Beginners Week 7 - Zombie Week!

Hello blog readers.

So  I am slowly catching up on all my blogging.  This is all about the beginners yesterday.  It was week 7 plus the extra week holiday and by looking at the group I just not that 90 percent of the class is still with us!  I am sure that it's the best so far for beginners at this stage in the course!

We had a special guest.....speaker(?) drill master(?) for the morning session, it was PhysioMikeTheMod!  I just love it when he comes along to one of the sessions.  He just has some much to share with our beginners group and he has this gentle way of saying things that you just know will stay in your brain, for a long while!  And it's amusing too,  when you are feeling tired, or wanting to stop running, these things pop into your head and you can find yourself trying the things he said to do!  You end up running further than you thought you could! Well, it does for me!

We went back out on the roads again, get some practise in on running up hills! Always fun......I keep telling myself that but I am still waiting to believe it!  Hopefully all the beginners were putting into practise some of the things that PhysioMiketheMod had told them about!  I was particularly amused by the one thing that PhysioMiketheMod said after the 10 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking, (times 3) and that was the running like a Zombie!  While we were running around the streets Mike was busy looking at everyone and taking mental notes and then shared what he found out when we got back.  This is where my title of this blog comes from!  If you could have seen everyone running along like zombies then you would be chuckling too!  Oh hang on,  you can see,

Keep on running, the Zombies are eating those that don't!

The beginners were just brilliant, with only one more week training till the graduation day they all look pretty relaxed! I know they are all going to do really brilliantly!

So another blog blogged!  Just two more to do that I absolutely need to write about.  But tomorrow is another day!

Finish for Matt!

Hello blog readers

I am way behind with my blogging, but there are a few runs that I really want to log!  This is one of them.  I will also add a picture or two from another Thursday morning run in here too, some one was very kind to take a couple of shots of some of our Thursday morning runs a few weeks ago!

But this last Thursday was dedicated to Matt Campbell, the master chef contestant who ran the London Marathon this year!  It's a sad thing that he died doing the run in the memory of his dad!  He was running to raise money for the Brathay Trust!  Well, he didn't reach his goal on the marathon, but my goodness his charity page hit the bell and then continued to fly sky high!

Our Thursday morning group really wanted to do something to acknowledge a fellow runner!  So our morning run was dedicated to him, we finished off his marathon, 3.7 miles.  we had to do some of the right side path again to get it in, but we did it.

We chatted, we laughed and we ran as best as we could, because that's what we do on a Thursday, we chat and have a great time running! When we popped out of the woods, I was checking my Garmin all the time, I didn't want to do over 3.7 miles, I didn't want to do less.  It had to be precisely 3.7 miles which got us just out on the pavement opposite Towncourt Lane.  Wendimoo suggested that we should just stop, and give one minutes silence.  For that last minute I kept my Garmin running, the last minute of our Thursday Morning run was all for Matt.  Oh and just as we were standing there, in silence, PhysioMikeTheMod came by and called out "Hi" as we was out on his morning run!

This picture is us lot, almost at the end of our run, with the fanatic blue bells looking gorgeous.

Here is a couple of other pictures of another Thursday morning run, to to let you all know, that we have been running and when I haven't been running then of course  these ladies have!

Club Run - Nice And Easy

Hello blog readers.

This evenings run was a much needed run, I should have gone for a solo run yesterday but I wasn't really feeling it!  I will try again tomorrow!  So this evening I thought I would add in a couple of little hills and do the Kevington loop.  It's a nice one!  I can't wait for the lighter evenings though, get back into the woods for a lovely evening woody run!  I think all of my group is just waiting to get in there too!

There were only 7 of us in group 1 today, J.J. Tracy and Kay as sweepers, Trish, Chris and one of our newbies from this springs beginners course, Helen.  She has come to try us out!  I am sure she will do fine!  If she has got to week 5 then there will be no problem that she will be able to run with us in group 1! 

