other Thursday morning runners and after a chat we split into our group!  In my group there were more than usual!  Trish and Amy were both coming back from injury, Dianne, also was with us.  She had a nasty fall at club run on Tuesday and had grazed hands and knees! But she was here!  Also Tracy and J.J. came along!  A nice group of ladies!

I had chosen the 3 mile route to do, it's a doable route for the time we have and also a nice gentle ease back into running for the ones recovering from injuries.  The floor of the woods was like running over cobble stones, we were all having to keep an eye out for each other, call out when there is roots or rocks, or more 'cobble stone' effect floor!  It took a while for me to get warmed up, the incline up towards Orpington Road really does help in that department!  I like to go that way round the Woody loop though, get the incline out of the way before having the lovely flat and down hills that I like so much!

I was running along chatting to Diane, and we got to the top of the woods and bear left to run along the path there.  I looked behind me and I couldn't see Tracy or J.J.!  I realised then that I should be taking it a bit more easier!  Running through the woods is a lot more harder than running on paths or track!  Plus we had been running up hill too!  From that point I made sure that I checked behind me more regularly!  Everybody ran really well, looking out for everyone else too, calling out roots, bricks or whatever was liable to cause a trip!

I made sure of choosing the most flatish path possible, avoiding the cobblestone parts of the paths.  There was one particularly wide cobble stoned path, which was also a bit sticky too.  I picked my way around the side, trying to find a safe route for the girls, there was a root or branch or something which was slightly raised up.  I tried to step over it without slipping with the other foot. I caught my toe underneath it and fell!  Splat!  My left knee and right hand took most of the force!  I am left with a bruise on my knee and a bruise on my thumb!  It wasn't as if I was running fast, just cruising along , picking my way over the big frozen mud bath! Oh well, I havent fallen over for a while, I think I would rather fall in the woods than out on the pavements! After a few expletives and the obligatory rubbing of the sore kneww (that really does make it better by the way) we continued our run!  And it was the up hill bit too!

We made our way past the school and to Botany Bay Lane.  Now for the sweeties bit!  The down hill all the way to to river!  My leg was throbbing a bit, and stinging! I felt like a kid again!  You know when you were a kid and fell over and grazed your knees!  That stinging feeling really makes you want to rub it better!

The little uphill bit to the rail lines didn't beat me this time!  I just went for it!  From this point all the little undulations are going to be run up, just to get up there in quick time!  Little short hills, just get up them!

We were soon back to Dog Poo Ally and back running towards the rec!  I had a good run!  It was nice.....cold......sore.....but really nice!  I think everyone else had a great time too by the look on their faces!

Trish, J.J. Diane, Amy and Tracy


Geeky stats.



Track Thursday!

I was working quite late this evening.  I was even thinking that I might not make it to track!  Fortunately I was relieved from duties in time to get there for the start!  I even gained a new nickname....Dina.......as in Dina Asher Smith.......who trains at this very track!  I think that maybe I am for Dina Fatter Width......I expect I am a little wider and heavier .....and I know a lot slower that Dina (she says laughing at her own joke)  I was very pleased that I had made the start as PhysioMiketheMod said "Come along Dina"  

The session sounded like a tough one, I was so glad I wasn't having to do this by myself around the streets!  The thing about training with the the Tracksters is the encouragement you get from them.  If I was by myself I know I would be useless, I wouldn't push as hard, or I may even over do the first bit, the tempo run!  PhysyioMiketheMod had explained what a tempo run is, is a run that after the allocated time you finish ready to do the session!  Not keeling over with your hands on your knees wishing to go home!  Well I know I can do that!  It's the session that I will have to work hard at!  

I knuckled down to the tempo run, we all started off together, but soon we all spread out, the speedsters pulling away, I settled in to my pace!  I know they will be overtaking me soon!  Usually when I am starting my second lap the first of the speedsters will be passing by!  Now you would think this is demoralising, but it is so far from that, I just can explain!  I guess if your were in a race then it would be, a bit like Eddie the Eagle always coming last on his ski jumps!  But he was an inspiration anyway, always coming back each year!  But being lapped  when we are training is good, because of the 'Come on Old Girl, you're doing well"  of "Keep going"  and I do believe there was a "Cake on Saturday" from Steven!  Now there is encouragement for a runner!

