Beginners Week 2

Hello blog readers.

Yesterday was the second week of the beginners autumn course.  And it looked like it was a full house with yet more people starting!  Oh I do love, love, love doing these courses with all the new people that want to improve their health and fitness.

There are all sorts of people that turn up to our course, as PastorPaul said today at church, "There are fast runners, little runners, older runners", he said that last one while looking at his wife, she has come along too!  I expect she will get him back later for that!  But it is true, as long as people are as fit as they can be, maybe even check in with the docs to let them know what they are planning to do, then it's all good.  For a start, we don't speed off, we do everything slowly slowly, building it up just a minute at a time while people get used to it!  Encouraging them to do homework too, so they are not just doing it once a week.  It really does help, it gets your lungs working,  your legs working,  work on the breathing as you are running!

I took them through the walking,

This is the walking bit.

the drills and then the running.  It's interesting listening to all the budding athletes as they try and convince themselves that they 'can't do it' and then they are thrilled to bits when they find that the 'can do it!'  The great thing about the beginners course is that nearly all the people that turn up are complete beginners with only a few people that just need a bit of confidence building getting back into running.  Because everybody is virtually starting out from scratch everybody is feeling and thinking the same thing.  Everyone will be growing in confidence at the same time and so help each other along as we run around the rec.  When we had finished the session and were stretching out, I believe everyone had a smile on their face!  Honest, I am not joking!  I think this autumn group will all be getting to Normans park in a few weeks time!

This is the running bit

I think I managed to remember everything this time, although again, I forgot to thank the wonderful PWR's who turn up each week to help out with this course.  They truly are invaluable.  I managed to run just over a mile and a half, talking to people and keeping an eye on my watch, well I didn't want to go over the 2 minutes of running..........or did I!

I thoroughly enjoyed week 2 and look forward to the next time I am running with them all!

Homework Wednesday!

Hello blog readers.

I kind of accidentally didn't run this evening!  I was just a bit tired, but I still have a blog to write up about yesterday.  And it's all about PastorPaul, Pat and Janet!  Still enthused from Saturdays first week beginners, (Monday for Pat and Janet) I joined them for their second piece of homework. On my way there I saw Shalini too, and she was going to be doing her homework, but just an hour later! 

Again it was a quick change for me, in from seeing Kirsty, straight upstairs to change into running gear and then out to the park.  PastorPaul, Pat and Janet were there!  I was so pleased to see Janet!  She is not ready to give up on the exercise that she is getting!  Just the walking briskly for 30 minutes is beneficial.  They had already done a brisk walk of the park, well actually they did say it was more of an amble!  But we went straight over to the goal posts so that we could do some drills.  That should warm them up a bit more. 

We were then ready to do the running section.  Still with the 1 minute of running and 5 minutes of walking we started off with the whistle.  Janet started with a brisk walk and I think she even did a little jog as well.  That first minute goes by so quickly, it is harder for me to keep an eye on the time that it is to do the running!  I try not to engage too much chatting so that I don't get them running longer that the 1 minute.  I blew the whistle to start the walking section.  I am sure they could both have continued for a little bit more, but, I shall not push them.  Keep it nice a simple, slowly, slowly does it!

Pat

We did that three more times, each time Pat and PastorPaul did fantastically, and Janet continued with her brisk walking with the occasional little bit of jogging too!  They were all impressed with what they had achieved.  On the last running section, well, I kind of .....didn't blow the whistle quite when I should have done!  It was the last bit of homework of week one, sometimes it's good to just see what is to be expected from us for next week!  So I didn't blow it, but on one hand I did blow it, because I said to Pat that we had about 15 seconds left, and she noticed that the 15 was a little bit longer than usual!  I shall have to remember for next time!

Paul

So a great session for them all, with some cool down stretches to finish off we were all feeling pretty good!  On the way home I saw Shalini, she was just going out for her run!  I just reminded her of what she was needing to do and then she was off, a solo homework for her!  I am sure with the second week just a few days away it won't be too long before she makes some running buddy to run with!

Finished running, now for cool down!

Oh, these pictures on this blog are from Mondays homework day, I had forgotten to take some pictures but this were taken by Janet!

Club Run - Group 2 plus Monday!

Hello blog readers.