Already, all grouped up, all counted and ready for the off.  We ran out of the gate turned left to the end of the road and then turned right to go up Birchwood!  The thing is, group 2 were also going up this hill, not only that but group 3 were also going up this hill!  So there were were, 3, 2, 1, all of us running up to the top!  First out in front was group 3, then it was 2 followed by us in group 1.  We were keeping pace with group 2 as we ran up, those of us at the front of group 1.  We could see G3 as they reached the top of the hill just taking a breather.  G2 crossed over the road and took a breather on the other side of the road.  We were still getting to the top!  Then both G1 and G2 turned left, the exact same way I was heading!  How strange is that!  Ruth showed me her map a bit earlier when we were listening to the leaders, it's slightly different to mine, but same area, WendyLC in G3 took her group this way too!  None of us had communicated to each other about our routes this evening, it just happened this way!  Strange eh!

Getting up the hill was a bit of a struggle I must admit, but I did it in one go!  We waited for the sweepers to get to us and then ran in the direction that the two other groups went in!  We carried on to Marlings Park and then did the Kevington loop, the head bit of our K9 route.  It is a cute route, when you see it on the map, it really does resemble K9 from Dr. Who, just check out this pic and then the geeky stats at the bottom.

I didn't do any reps on the cheeky hill but I did ask if any of the others wanted to do it! They also declined! 

Trish and Helen wanted to stretch their legs a bit once we got back on the main road, so they ran at their own pace along to the roundabout.  We waited there until the sweepers got to us, and then the lovely down hill section to Crossways.  Now because I hadn't do an reps on the cheeky little hill I was missing a few yards from my geeky stats.  I needed to make it up to 3 miles!  Normally I would run up to the top of the hill and then down Kingsway, but we just didn't have the time to do that particular route, I knew we had to run all the way into the rec this time to make it up to the 3 miles.  We did that but still not quite enough distance, so I led all those that wanted the full 3 miles around the car park, and then up along the patio and just around the side of the pavilion!  Dead on 3 miles!  That looks so much better on my watch than 2.82!  I can't stop a run at that ridiculous number can I.

So 3 miles done, a great bunch of athletes to enjoy my run with!  Here are thos geeky stats!  See what I mean about K9!

Beginners Week 5

Hello blog readers

I know, I know, just a few days late with my blog!  Anyway, I am so amazed at how many of you are still will us.  I know there has been a couple of people not being able to finish it.......this time......because of life getting in the way, injuries, which can happen when we start this running malarkey!  It's something that we not really have spoken about (we don't want to scare people) but it can happen.  That is why we always do the warm ups, start of gently with the drills and even the first 5 or six minutes of running.  Even now, I still take the first mile to really get warmed up (at least it feels that way) and off course we can't emphasise enough about the cool down stretches too!  Even at club run now, every group  gathers together with their leader to do stretches after their run, and sometimes if two groups get in at the same time we all join in for one big group stretch.

For a special chat and visit we will be having physioMiketheMod to come and speak to us as well.  Everyone loves listening to what he says, including me!  It reminds me too of technique, and posture and also to remind me of a good few more stretches!  He will be with us on week 7!  I for one can't wait.

Sherry was leading this week, it's her last week with us before the graduation, she has to work (see what I mean about that life stuff getting in the way) but she put us all through out paces and up the game, just a little bit.  Those of you who read my blogs regularly know that we never do a five minute rep.  It's straight on to 6 minutes with a two minutes walk times four!  The times four is the good news! The email for last week didn't reach the beginners until Friday with that little bit of good news! (We won't say why it didn't go out until Friday, eh RefMichael!?)  I think if probably was just as well, at least they wouldn't have to panic so much!

After all the warm up walk and drills were done we were ready to run for four lots of 6 minutes.  We are still on the rec for this week, we just want to build up the running a bit more before hitting the streets!  I am sure that this Springs beginners can't wait to be let loose on the streets!  I ran along with young Jenny for the first rep, just to help her stay focused but my goodness, she has taken everything in like a sponge!  She has controlled her pace, so as not to run off too fast, therefore getting tired, she has remembered her posture, (something I learnt off PhysioMikeTheMod) and most importantly she believes in herself!  She has tons of confidence, she says "I can do this!"  Not that there is what doing this course is all about!  I look around at all the other beginners trying their best and exceeding it!  They are smiling and enjoying it!  It's not easy to just get up and start running, it takes a lot of determination and will power to even remember to put your alarm on to get you out of bed early on a Saturday!  So to see these 20 or so people here is just heart warming!