For 12 mins we ran our tempo run and the 12 mins, for me, finished right at the start line!  Perfect pacing, according to PhysioMikeTheMod! Good brownie points for me!  As soon as everyone was back at the start, we had a couple more minutes rest and then straight into the session. For the speedsters it was 2 and half times round the track, 90 secs rest x 5, for the slower runners it was twice around with 90 secs x 5.  Even writing it down it looks easy, but it really isn't.  It's a tough session, and when you are injured, with the most hugest bruise on your knee, a massive bruise on your thumb and of course shock from falling, then it is double hard!  But like a trouper I did what I could!

PhysioMikeTheMod took a picture of the Thursday crew.....an action shot.......and guess who is at the front there, that first blur, and it looks like there is 'air' as well.......It's me!!


I think I managed three reps with one lap done very slowly!   I still got a long way to go to be as fit as I was when I did my first marathon!  I am hoping to get there, no.....I will get there!  And lighter too! But it really was a great session!  Thanks Mike!  I am sure these sessions are doing me tons of good, especially for my running mojo! 

Geeky stats for you all!

Tuesday 17 January 2017

Freezing Club Run!

Hello blog lovers!

My goodness it was freezing too!  That title up there is the truth!  In fact it was -0.5 degrees!  So beyond freezing.  But look at me, Still out here!  Being a leader really does help!  I love it!  It gives me purpose to get out there on evenings like these because you know there are going to be other runners who are hard core too!

I knew the girls, J.J. and Janet were going to be there, but wasn't sure how many we were going to be in group 1.  It's quite surprising to see how many PWR's come out on nights like this!  It's just amazing, just like our Train run on Sunday, I think there were about 60 of us that set off from Petts Wood and Orpington Stations to have a social run! At least this evening it isn't raining!  It's cold, but no rain!

After each of the leaders gave out the details of their route we all went to our posts to have a head count. In my group there were 14 of us!  And a big welcome back to Steve too!  There were a couple of Kellys, Michael and Carole, Hannah, Christine, Tracy and  some others whose names have run straight out of my head!  But we are all eager to get going!

Tracy has been ill for a few weeks, this blimmin lurgy thing which has been doing the rounds, so I decided that the best route would be the easier Crescent Drive route, which unfortunately goes quite near her house!  I shall have to keep a firm eye on her when we pass that particular bit on our route!  But before that we had the little incline to do first.  Kingsway, it's only a short little bit, but thankfully at the beginning of our run.  As it was so cold this evening, I was going to keep the group moving along all the time.  So more walking sections for catch ups, with maybe even walking back towards the sweepers.  What I didn't want was for people to be standing still!  It's far to cold for that.  Shorter walking sections, but more of them I think is the way to go!  With a couple of fast sections thrown in for the speedsters!

What can I say?  It went like clockwork!  It really was a very enjoyable run, everyone was chatting, running and we were all still together!  My system worked!  People were not standing around getting cold, and if I did see them then I got them to move, either walk around or walk to the sweepers!  Nobody was suffering from the cold by cooling down through inactivity that's for sure!

But it was cold! Oh my goodness was it cold!  I had forgotten my hat too!  I had washed it and it was still in the washing machine, it really was minging!  I am not very organised!  Organisation is not my strong point, I am not sure what is really!  I had my cycling jacket on and long sleeved top and long run pants, plus gloves and my buff!  I was extremely pleased with everything I had on!  I don't think I could add anymore layers if I tried! Unless you have other ideas!

It took me quite a while to get warmed up, I think by the time I got half way down Crescent Drive I was fairly warmed up!  At least my glasses started to steam up a bit then when we walked!  There was one thing though, it really was a good run!  If felt good, it sounded good and we did a perfect group 1 distance!  I really do think my running mojo is coming back strong!  I shall keep on nurturing it!

Here's the geeky stats for this evenings run.

Sunday 15 January 2017

Train Run or Slide!

Hello blog lovers!

This morning, I eagerly checked my clubs facebook to see if the 'Train Run' was happening!  After all, parkrun was cancelled yesterday, so I wasn't able to do my 50th parkrun!  But PWR are hard core!  A bit of ice or snow won't stop us!  The heavens too had opened! And I don't mean there was angels singing, even though I am sure they will be as it's Sunday! I mean there was rain coming down! Wet, horrible, unwanted rain!  I guess the best thing about the rain it has made it easier to get straight into the car without having to 'defrost' it!  I always try and find a bright side!  I was hoping that at least there might be a respite in the weather by the time we got of the train and Knockholt!