Yes I did go running on Monday!  Well, it was more doing Homework with one of the beginners, well to be precise it was with PastorPaul.  He joined the beginners on Saturday and really enjoyed it.  It was so enthusiastic about it when he got home that Pat, his wife, decided to join him just to support him in his new venture of running!  We also had Janet as well.  She came along just to see if it was something that she could do too.  It was amazing. 

I was late getting to the Parkfield rec, blimmin traffic down Southborough lane due to all sorts of leaks and holes that were happening down there. Grrr, but I won't go on about that, Anyway, it made it a bit late for getting a 6 o'clock start.  Luckily they had already done a warm up lap of the park before I got there.  We went straight into drills.  They certainly wasn't shy about doing it in our local park, which is good!  Just show everyone what we are doing, getting fitter and healthier....for free!

It was soon ready to do the running reps, 1 minute of running with 5 minutes of walking briskly!  Pat hasn't really done any running at all for......well I don't know actually, I shall have to ask her.  An Janet says that she really hasn't been as active as she should be.  As I am sure you can appreciate, if you have never run before, for a set time, it can be very hard, very daunting and can get you in a bit of a pickle with you mind! Your mind can really put the mockers on your training plans!  Which is why, we are PWR do things slowly and at the pace that you yourself chose to do.  Pat surprised herself with the fact that not only did she run for 1 minute non stop, but that she did it four more times after that!  Janet did struggle with the running.  But instead of running she did a brisker walk each time.  It's the way forward, slowly, slowly will get you there quicker!  I think that is going to be my moto for a while with the beginners!

We finished the running with cool down stretches and playing with the most loveliest little dog in the park!  So playful.

Club Run

I wasn't leading this week. How strange it feels!  But I am still trying to improve my running, trying to get a bit faster than I have of late, so group 2 it was for me!  Sarah was leading this week and she had a hilly or I should say undulating!  When she gave out her route details I didn't quite grasp what the undulations were. I had heard St Johns Road and Beaumont road, but getting to these roads were a few cheeky little hills!

I was looking forward to this run, I missed out last week due to my sons birthday meal, and very nice it was too!  And I didn't go out for a solo run on Sunday, why? Well, it was another food related reason, my church friends all went out for Sunday dinner, at the Thai Moom!  Anyway, I was in need of a good run.  The hills will help me burn off all the naughty niceties I have had over the past week!  

The first road we were faced with was Wood Rise, the hill that I take the beginners up when we go out on to the streets in week 6!  Of course I hadn't really warmed up, I drove to the rec, I didn't do any drills, I just drove, drove to the rec picking up Ade and Tracy on the way!  So facing that hill with cold legs, although to be honest I was feeling quite warm really, is probably not the best thing to do.  But up the hill we went,  Tracy seemed to thunder up the hill, I flagged some on the way, I did actually try and blag the job of sweeping, but IllustriousLeader and Selena had that covered.  I must stop trying to look for a comfort blanket in group 2 and do some running!

I was trying to keep up with Tracy as we ran up the hill, I have no idea what she has been eating lately but she is on fire, getting up the hill non stop running! I was really flagging getting up there and had to do some brisk walking!  Eventually I get my groove on and start to do some running.  I leave the comfort blanket of the sweepers to move up to the middle section.  I manage to stay in the middle of the group for the rest of the run.  It was one word answer when I was running, but that's good.  If I am going to improve this is what I need to do.

The route had some little ups and downs, including running down Cardiac Hill, that is always a bonus and puts a smile of many PWR's faces!  It puts a big smile on my face anyway!  I really started to get into my stride although I never really got further than the middle of the pack  There were about 15 of us in group 2 today, so quite a nice sized group.  Once we had done a big loop and were running back down Kingsway towards Crossways, I did manage to run at the same pace as Sarah.  And like all good leaders, when we got to Crossways she let us off, sprinting at our pace to the rec.  There were two people in front of me sprinting, I pick up my pace to try and chase them down, I didn't think I would catch them but it was a good incentive to keep going.  Then I heard some footsteps behind, I knew the person behind me was chasing me down!  I picked up my pace a little bit more to try and keep who ever it was behind me.  Her breathing got closer and closer, the footsteps were just behind me.  The occasional "huh!" was heard as she got besides me and then over took me!  It was young Ukulele Holly!  I didn't mind that so much, I am so much older than her!