We continued with the 6 minutes run and 2 minutes walking four more times, by the end rep Jenny herself, turned into cheerleader as the front runners lapped her! "Go on, you are all doing well, keep going" she called out to them!  Absolutely fantastic!  I felt sure that they could quite easily have done a fifth rep of 6 minutes!  But it was done!  Time for a walk out for 2 minutes and then a final stretch and brief at the end.

Those that were running along side me we had done 2 miles, just running about the rec, those running along side Sherry had done 2.5 miles!  It's amazing just how far you can run when you put your mind to!  By the time they get to the end of this course we will be running for nearly 3 I am sure!  Then they will be ready for parkrun!

So until next time, keep on running!

Club Run - Post Half Marathon

Hello blog lovers

This evenings run was going to be interesting!  I wasn't quite sure how my legs were going to hold out.  All day yesterday I was suffering with aches and pains, my toes were aching and felt like they were bruised. It felt like lead was poured into my legs over night. This morning however, I felt quite different.  My legs felt like they belonged to me again, my toes still hurt, but that was to be expected.  My back didn't hurt and I could walk around easily!  "Meh, it's only a half marathon" I thought, "I can do that again".  Invincible, that's what we think we become athletes!  If we get away with not doing any damage to ourselves then we just go ahead and book another race!  Luckily I already have a race booked up!  It's in a couple of weeks, after the London Marathon!  So back to club run.  I planned to do the easy route, just for me really, but I know that the others like doing the easy route!  No doubt I will get some ribbing about taking in nice and easy today, due to the fact that I don't need to push out hard anymore!  I am sure secretly they love a challenge, but they just don't want to tell me that in case I do too many challenges!

I had 8 in my group today, the usual group.  I shall have to get to know the names of the other ladies that are in my group, I know they have told me before, but it takes me ages to remember names!  After we had gathered together and the count up of course, we were ready to go running.  The weather was just perfect, not cold, not raining just perfect.  I think I will enjoy this run!  We set off out of the gate and turned right and then right again to go up our only hill, Kingsway!  I couldn't believe how my legs were feeling!  I kept waiting for the aches and pains to kick in.  The usual breathing being out of sync was there off course, but as for energy in my legs and the rest of me, it felt pretty good.  Maybe a bit later in the run I will feel it!

Over the bridge we went on to Southborough Lane.  We saw Naggy's group go past us, I think that was group 5.  While we were regrouping one of the other groups came up the same road that we just did, it was group 4.  I think the last time I did this route they did the similar route and we kept on bumping into each other.  Well guess what?! Exactly the same thing happened!  We bumped into them again when we had run up Shepperton Road!

From there we ran to the off-license.  I started then to feel my legs and ankles just hurting a bit.  Well, It's obvious really!  You can't push your body 13 miles without moaning a bit!  And boy was it moaning!  Well, actually not to badly, but just enough for me to take a walking break and let the others catch up while the front runners ran to the off-license.  We ran over the bridge and then crossed over the bridge ready to run along Beaumont.  This road is a good road once you are warmed up.  I was chatting away to the front runners just enjoying the running keeping a good pace going too. Not too fast, not too slow, nice and steady.  I felt totally comfortable and I know the ladies did too as they were chatting away and not even realising that we had near come to the end of the road!

We had a catch up and waited for J.J. Auriol, Tracy and K.  and then we just had the last two roads to do, Tudor way and Crossway!  It was just perfect, a great run, and although my legs were feeling it a little I felt like I really could do it again!  I think I am going to enjoy the Ladies run in a couple of weeks!

So our geeky stats for my post half marathon race!

Beginners Week 4

Hello blog readers.