That was our destination by the way!  Knockholt, the faster peeps and the long distance marathon training peeps were heading for Sevenoaks! I am in neither of those categories, I think even if I was in the marathon I would still do the Knockholt stop anyway, as I am one of the slowest runners!  Of course I would do a couple of more miles once we got back to base!  Anyway, I am not doing that, today is all about getting from Petts Wood and back to Petts Wood from Knockholt, popping in for a coffee and then off home!

Everyone met up at the station, (see picture at top) they all got into fours, those having to buy a train ticket, as you can get a discount when buying four.  Then I took the obligatory photo, there were still some there that you couldn't see, they were buying tickets, and there were yet more runners getting on the train from Orpington! This year the Sevonoaks runners are getting a different train, they are getting the fast train, so they can get there sooner and start their run back.  The rain came down, did I mention it was raining!  Relentless!  Once we were at Knockholt we got off and I really thought it had stopped raining! But we just got off under the shelter of the platform!  Oh well!  Unless I got a train back home (which would never happen by the way) then there was only one way to get home!  I took a picture of our Knockholt posse while IllustriousLeader was giving the safety brief.  Here, take a look
At Knockholt Station
 We had a good smattering of Leaders with us today, there was I.L of course, me (who was bring up the rear!) plus CupcakeMoy, Wendy and Debbie!  Those three leaders will be taking the breakaway faster runners off at a pace and then that group again would split so they could get an extra few miles in!  Me and IllustriousLeader will be running with the slower runners!

It was a great start, we had to walk!  The road that led from the station to the road we were going to run down was extremely slippery with ice!  All you could hear was "ahhh, ooops, erggghh!" as we slipped and skidded to the road!  Once there we would run along!  At first we tried to run along the path but there was very slippy, so we cross back over to run along the other side of the road which was ice free.  Just until we got near the A21 then we had to run back over so that we could continue to run towards home along the A21.

I should try to remember where certain things are, my memory is dreadful, which is why I write a blog about all my activities!  But I think these couple of photos where taken by Hannah on a road that went behind a little housing estate.  It was very icy and I think this is where the little goats were!  But I could be wrong, Here's the pictures anyway

look how cute they are!

This is where we had to walk up

When we got to Rushmore Hill, we crossed over and then went through a gate, this is where we parted from the faster runners. From the Twenty that started from Knockholt there 14 going ahead of us.  We watched as they ran up first, then we followed on after, not too far behind!
Parting ways
 We could see them as we started running up the hills and again when we were at the top!  We almost came back together at the top!  But they soon started to pull away again as we continued our way over the icy muddy path!  Wendy took this picture of us, running up the hill!
Look at us running uphill!
The faster group got back to the A21 we followed shortly after.  But when we were running along here they soon disappeared.  That was the last we saw of them until we got back to the coffee shop!

We ran all the way along this bit until we got to the roundabout!  Then IllustriousLeader introduced the 'Hill'.  Of course those of us who had done it before knew it was coming, but the couple of the others hadn't done a train run before and just didn't know! o the six of us started up Old Hill!  It is a hard hill!  I don't think I have ever run the whole way up it!  And it seemed it would be so again!  The path was so very icy and slippy, Hannah took a picture!
This is Old Hill!

Once we got to the top of this hill we crossed over the road and into another field.  Once here I always feel like we are nearly home!  It makes you feel good.  Even though when the Tuesday groups say that they will be running through to Locksbottom or Farnborough it seems a long way to run, yet today, at the time if just feels like we are nearly done!  From here, more or less its on the pavement, just the back of Darrick Wood school which was the last of the muddy sections.

I was beginning to tire, but I mainly kept up with the group!  Through the Broadwater estate and then the path behind Crofton school.  This path has has been part of our Tuesday and Thursday runs.  So you know you are back on your own turf!  I was really looking forward to my coffee!  I think we all were!  We were like drowned rats, dripping wet but all smiling!  The other five ladies looked like they still had a good sprint left in them as I was lagging slightly behind. "You all go ahead, I shall see you in the coffee shop" I said to them "We all finish together" said Wendy!  Of course we do!  I was just feeling sorry for myself!  I found that I did have a little bit extra left in my legs and I kept pace with them for the rest of the way!
Coffee! Yay!

A great run today with some lovely ladies and gentlemen.  I can't remember all the names that got off at Knockholt, but some I do are Trish, Jenny, Michelle, Emma, Wendy LC, Hannah, Sarah, Denise, IllustriousLeader Anne, CupcakeMoy, Wendy T, Debbie, Tracy and a few more!