A brilliant run thoroughly enjoyed it!  Yup, group 2 is my group now, except when I am leading my favourite group! 

Geeky stats.

 

Beginners Autumn 2019

Hello blog readers

Yesterday was the first day of our new beginners course! We had a great intake for this one. Forty six people showed up, ready to run and get healthy and fit.  There were a couple of people that I recognised from the last group and a there was one person I knew very indeed, my pastor!  He has decided that he wants to try this running malarkey.  It's never too late!  NaggyNeighbour drove us to the rec but on the way I saw our other neighbour, Shalini!  She was one of our beginners about 18 months (although she came on the last week!) She was running along the road, we offered to take her there!  There is one thing about getting back into running, when you have been a runner before, you have it in your mind that you can kind of pick up from where you were.  Shalini had a baby which is why she stopped running and she knew that she wanted to go back to the beginners before getting back to club runs.  Running to the course, from where we live and then running back is a sure fire way of your brain kicking in and saying "stop this nonsense right now"  Seriously, it's true.  But Shalini accepted our lift and was quite pleased that she did!

DiscoRich was there to do the welcome speech and then he handed over to me and ZippySherry.  RefMichael was away but he will be back.  I took the first session.  Do you know, again I looked at all these people standing in front of me, all wanting to learn how to run a 5k.  I looked over to my left and saw all of my PWR running buddies that had come along to support all the people that had turned up and I was feeling nervous!  Every time, that first week standing in the front, I wonder if I am saying the right thing, doing everything in the right order so that no one comes away with any injured muscles by over doing things. Did I mention everything that I should have!  

Do I look as if I feel I am facing fierce lions!

But this time I think I did do things in the right order, I nice 2 lap brisk walk of the rec and then the drills, not too many, just enough to get everyone warm up nicely ready for their 1 minute of running and 5 minutes of walking.  We like to start of slowly, build it up!  It is such a morale booster the first two weeks!  You feel like you are achieving something on the very first day!  Even those that used to run and are coming back to running.  When then think about only running for that 60 seconds, it sounds so easy, but it still takes your body to get used to it.  It's totally best to go slowly!

I had forgotten to introduce all of our PWR members that were there to help out but I feel that DiscoRich and done that, so I am not going to panic over that!  Next time I will make sure.  I am sure there were other things too, but the session needed to start and start we did. Like a super team we all walked around the green, briskly!  You can see there are some people with totally long legs that were just way in front but I think that everyone walked a little faster than they usually do.  We got back to the start and then did our drills, skipping, jogging, butt kicks and side steps.  Make sure all the leg muscles got a bit of a workout ready to our running.

After that I started up my Garmin, I had already preset my Garmin to the right alerts of 1 min run/5 min walk.  Then we started our running.  I did try to chat to people, but I knew if I got in to too much of a conversation then I would not hear the very delicate tiny little beep of my watch, and I probably wouldn't notice the vibration on my wrist either!  It has been known that I have had them running for 3 minutes when it should have been only for 1 minute!  We had to run 5 times, five times that little run/walk reps and that was it.  I was chatting to my PastorPaul on the 4th rep and he said that it felt that it was getting easier, the first minute of running was harder than the 4th and the 5th!  Well, it does seem like it and that is because you get warmed up, your breathing settles into a nice rhythm and you start to relax a bit! See what I mean about starting out slowly!  Can you imagine if you just went out and ran a mile straight off, no warm up, no drills just out the door and run!  Well that's how I started running way back in 2008!  Let me tell you, it wasn't pretty!  It was darn hard and I thought I would never be able to do it!  It was also why I didn't do much running in 2009 too, I had no one to help me, no special running day, no one to run with regularly!  Of course there were a couple of my friends but we just ran when we had time!  But I found that when I joined in the beginners course of Autumn 2010 then I found out that being part of a team, a group it was kept me motivated!  

Anyway, I am waffling!  We finished the running section, five times running and walking.  It seemed to have gone by so quickly, if it wasn't for the clock telling us that we had ran for the 30 minutes I think I would have quite easily done one more rep with them!  Even DiscoRich wanted to do another rep with them, he said it felt like we only done 4!