It's a bit late, but I am working backwoods with my blogs, (Thursdays will follow shortly).  It was our week 4 session the Saturday just gone, and we were running for longer, walking less!  There were a few people there that needed convincing that they can do it, there were a few "I don't think I can do this", I knew they could do it!

RefMichael was leading this session, he was ready with his whistle and drills.  ZippySherry was, again, being our moving cones.  There were about 25 beginners there and just a handful of PWR's, which is quite understandable as it was our mob match at Hoblingwell on Saturday! But there were enough of us to encourage and to talk to everyone there.

The walk around the park and you can see that the beginners are doing it with a bit more confidence, the chatting that is going on, what I could hear, was about their homework and how they are doing!  It's so good to hear them being enthusiastic.  Now, we just need to transfer that into the 4 minutes running session.  Kneesman and his partner were back, still with his knees out, and Jenny and her dad were there too.  I ask a couple of ladies their names, but do you think I can remember, I think one was called Hannah!  I should exercise my brain as well as my body I think! (have I said that before?) The drills done, I know everyone loves doing these, the silly walks, the skipping happily, childlike to the ZippySherry cone. Hey, come on, how often do us adults get to skip along like the kids do, it's so liberating, isn't? I does remind me Michael McIntyre routine about adults skipping!  Wouldn't it be so cool if we could all just skip along to where ever we need to be!  If you don't know what I am talking about, I am sure it's on YouTube somewhere.
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Anyway, the time for the running begins.  RefMichael said "Ready, steady, go!" and we all start running, then he blows his whistle!  Hmm, that means my Garmin is going to slightly out because I pushed my garmin on the word go, and he pushed his on the whistle! The first 4 minutes running is always the hardest.  It takes a good ten or even more minutes for your body to realise what you are asking it to do!  If you are not used to running and have just started to do this exercise thing then your body will complain!  Your breathing is going to be all over the place, that's without a doubt.  Your muscles will complain, but you push through that, you tell yourself, "I can do this" and you will be surprised! 

Getting beside some of the runners and chatting to them is what I love doing.  Seeing how they are progressing, trying to ease their fears just as Illustrious Leader and others had done and still do for me now, makes it all worthwhile. The reps kept coming, the smiles were still there.  It was getting harder but everyone was determined to do their best!  Having most of those who started still here is amazing!  Running with people helps immensely, for a start it helps that you don't want to let anyone else down.  It's why I try and encourage everyone to chat to each other, you make friends and want to keep on coming to see how everyone else is doing.  Keeping a routine is what keeps you running.  From this moment on, Saturdays at 9 am is when you run.  You build your Saturdays around that. "Mum, can we go swimming?" answer "Yes, when I come back from running" "Honey, can I have a cooked breakfast?" answer "Yes, dear, get ready and I shall be back at 10" "We're going on holiday!" answer "Ok, let me pack my running shoes"  But seriously, Saturday mornings, for me, is all about running at 9.

The session was over, people feeling relived, satisfied and amazed that actually they did it!  Of course all of us in PWR knew they could to it! I took a few photos of them running this time, as you can see.....there are quite a few smiles!

Paddock Wood Half Marathon

Hello blog readers.

Me and Karin (Naggy)

Today was the day! I had trained and trained.......no.......actually I hadn't trained much at all!  But Paddock Wood is where me and Naggy were heading for with loads of other PWR's too, to run the annual half marathon.  I have done this a couple of times, usually with a bit more training!  Today, well, today I am just going to have to do it and see what the results are!

I started off early to walk all the way over to Naggy's house, I didn't want to be late! She was up and ready and looking forward to it!  I had slight apprehensions due to the lack of miles in my legs, I am going to have to go on sheer will power!  We drove towards our race! We were quiet ish on the way there, I am not a morning person, but I soon rallied round the nearer we got to Paddock Wood.  Naggy had her PWR shirt on, it's virgin outing, complete with number pinned on it, mine was in my kit bag, all ready to just slip over my head.  I had brought a change of clothes, as it was raining, and it gave me a good excuse to use my PWR kit bag!