Geeky stats and a few more pictures, oh and just so that you can see the terrain the Sevenoaks ran through, some of their photos too!







Thursday 12 January 2017

Before The Snow!

Hello blog lovers.

Before the snow people went about their business.
Before the snow the kids, they were smiling less.
Before the snow I walked in the chill of the morn to school
Before the snow I drove normal, not a crawl!
Before the snow I even ran with Tracey in the woods,
Before the snow we wrapped up in buffs and hoods.
Before the snow the trains and traffic flowed
But now its mayhem, all because, you guessed...It snowed!

Can you believe our little island (do you know even to this day I still look at the word island and say is land!) still has problems dealing with a snow flake or two!  At the beginning of the week we had the gritters out, even though there was nothing expected, but today, when it snowed no gritters, people were late, trains and flights cancelled, traffic coming to a standstill, all the kids loving it and wanting to go out and play, even though before they couldn't wait to get indoors!

But there is one thing; I managed this morning to go out for a run with Tracy.  I met all the other PWR's at the rec but there was only Tracy this morning that was running with me.  She usually runs with the middle group, but after not running for a while she decided to break herself in with a slow comfortable run with me.

I am running on Sunday, it's our clubs annual Train Run, it's always great fun but it is about 5 and half miles, so I wasn't particularly worried about doing a 3.5 mile run and just planned on the shorter route of 3 miles.  We went around in the opposite direction.  This time last week the woods were hard and frosty.  The ground was solid making it a little challenging on keeping your ankles from twisting about!  But this morning it had softened up, the rain had done its best to create some lovely sticky muddy puddles!  I was glad that I changed my shoes!  I was thinking about keeping on my clean new shoes to go through the woods, thinking that it would still be solid ground in there!

It really was a slow one. I had every intention of seriously thinking about, if the weather wasn't too bad, of going to track this evening, so generally I just have a nice sociable run around the woods anyway!  My chest is still not completely clear, but I am feeling a lot better, I just wish this stupid cough would go!

So with the sticky bits of the woods and me losing a bit of energy we managed to get around the woods in three quarters of an hour.  Tracey felt good about starting back to her running, I enjoyed my run too.  I am beating myself up as well though, I feel as if I should have pushed myself a little bit more.  But I keep coming back to the fact that at least I have done something and not sat in doors.  I have done 9 activities so far, out of the 12 days of January!  So, I need to do a couple more doubles to make up the deficit and I shall be on track!

Oh, by the way, no track for me this evening, because of the snow I was working till quite late, I would never have made it to the track, and I would never have made it to the track in this weather, I am a little nervous driving in snow!  Plus the track was closing early anyway!  So no excuses but plenty of reasons!


Here's my geeky stats for today’s run

Wednesday 11 January 2017

Wednesday With Tracy!

Hello blog lovers.

We are back at it, a couple of miles on a Wednesday, interval training usually but as Tracy hasn't been well for 3 weeks (she has had the lurgy too) it was a 'get around a couple of laps' run!  I should say at least, Tracy didn't do any interval training.....but I kind of, sort of did!  You see, it wasn't just me and Tracy out there running, I had the pooch with me too!  He does love a run!

We pulled up into the car park and little Dexter couldn't get out quick enough! We walked over to the beginning of the long path, as we always do, and then I let Deci off his lead!  He just pelted out in front and me and Tracy just ran on behind him.  So far so good!  I said to Tracy that she should just do what she couldn't I wouldn't be nagging her to speed up or slow down, or to keep running!  We are just going to get around and see how it all goes.

Tracy set the pace, where as Dexter set mine!  I had to stop and get him back from the other dogs that he wanted to play with, then I had to play catch up to Tracy with the dog speeding in front of me!  That little pooch got a few extra treats than normal as I tried to bribe him to come to me and heel!  There were quite a few pooches out this afternoon, and it seemed Dexter wanted to say hello to all of them!  I was exhausted trying to catch up to Tracy again.  But It was good interval training!  I cut across the grass at the top to meet her on the right hand long straight.

Back with Tracy and Dexter behaving himself we ran along all the way to the end.  Tracy ran all the way non stop, I of course had my stopping 'get Dexter' sections and my fast running to catch Tracy and then we had to do it all again!  I was hoping the treats would last!  The same thing happened on the second lap, mainly because all the doggies that were on the first one was still doing their daily constitutionals!  It can only be doing me good right, and it was definitely good for Tracy, with just the little walking section after the first mile, she ran the whole way round!