We had our cool down stretches, I brought a couple of the PWR's into the circle of friends ship so that they could show everyone what the stretches looked liked.  The homework was given and then that was it!  The first week of 2018 Autumn beginners course done!  I felt relieved, no one looked like they were going to quit,  everyone still very much enthusiastic about it and looking forward to next week!  

Lou, one of our beginners from the last one was there with her camera, and SnapperHannah too!  She is doing so well!  Already moved up to group 3 and running 7.5ks Cow and Bean runs (its a coffee shop where they all meet at the end) and regularly smashing her parkrun pb's!

Here's some photos from Lou

Parkrun - Solo run, Hello Mojo?

Hello blog readers

Two runs to blog today.  Yesterdays and todays!  Lets get started.  It was parkrun day yesterday of course I was up and ready to do my fav parkrun.  This will be the last parkrun for me for a while, with maybe one or two squeezed in for a brill reason, which if I can get to these parkruns I will tell you about.  Our beginners course starts next Saturday and I'm really excited about it!  From reports at the top there is quite an interest this term, with some other PWR's that have been busy recruiting to the run up which should have a great class this time.

Naggyneighbour was driving us this morning, we drove and picked up Tracy, although it must have been way to early because Tracy didn't recognise me sitting in the passenger seat!  We drove to Normans Park and then walked over to the start, meeting up with our friends as we did.  There were the usual messages to give out, mile stone runs to cheer on and the health and safety rules to be read out.  Then we were off.  Tracy said that she wanted to keep me in her sights, but the way she has been running lately it could quite easily be the other way round!  But I stayed focused, J.J. was walking with Janet this morning, Naggyneighbour was nagging.......encouraging.......oo I have forgotten who she was helping to pace yesterday but anyway she was with her.  Carole and Michael were, well, those two are just on fire!  They longer start at the back with us minions they are are the front looking for that every elusive PB.  And so many more of my running buddies, well this is PWR's first parkrun!

When we started I just ran, not really thinking about pace, I just wanted to do the best I can.  I saw Auriol in front of me and I thought about keeping her in my sight.  So I made sure that she was too far ahead, but also that I wasn't speeding off to quickly, i know that I usually flag way to early if I go too fast.  As I was running along I was thinking about the track session that I had been too.  I was thinking about my stride, making sure that I wasn't over striding and also I was thinking about the two miles I had covered. So, as I do, I decided to just try something,  Run until my Garmin had a zero or a five at the end and then walk for a minute.  But try and do some quality running as instead of trying to beat a pb, just do some steady running. 

With keeping Auriol in my sights I ran for five minutes and then took a break of a minute.  I had caught up to Auriol by then and we kept each other company for a while.  We seemed to pace each other, over taking each other, running next to each other.  It seem to be working.  I had no idea if I was running faster, but I did feel like it.  I decided next week, which will have to be a solo run on a Sunday, I will up the running, I will have to use my Garmin to remind me then,  as it will mean calculating!  Auriols running/walking seemed to fit in with mine too, so we stayed together for some of the second round.  But then she walked before the time was up and I carried on.  She said "Old Girl, you're on fire!"  Oh but I really wasn't!  I so wanted to walk with her, but I need discipline and I nagged myself and kept it going!  The thing is Auriol by than had really warmed up and she started running at her pace, which is faster than mine!  Even though she did a bit of walking I couldn't catch up with her.

The last little straight to do, and I really was feeling knackered.  I am sure I felt a little bit sick too, but I ignored it.  I pushed through that feeling and I must have looked pretty grim.  A lovely young lady started talking to me, "Come on, we're nearly there"  I looked at her and saw a lovely smile.  She's right, it's not that far, I just gotta keep going, and remember....this is fun!  The sweat was pouring down my face and Abi (the lovely young lady) kept encouraging me all the way.  I feel she may have heard me doing that moaning a groaning bit that you do, when you feel like giving up, so it really was nice to have a friendly runner next to me at that precise moment.

I finished, not with my fastest time this year, but thankfully still under 40 minutes, which I was quite pleased with!  I would have had to do some arse whooping if it was anything over that!

Here's my geeky stats.

Solo Sunday.