When we arrived we were about a quarter of a mile from the start so we started walking along with all the other people that were going to run this, and then of course it was the obligatory toilet stop.  they have more toilets this year, with the 'toilet pointers'.  It works well, that system, they get people in and out of the loos as quickly as possible!  And let me tell you, it needed to be like that, the queues was long! Ablutions done we joined the throng of runners, me and Naggy with the 2 hours + group!

And so it was the off, Naggy was eager to go, she had a plan and she was going to stick to it, I had mine.....just to get back, on my own two feet!  I didn't see many PWR's they were all in the faster pens, but I did bump into a few before the off, Tim, and Laura and James who were running with the 2:30 pacer flags.  I don't think I will be keeping up with them!  And I saw Marcus too! They are all going to be going for it, I seriously just want to get around, and it won't be pretty.

By the time we were over the mats and heading for the road Naggy was saying a cheery "See you at the end".  And now I was running this on my own.....well apart from the other 2,000 odd people that was here too.  So the first mile is all about getting the breathing right, warming up properly and trying to not over do it.  I was running next to some runners who were running for 3 minutes walking for 1.  But their running pace was pretty fast and I couldn't keep up with them,  even one of their friends was at the back and running pretty fast to catch up to them and then kind of flaking out a bit.  But they were still in front of me!  Around the first corner is where we meet the first of the hills, you can hear all the groaning from everyone, including me!  But I tried as much as I could.  I had ran the first mile already, so a little walking wont be two bad.  With the first mile gone all I thought was "Only 12 miles to do"  I decided that I was going to count backwards, it will give me psychological advantage hopefully.

I didn't actually see the 1 mile marker but I saw the 2 mile marker, here, look at this!  I decided that from now I was going to photograph all the marker boards along the way!  Just so that I can remember what they said!  Heading toward the third mile I was feeling pretty good, well I would do really, it's only a park run. I keep o going chatting away to some of the other runners as I do.  It's a totally friendly race and people are willing to chat away.  In fact all races that I have ever entered people are will to chat, is it because we are at the back and just like to encourage each other on? Who knows.  I can image the front runners are totally focused, just moving along the route with one goal in mind, get that as fast as you can!  Can they chat to others as they go along?  I don't know, I have never asked actually, maybe I should do that when we are all together again!

 Mile 3, this is the board, inspiring right?  Who wants to run fast, you can't chat away to anyone then can you, nor can you take selfies!  So now I am passing park run time, mind you, I have not even been doing that on Saturdays, as I have been doing the beginners!  I was wondering what they would have written on the next board.  There was also a water stop, I was glad of this as I didn't bring any with me, I don't like to carry things with me, apart from my phone! It was beginning to get harder now and I still had  9 miles to go! I am not even go to think about it, I shall just see what the next marker board says, it's bound to be something encouraging.

Mile 4 As you can see, my face is not so much smily as it should be!  But I am still amoung other runners, so not totally on my own.  I have done the running by myself on a race day, it's a pretty lonesome experience.  But then you can get away with stuff!  For instance, I bought these really fancy runderwear pants, especially for today, they are just perfect and fit well.  Only trouble with them......they was in my house!  I forgot to put them on!  So I had my 'ordinary pant's' on.  Not a good idea, not a good idea at all. Not this fancy knickers anyway!  The chaffing started!  Oh well, nothing I can do about that now!  It's not as if I can whip them off and chuck them away!  I will just have to suffer.

 Mile 5, we are moving on now! No selfie this time.  In fact that board there just didn't do it me

either.  I blimmin know it's left, right, repeat!  Last time I did 5 miles I did it in just over the hour, so I am on track at the moment to get in at the time I kind of said I would get in!  Of course when I say something it goes completely out of the window!  I shouldn't have said anything, but still, if I keep this pace going I've got it in the bag!  Jelly babies, was there jelly babies here, I can't remember now.  There were jelly babies on route, and drinks and sponges.  Maybe I should have taken pictures of those too, then i would know what where abouts everything fitted in!  Because from now on, it's all a blur!  I still remembered to take the selfies, and I can kind of remember what I was feeling when I reached those too.  I pinched myself to make sure I remembered!