So all in all a good run!  No run is a bad run, if you're out there getting your heart rate higher than normal resting rate for 30 mins then it's all good! So geeky stats, I think Tracy ran further tho, because I did cut the corner at the top of the park!


`

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Club Run! - Just A Little Undulation!

Hello blog lovers.

You gotta love club run, you just never know what you are going to be doing until you get there.....well I did, because I was leading, but still, I may have had to change the route depending on who shows up.  And talking about who shows up, my mate Gary was there for the first time!  I didn't even notice him at first as I was looking out for Ali! How I missed him though I don't know, he is quite a tall chap!  It was good to see him, and it's good that he is out here getting fit!

It's just so easy to sit back and not bother about getting fit, staying fit or whatever.  Especially in the cold weather (although this evening it is rather mild out!)  And cold symptoms as well, that's enough to keep you sat wrapped in a blanket watching crap t.v. too!  But no, we were all out there, 12 of us in bright colours and flashing gizmo's......well, not Gary, the man in black, when it's your first time out with PWR you just don't know!

So my route this evening was Tillingbourne Green!  It's a hill, I mean and undulation.  And of course there is the undulation that we have to do first to get there!  I thought when I looked at all 12 of us that this was definitely a doable route for everyone!  Last week we had the easier route, to just blow away the cobwebs from the Christmas and New Year, so today, I thought I would chuck in one of our challenging routes!  Just to let us know that we can still do this!

The first undulation, Birchwood Road was good, we all stayed together, and I still managed to keep the lead position!  I had a feeling that Tillingbourne would be a different story though!  I was coughing a bit going up the undulation!  But I have a plan!  It didn't take long before we got to the Green and then my plan came into play!  "Ok you can all go at your own pace around the green, meet right here where we started from" was my instruction to them.  The little up hill first,  then longer down hill bit, which is nice of course, and then the longer up hill back to the start.  Everyone runs at their own pace where a hill is concerned.  Some like to just attack it, pelt up there as fast as they can 'Get it over and done with' type of thing, others just like to keep a steady plod till they get to the top, and still there is the 'I'll just get to that car before I take a walk' ......which at the moment is where I am!  At the back too.....just so that I can make sure everyone made it to the top of course.

We had a little breather, and then I chuck in just a little surprise, the last little hill where we normally do our hill training, well we are still going to do our hill training!  But we are only going to do it the once, at about 70% extra of what we have been doing!  I know, I can be mean sometimes!  But it is good practise!  It all does us good, just puts a little be extra into our running!  Helps us to get faster and stronger!

From there we ran all the way down Petts Wood Road and up to the memorial hall!  With a stop at Crossways to catch breath before we ran up to the top!  We only had another half mile to do so we ran down Towncourt Crescent to the end and then turned right and then right again!  Our run was nearly over with just a sprint finish for those that wanted to all the way into the rec!  A good run this evening, everyone was feeding back good vibes so I think they had a good run too!

Geeky stats for you all

Monday 9 January 2017

Monday Morning - Just!

Hello blog lovers!

So this morning......late this morning I managed to drag my cold virus ridden carcass out the door with the pooch in tow!  At least he was keen to get out for some fresh air, I could quite easy just creep back into bed and sleep until it was time to do the afternoon school run.  I really wasn't feeling it.  But I have got such a lot of work to do to be able to give it my best shot in Paddock wood!  I have to start the training now!  So today, I started.  I will have to up the anti a bit, and stick in a couple of long runs during each week rather than just one! But thankfully it is only a half marathon!  I didn't get a place in the London!

So there we were, me and Deci-doodle ready to run!  He definitely was, he was pulling at the leash! If I let him set the pace then I would be completely knackered by the time we get to the end of the path!  I reeled him in a bit and we made our way to the path by the gold course, you know the one, the very original route of mine, turnaround lamppost!  But we will not be turning around, I am going to Normans Park.  Once around and then back again! It's longer than the runs I have been doing of late, parkruns and club runs.  Maybe Sunday I will do twice around the park!  That will add on another mile! I'm still not quite sure of my plan yet!  I think panic is setting in, that I just haven't done enough!  What with having a cold after cold!  I thought being active and eating healthy and stuff like that you are supposed to be super cool and just shake of any threat a virus attack!  But after the Old Boy got his cold I just knew I would come down with it!