And so to today.  Again I had that nasty little running angel on one shoulder and the nice little one on the other shoulder.  The naughty angel helped me to keep things quiet.  I didn't put on facebook, I didn't tell anyone at church this morning, there wasn't anyone that I told that I was going to do a solo run.  Just in case....just in case I didn't actually go out and do it.  The good angel sitting on the other side just kept saying, "you can do this, you know you can, just use one of the old fav routes"  I knew I should do it, I knew I could do it!  The few biscuits that I had at church and a nice little chocolate swish roll were sitting in my tummy. I of course thought that I shouldn't be going running.

But in the end I just pulled myself up out of my chair and got changed.  It was almost as if I had got hold of the scruff of my neck and yanked myself up the stairs to go changed.  I was still procrastinating when the Old Boy came home from work.  Maybe he will need me to do something (I think that was the naughty angel whispering in my ear)  I know temptation was there to keep me from running.  My fav biscuits on the table, my fav chicken flavour crisps and a cup of tea on offer.  But no, I got out of the door and started running.

My legs weren't feeling too bad,  they certainly feel like they have done some work these past couple of days, but I still wasn't going to push it!   I was glad I wasn't going to push it, because by the time I got on to Farringdon my the lead started to pour in my legs.  Ok, so there it is, mojo struggling like crazy to get my fat ass out of the door,  two angels on my shoulders and lead legs.  Oh, and an appoint to see my psychiatrist about the apparitions of angels and chasing a real mojo!  The thing that made this run different from all the rest is that I had my music blaring in my ears.  Yes, I know I usually run with my music, but this time I am using my new earphones.  The ones that cost me just a tad more than I would every dream of paying for usually.  It's my super duper, block out all the noise, in ear, specially made for me, earphones.  I hadn't run with them before, I had used them for the dentist to block out noise and them talking about all the work that I needed on my teeth, but as for a run, not this was the first.  

Look at that, it's pink and its glittery!

I was quite impressed with my earphones, ok so the sound quality is not as brilliant as some that are out on the market, but these ones stayed in my ears, so at least I can hear every song all the way through without having to pick up one or other earphone that dangles around my neck when it falls out.  My tunes got me all the way around.....most of the route.  Up to Turpington Lane, and then Greenway.  I was just concentrating again on what PhysioMiketheMod had told me about my stride, shorten it up a bit, as well as keep my head up, breath, keep it steady, don't think about how tired I was.  Then came on a 'bangin' tune,  just as I was taking a walk actually, I smiled and waited, listening to the intro, it's coming, it's coming that drum solo and 'boom'!  I actually did the whole air drumming as it came on!  I had a smile on face and I started running just after I did my air drumming act!  There was a bus just in front of me, heavens knows if he saw me!

I had some good tunes coming through my 'phones, I just wished I could remember them all to tell you, I can't even look at my Ipod to look back as its gone loopy and I can't see the screen.  Thankfully I can hear the music that's on there!

I was coming down Southborough Lane when a tune came on, it stopped me in my tracks, literally.  I just started to cry then, remembering why I am actually running!  The reason why am running.  The tune was Ill divo, Mama!  We had this song at my mums funeral.  I walked as I listened to the words and I cried, hard.  Just then, before the end, the music finished!  My battery had ran out!  I was annoyed and my tears stopped immediately, I also started to run again!  Just at that point I thought about my mum, what she would have said. "What are you doing, no need to cry"  Well, I am sure she would have said that!  She would deffo have said "What are you doing"  that's for sure!

I ran the rest of the way home in silence, with my earphones out, they do block out so much noise, I thought I had better take them out!  I was also on the road that I dare not not stop running too!  The thing is.....I did!  I was so annoyed with myself!  Next time, next time I will not be stopping on that road.  It's only because this is my first solo run for, I don't know, fecking ages, that I won't be as hard on my self.

My geeky stats I will put up tomorrow if you are interested.

 

Summer is done.....Welcome Autumn!

Hello blog readers.

Our summer speed and core training session in the rec are all done now!  It was just too dark in the rec.  But that does mean I go back to track!  It really is still quite scary going back to track again.  Every year I seem to think "Oh I won't go back, it's just for the faster runners"  Seriously I do do that,  I have to force my own hand to go back to track.....stick it all over social media, tell friends that I am going to track, convince myself that it's the only running session that is happening in the south east of England this Thursday evening! 