Mile 6 Nearly half way!  Yup, nearly is not half way!  At least I was smiling here, and totally relieved.  I think if nothing drastic happens I can actually do this in the time I said!  But then, I do know me, I know what my body does to me when I push it! And that fecking 'hungry bum' of me!  For goodness sake ladies, do no where  Brazilian pants with a lacy edging!  Oh y goodness!  I will be wearing seamless pants for the next 12 months I think!

Mile 7. Hmm the smile has gone again.  The pain is there, the pride......well, it's there, at the end of this!  It's the longest I have run for a long time! Now it's going to get messy!  Now I am going to be running on sheer adrenaline!  I just wished I had some!  People still running around me, we were playing 'Catch'.  I caught and over took them, then they caught up and over took me!  I must say, I was feeling a bit demoralised, mainly because I was being selfish and didn't want them to overtake me!  I tried pushing out as much as I could.  I was using my Garmin alerts that I use for the beginners.  Run for 4 minutes walk for 2.  I had been doing that from about mile 4.  Sometimes I didn't always take a full 2 minutes walking and started running, but I tried very hard to keep every second of the running section a running pace!  It didn't always happen and I was talking to myself a lot by now! "Get a move on Old Girl, just move it" were a couple of the things I was saying.

Mile 8, just over a park run to do! That's it, that's all I have to do. I can do this and I will! I could see I was catching up with some people that have been a head of me from the beginning. Now either I am running faster (yeah right) or they have slowed down.  But I was deffo getting closer to them.  I was beginning now to really suffer, my toes were hurting, my back was hurting and my neck and shoulders were hurting.  I tried to shake my arms out and stretch out my neck.  What I really wanted to do was to just stop, stretch out and then go home! But that is not going to get me the bling, is it! So on wards getting closer all the time to the two ladies in front of me.

Mile 9.  What the heck is this one all about!  Seriously.  Hard, great!  I am sure I will think so at the end.....maybe.....but right then, nah!  I couldn't even think about it!  I am not sure, but this is where the tears started. every mile maker after this brought about tears! I am sure there were more jelly babies too, and jelly beans, I think there was one before too.  Some little kids holding out their carton on sweets, getting all sticky from the rain!  I didn't care, I just needed a bit of sugar.  I did manage to to eat something in the car on the way, it was a 'Goodness knows, nutty, fruity thing.  Which was surprisingly very tasty!  And thankfully it is still remaining in my tummy!  Yup, because by this I was feeling a bit fatigued and in need of a decent Sunday dinner and a pint!  I couldn't wait to get home!

Mile 10 Time to break out the awesome?  I think I did that when I got out of bed this morning!  I had caught up to one of the ladies, and it wasn't because I was running faster, it was because she was looking for a place for a nature stop!  Do you think there was anywhere to go.  for the last 2 miles she was looking for a place, that's how I caught up with her.  But that didn't explain the other lady that I was closing in on.  Maybe she is getting fatigued too!

Mile 11  Homeward bound!  I so wanted to go home!  I really did.  Never will I do another half marathon unless I have properly trained for it.  At least get up to 8 or nine miles!  People like me, you know the slow runners, the 'just get arounds' we need to really train hard.  All those Thursday evenings I missed at track! Tut, tut!  Boy was I really telling myself off now!  I didn't doubt I would finish it, but there was no way I was going to get in under 3 hours!

The mile 12 marker, where was it!  I couldn't see it, we were going through an estate.  Just as we turned into the park there was water....or was that at mile 11, anyway there was more jelly babies, even on the estate too.  There was a lady out with her two daughters handing out the sweet sugary energy boosters and some crisps.  But one of her daughters was eating more crisps than she was handing out!

That last mile, oh my goodness. I just couldn't wait for it to finish.  Very soon I will see the high street, I will run past the cycle shop and then up and over the bridge.!  Oh I can't wait! I had managed to pass by the other lady!  I couldn't believe it.  Even now I am still passing people!  I didn't think that was possible! When I came out onto the high street people were cheering me on and the others as well, and saying very encouraging things!  We had to cross over the road, but by the time I had got there the road was opened.  I had to stop moving to wait for the traffic t be halted!  I kind of just crumbled then, I clutched my knees to keep myself up right.  It felt blimmin hard to get moving again!  I knew the last mile marker was just up and over the bridge, just before I need to turn to go into the finish and those mats that will tell me just how long it took me!

