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.
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