I knew J.J. wasn't going to be running this evening, with Carole and Michael!  They are actually doing a Thursday session, in Petts Wood, so actually Track is not the only running session around.  But by the by, J.J. wasn't going!  I felt a pang of jel, just sitting on my comfy sofa on a Thursday, no leading, no planking, no getting bitten by bugs on the rec.  Then I text Naggyneighbour, she is bound to come back to the track again.  She loved it last winter!  But, well, she had done shit loads of exercises and then she developed an ache somewhere, so she was resting up.  So it really was just down to me.

I looked outside the window, the wet stuff wasn't far from falling.  I was sat on my chair, thinking about my dinner, and trying to think of an excuse not to go!  There was none.  So I went up stairs got my running gear on and went out the house!  So far so good!  But now the rain was coming down!  I really wanted to turn the car back and go home.  But then I though of PhysioMiketheMod.  I thought that he is going to be there. He generally is, come rain or shine, all through the winter and the summer and the bits in between!  If he isn't he usually gets someone to take the session.   It's very rarely cancelled.  I'm thinking, one drop of rain "....and I'm thinking I'm going home"  Nah, nah, it just can't happen.....and I'm thinking there is just too much thinking, right!

I get to Normans Park track and see all the others.  No need to feel anxious, or scared, after all it's just all my running buddies here!  So just walking into the track I started to feel tons better, I paid my money and walked over to the top end of the track where they were all gathering.  Yup, tons better.  The session is going to be easy too.  Of course when I say easy, it means I don't have to think, no counting, no adding up numbers to make sure that I don't have too much 'rest' between the running sections.  It's all done on the whistle. Whistle goes, we run, whistle goes, we stop, whistle go's we run....etc. I am sure you get the idea. 

Of course there is the drills to do, and the strides.  For the faster runners there is an 8 minute tempo run followed strides, we joined them so we all did strides together.  Then the session began.  It was only two reps.  See what I mean about it being easy.....Ok, so I am joking!  I have decided that if I am a track I am going to have to really not waste my time and money by just 'pretending' to work hard, I have been know to have done that at our summer fun sessions!  I started my Garmin and the first rep began.  I ran along with all the others, I am sure there must been 25-30 people there. I was at the back, I started at the back, just so they didn't have to all run around me for the first lap.  But by the first hundred meters came up there was a big gap between me and the back of the pack.  The field of runners were all spread out around the track.  Each one with their own plans for what they want to achieve from their track sessions. 

We ran for 90 seconds, I think I had managed to get just passed the two hundred meter mark.  Then it was a 90 second rest, either walk or stop.  I chose to walk, I didn't want to stop my legs from moving.  the next walk or stop was only for 60 seconds, the third break was for 30 seconds, and yup you got it, the next was 15 seconds long.  But each time we had to run it was for 90 seconds.   I must admit, on one of the running sections, I felt blimmin rough, I pushed hard, you know, so hard that you think "ooo I might just chuck chunks about now!"  But I didn't, thankfully!  That wouldn't be a very good start for 2018/19 track sessions now, would it?  There was also a bit of a teary moment!  Week one of track sessions for 2018/19 and already with tears!  You can guess that I just told myself off,  "No tears, none!  You got this, just do your best".  It's down to me to not waste these sessions.  To try and listen to all that PMtM says and Jane who took the drills. 

We had to do all of that again after a bit of a rest.  I am not sure how long PhysioMiketheMod gave us, but I appreciated every second of it!  And then we started it again, 90 seconds running, 90 seconds rest, etc.  I was totally warmed up by now, but I think I was slower too.  I was also concentrating on what PMtM said to me too, "Shorten the stride Old Girl" he said.  There, now that is what is brilliant about track sessions, little bits of guidance and training.  Oh, and of course all the encouragement from the other guys and girls here!  "Well done, Old Girl" "keep going Old Girl" and "You're a star Old Girl".  I really did feel very welcomed back into the Track family!  When the whistle blew for the last time I started to walk up to the top of the track where we all began, ready to do the cool down stretches, and I noticed that I had nearly done 2 miles, so I just had to run until my Garmin said 2 miles!  And the best bit.....well that seeing all my running buddies again, it's the only time that I can 'run' with the really faster runners, from the top groups to the lower group!  Stephen, Paul, Perry, Tim, Joanne, Kev, Spencer, Ali, Jenny, Petula and oh my goodness so many more! 