Just then the lady who had a nature break came steaming up from behind me.  She looked pretty strong, and then the other lady that I had in my sights for ages passed me by too!  I was feeling pretty knackered and just accepted it.  I can't do no more now!  Then two other people passed me by, I had passed them by way back!  My energy seemed to just drop them. I heard my name being called from a car, and there was DiscoRich! "Keep going, Old Girl" he said, or something like that, I couldn't quite get what he said!   Up and over the bridge, not long now. People calling out my name, it was very much needed at that point.   I could see the sharp left turn just up ahead and I could hear my name being called again, but this time I knew who it was. It Naggy!  She took some pictures, here, take a look

Ok, so this was taken before we started
but I did look a lot happier!

outta my way!

That's it, stay behind

Done it, now to keep them there!

Did you notice, did you notice? Because when I was running I didn't really notice, I was passing by the two people who I had behind me for most of the race!  All I wanted to do was to get to Naggy, she will help me on this last tiny bit left.  And she did.  "Come on Dons, you can do this, you are awesome, you've done it, you've done it!

I got my banana, I got my water and I got my bling!  It's a lovely medal!  I worked hard for it, and there were more tears when I picked it up!  We collected our stuff and I got changed out of my wet clothes,  then it was the hunt for some hot food!  Which we found, in Farnborough, with beer!  A tough run, very tough! Will I do this race again......yeah, of course, it goes without saying!!

Geeky stats.

Club Run - It's Getting Lighter!

Hello blog readers

Club run and I'm leading, it's also move up Tuesday!  As we don't have anyone from a lower group to accommodate I like to, instead, try and push just a little harder on the group 1er's who haven't moved up!  Generally if they are normally at the back then get to the front to run!  I only actually thought of that when Tracy said it to me, just as we were coming down the last bit of our route!  If only I had thought of that, I could have tried to help them stay at the front!  It's a thought for next time!

On move up week I always do our easy, introductory (is that a word?) route.  The route that I use for when the beginners first come to club run.  Or if I know that I have some injured runners coming back to the fold!  It's a fairly flat and straight forward route, apart from the cheeky incline at the beginning.  But it's always a very 'feel good' incline.....knowing that is the last of the steep hills! The Other inclines are kind of hidden on longer roads instead!

I was quite surprised to see how many of us in group1 this evening, I knew there were some moving up to group 2.  If I only had one in my group I was going to persuade who ever it was to run in group 2!  But seven of us is a good number.  So we started our run, out of the gate and then turn right, down to Kingsway and then right again to tackle the only real 'hill' on our route. I could see it was going to be a group of 2 halves, I am going to be running back and forth keeping us all together!  It's just as well as I have this little run to do at the weekend.

We got through to the other side of the rail lines and then we ran around Crestview Drive.  The group was split again so I did the loop back to the sweepers at the back.  When we crossed over the road Auriol said that I should go ahead and then loop back while she kept the group together.  I think I did one my loop back and then decided that I would have the catchup wait instead! 

When we were running along Crescent Drive we saw group 4 coming along.  Joanne from this group said that she wanted to come along with us in to get back to the rec. she had got herself a nasty pinched nerve, and so wanted to run a bit slower! Joanne had asked if we were going to run along to the end, and then she said that she was going to run along to the end and then wait for us to get there.  I said that would be fine, but after she had gone I suddenly remembered that we usually run down Shepperton Road, the last right turn before the end of Crescent Drive!  So I had to come up with another route as we had to run down to the end to meet up with Joanne.

I came up with a new route, it included running along the roads that most of us hate running along for some reason.  It's because it's long and undulating! I haven't taken the group along here for a while, and although I don't like this route I was looking forward to it! Strange I know!  So we ran along Petts Wood high street and back over the walking bridge.  I gave the option of the shorter route but everyone was up for the longer one.  We then saw group 3 coming along, they were heading down  Kings Way, they had finished their run! 