Blimey, I waffled on, but making sure that I told you my excuse for it being a slow run!  Actually, I didn't really need an excuse as this time I had a reason!  The pooch!  After all that straining at the leash, trying to run really fast, when we got to the path way he was stopping every couple of feet, sniffing every single blade of grass!  Why does he do that?  It's not as if its a quick sniff, cock a leg and off we go to the next one!  He's there going over every single centimetre of the ground that the last dog peed on! In the end it was me pulling him to come along!  It was like that until we got to Normans Park!  There I could let him off his lead and he can run and sniff to his hearts content.....until we head on out of the park again!

He does love running around, playing with the other dogs that are there!  I have noticed when I am running with him that when he is up in front of me I am running all the time, it's only when he gets behind me that I slow or stop to get him to come to me!  So maybe my next run will be twice around the park before going home!  An extra mile and the pooch can play even longer with his doggie pals!

He was back on the lead when we left the park, he wasn't too pleased about that either!  Not only that he was dragging behind, and wanting to have a sniff again at everything he looked at!  I think going through our local park is the best way home, he can run off the lead again!  After coming out of the park we ran along the A21 and then down Crown Lane Spur.  I was going to take him down Green way and then along Magpie Hall Lane before we go into the park!  As soon as we are there he can come off his lead again!

I crossed over and ran along the grass verge when we got on to Magpie Hall Lane, I was thinking that being on the grass would be good for little Deci.....but no.....he walked along the kerb or tried to walk on the road!  All that grass and bushes to sniff at and he wanted the concrete!  Well, when we eventually got to the park I let him off his lead and the ran around again, but not as fast or as far as when we were in Normans park.  I think I may have worn him out!  Well, he has only got little legs!

I was having to stop and call him to me, but at least he did come along and was also asking for a carry!  I didn't carry him of course, we just took it a little easier for the rest of the way home!  He was pleased when we got back!  Me, well, I was a little disappointed, I should have worked harder, ran faster, maybe put in another mile! But then, on Facebook today I saw the picture that I have put up at the beginning!  Yeah!  It's better than not starting at all! .......No need to panic..........no need to worry.........need to train.....need to get fit!  That is all!

Geeky stats



Sunday 8 January 2017

49th park run!

Hello blog lovers.

So yesterday I was at Normans Park!  The next time I'm running a park run will be my 50th!  My goodness how time flys.  My stupid cold has really gotten to me now, so much so that I didn't even go out running today. And yesterday I was not feeling too great any way. I decided that I was going to run anyway, I have a schedule, Wendimoo will be in the area next week so it just makes sense to do my 50th next Saturday. Yesterday's run was just a get round as best as I could.

NaggyNeighbour J.J. and LittleJ were there as well as Michael minus his Carole, Sue my 'twin'. Also running at park run was PhysioMike aka #mikethemod with his 'scooter'. It's an amazing 'fancy dress' that PhysioMike has and he will be running with this on the Brighton Marathon raising money. You can sponsor him Here, they are great charities and I'm sure he will appreciate it.  Here, this is us here,

LittleJ, me, Mikethemod, J.J. and Sue

And this is me when I'm dressed up!  Well ok maybe not!


We are on the winter route now so it's three laps of the park, not my favourite thing in the whole world.  We were soon off, 600 runners all moving as one!  It's a popular place that's for sure!  When we were only on the first half lap a young lady running along asked how many laps we were to run. When I told her it was three she looked as if she wanted to give up there and then. Now you all know what I'm like, if I see someone struggling then I just have to get in there and encourage them to keep on going. J.J. and LittleJ where both running along beside me and were also encouraging her to keep on going.

We found out that this was her first parkrun, a friend had told her about it and the she just registered and came along!  Never been running before, I could see why she was struggling!  So from there I ran along with Rolna.  There was no way that she would be running the whole 5k in one go, and I know that running around for 3 miles just seem so daunting when you have never done it before! So I pointed out a few goals for her to get to before she stared her walking.  For the next two laps that's what we did. She did blimmin well to run for half a mile none stop, that was more that managed when I started out on my running life!

She did really well, not bad for a first time parkrun with no previous running beforehand!  And she ran a a fairly decent pace too.  I could see the agony on her face but I could also see the determination, that she really wanted to finish this. I just encouraged her along the way and kept her running all the way through to the funnel!  Now that's what parkrun is all about!  Of course I told her all about us at Petts Wood Runners too, there is always room for newcomers here! I am hoping that she will be there on Tuesday evening!

So my geeky stats, not fast but I did it with Rolna! My official time was 43:52.