So, watch this space.  Lets see if my running mojo gets stronger and stays with me!  I know I certainaly need it too!  Here's my geeky stats, I know it's just round and round a track, but its the speedy bits that I was interested in! 

Club Run - My Turn To Lead!

Hello blog readers

Oh my goodness you can't imagine how it feels to say "My turn to lead"!  Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love leading my group 1 people, but I feel it's so good for me to move up the groups to push myself just that bit extra. But I have missed leading every week and it really does feel like grabbing hold of that comfort blanket again.  I am so very glad to have my comfort blanket to 'cuddle' once a month.

This evenings run was the first one that does not include going through the woods!  It's just to dark now.  I am not going to say it....I am not going to say it........oh blast it I will........where has that time gone!  Flippin 'eck, too dark to go through the woods!  I will just have to try and get a morning run through there!  So to ease us all back to an all pavement route I chose my favourite 'Get them round, nice and happy' route.  The one where I show all the first timers a group 1 run, the one where I try and pick up the pace for everybody when it's a move up week!  

Well, let me tell you I was totally impressed with the runners in group 1 this evening!  If I had a trophy for the most improved runners, (I would need two here) I would say it would be Tracy and Kathy!  So just goes to show that even having a change of leader can improve a group!  It reminded me of when I took my driving test, I had failed 3 times with the same driving examiner, with a new driving instructor and a different driving examiner I passed my test!  Everybody needs to change things up a bit.  Just try a new group!  Put a different leader to help out and it's surprising what can happen.

My group this evening was split in two so I started to send the front runners up at their pace while I was at the back to see if I could help some.  Let me tell you, with just a couple of little words and Kathy just seemed to have stepped up a gear!  She started to catch up with the front runners, just staying a couple of feet behind them.  Tracy was one of the front runners!  It was a move-up week and my group this evening all had moved up their pace!  They just forgot to move to group 2!

All the runners are coming back from the six weeks off  school holidays.  Some hadn't been able to run much during these weeks, holidays and all sorts had got in their way of their running.  It's great to see everyone coming back.  So it was a nice easy start for all, back into the routine.  It won't take too long before everyone is back to where they were before the school holidays took over.

I really had a great time leading, I had the the bestest position in the group, because I was running with the faster ones and then running with the ones behind!  With every catch up I suggested that the faster runners don't stop but to run back to the back of the pack and then all have a rest together!  I think next time I lead I am going to have to be a bit of a tougher leader and say that they all do this.......including myself!  When we got to Tudor way, I wanted to to run along with the front group, at their pace and just see how fast they were going.  Running next to Tracy, who was at the back of this pack, I checked my Garmin.  Would you believe that they were running at 10:30 m/mi!  When I told Tracy she couldn't believe it!  That is like group 3 pace or more! Chris, Aimee, Ade, they were all so much faster than what group 1 offer for a club group 1 run!  They are deffo out next week and moving on up to group 2! That will leave just the right people for a group 1 paced run where we can chat, encourage and just see what we can do, without feeling like we just need to catch up all the time!  Blimey, I do love my club!  We do offer so many different running groups, there is bound to be one suitable for you, yes you who read this and think you can't do it! You who are reading this and think that running is just not possible!  Try it first, just to see, then decided!  On Saturday 15th September we begin our new Beginners running course, total beginners, zero to 5k in 8 weeks with a holiday break in there somewhere!

So, my running wasn't too bad this evening, I can certainly do better!  I know I can, I know I must!  So it's back to the track for me, start thinking about my speed and stamina! (and weight!)  I've been too long in the comfort eating zone and not pushing myself zone!  It seems I've had a bit of a gap between my running lately, what with a visit to the Celebrity Big Brother house and meeting up with my friend on Saturday, I have missed a couple of running sessions!  This evening.... well.... this evening, it felt really good to be running!  I enjoyed it!  Was it because I was out doing it, was it because I was out leading my favourite group or maybe it was because I was running with my buddies!  To be honest......it was all of that!  I bloody love running me!

Here's our geeky stats.