To be honest I quite enjoyed going along these roads again.  It's two little hills that makes your want to do some sprints up, just to see if you can do it.  But my group was splitting again, so I left Auriol and Joanne lead them back, J.J. was running really well with the two other ladies whose names I can never remember (as usual).  so I thought I would go back and encourage K and Tracy to push just a little bit more!.  I had a feeling they didn't want me there "Isn't good we have one on one with the Old Girl" Tracy had said with probably too much of a hint of sarcasm there.  The answer probably had just as much sarcasm too! Hmm, anyone would think they didn't want my help!

The run ended and everyone had a great time, including K and Tracy, and so did Joanne too!  I love club run's, yup, it's one of the better decisions that I have done over the years, to join this brilliant club!

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Beginners Easter Weekend

Hello Blog readers.

I am a bit late in writing up my blog (as usual) but it is Easter, and there was all those visits to do, people to see, wine to be drunk! You know how it is! 

So the Saturday just gone, it was our unofficial meet up, although with almost all of the group there plus a couple more new people I don't think anyway has gone away this Easter.  The weather is a bit pants though, probably just as well!  It was really good seeing all the people there, with "KneesMan" back with us this week.  Although probably not so much impressive this week, as there was no snow storm!  But, I guess it was still pretty chilly and wet out!  I am still in my long pants, I am not ready to show off my shins just yet!

I was leading this unofficial get together, mainly as ZippySherry had forgotten her watch and whistle, while RefMichael was suffering a bit from a cold.  We began with the usual 2 lap walk of the rec, which is where everyone started plotting the driest route possible around it.  Some where taking the wide path, others where keeping as close to the middle as they could, away from the very soggy bits around.  I was thinking that it was all tactics, to see which route, which path around the rec (you know it's just a great big bit of grass, about 400 metres or so)  would they take so they could get maximum speed, less slippy, more running done!  Athletes in the making!

Then it was our drills.  ZippySherry became our 'moving' cones, as we skipped, butt kicked and side skipped our way towards her and back. And then our running started.  All nicely warmed up we were ready to repeat  our week 3 session of running 3 walking 3 minutes.  It's going to be just fine, they did it last week and had big smiles on their faces!  Well, the new people hadn't done it, but I am sure they will do as much as they can for their first session.

It was about this time that Michael (another Michael and another LiRF) came along to the rec.  He had 'normal' clothes and shoes on, he said something about haircut.  His wife Claudia was joining us today, 1, for getting a gentle run in with mates as she has been running for a while and 2, to help and encourage all our newbies.  Michael was itching to go running along side everyone, but with those 'normal trainers' and jeans on he was very hesitant, so he took some video footage of us all.  In the end though the call to run was all too much for him and he whipped off his coat and came to join in the muddy fun!  I often think that maybe I should give a warning out at the beginning of the course that running can become addictive and you really want to run along with people instead of just standing and watching!  In fact that is not the only warning!  There is shoe envy, there is running top envy, running pants envy, Garmin envy!  It becomes ridiculous the amount of stuff you want when you become an athlete!  Ok, the amount of stuff I want! But maybe I should save that till the end of the course, on Graduation days!

We did our running, 5 reps of 3 mins walk/3 mins run, well apart from the very last running rep, that seemed to have turned into a 4 minute run! Not to point the finger or anything, and I know it's become a blame culture.......but it was all RefMichaels idea!  I totally agreed to do it tho!  You never know what you can do until you try it!  How can you possibly answer the question of "Can you run for 4 minutes non stop?" until you actually try it!  So, now when I ask them next week, "Who can run for 4 minutes non stop?" they will all know the answer!

With just our cool down stretches to do our session was done.  I must say though, when we were stretching out we did look pretty awesome!  I took a picture of it, pano style, I am just not sure how to get that on my blog!  Oh well.

I'm looking forward to next weeks session with these up and coming athletes as they will be running for longer than they will be walking!  Bring it on!