It's parkrun Time!

Hello blog readers.

We are still doing parkrun tourism and yesterday we Angels decided on Danson Park, Bexley parkrun.  It's one that we have done before, a very pretty park with a little lake, geese and ducks.  It even boasts it's own mansion house, Danson House!

We had to leave earlier than usual, Naggy and me drove to pick up SnappyH and then drove to Bexley.  We had trouble parking, it seems like Bexley parkrun is becoming popular too!  We managed to find a place at the end of the road, parked up and then started our walk to the start line.  As we were approaching it we could see that it looked as if hey were ready for the off! We were still approaching the start line.  "I think they have started" said SnappyH!  We looked again and then saw that they had actually started, it was just about a minute passed nine!  Well that's a first for us, arriving late for the start of a parkrun.  That put us all on the backfoot straight off, playing catch-up to the tailwalkers.  That wasn't easy on cold legs!  Naggy and Benji just seemed to run off into the distance, disappearing in the crowds.  They deffo caught up and overtook the tailwalkers with no probably.  I just knew Naggy would be running non stop all the way.  I stayed with SnappyH for only a short while!  My upper body was getting pretty warm, I had my fleece on!  I really should have left it at the start of the run, but I didn't see the buckets they use to collect all the jackets and and fleeces.  Naggy had left hers on a bench before we started.  I wished I had.

I had to walk for a bit and take my jacket off and tie it around my waist and put my keys in my Flipbelt, as they were in my jacket pocket! SnappyH was pulling away from me as I was faffing about with tying my sleeves around my waist, etc etc.  I still had to try  and catch up to the tailwalkers.  I knew I would do it it, I was closing them down.  When I got to them I felt quite pleased with myself.  Why? I don't know, after all they were walking and I was running!  I managed to pass some other walk/runners as I did my first lap of the park.

It really is a lovely venue, on my first lap a gaggle of geese flew low over the boating lake, it was at times like that that I wished I had my phone in my hand to capture what looked like, could have been a beautiful photo!  The second lap I managed to ditch my jacket on a bench just by the finish funnel, I thought I would collect it just before running through it.  It was then after about 10 meters or so that I saw the buckets!  Oh well, I am sure my jacket will still be there when I got back!

I passed a few more runners on my second lap, I also played cat and mouse with a parkrunner, she overtook me then I overtook her.  There was also a walker too, she could walk faster than me when I was walking and she caught up and overtook me quite often on the second lap! 

I finished the parkrun, feeling pretty good that I wasn't actually last. And we had to play catch up too!  Here, these are some pictures that SnappyH  took!

It was a little bit muddy!

And here is my geeky stats! Of course my stats will be different from my parkrun results because we started late, also we were a little way off!

Brrrr - Club Run

Hello blog readers.

It's so cold!  I don't like the cold, never have done.  I think its when my mummy used to put me at the bottom of the garden for a nap in my pram, come rain or shine...or snow!  Why did they tell mums to do that back there "Fresh air is good for the child"  Brrr, no!  So maybe memories of that time long, long, long time ago have come back to haunt me!

I was waiting to hear from the Angels, just to see who would be going out this evening.  All quiet in the Angel chat room, that was until a picture of a bubble bath appeared!  So SnappyH wasn't coming out then.  Then Naggy came back with something about just getting back from work and then having to do more work at home!  If only I had seen that message earlier then I would probably have stayed wrapped in my blanket too.  But I had already told my group 1 pals that I was going to run and agreed to pick up Tracy too!  I only agreed that because the Old Boy nagged me to go go and get my running gear on!  It was a huge mind battle this evening!

Auriol was leading this evenings group, I could move on up and join group 2, but I really am struggling with my mojo and this whole winter/early mornings for work an running malarkey!  I will just stay with my pals, sweep and encourage others.  Auriol had a route planned out that I have never been on before, it's quite a nice route. It's always good to do new routes.

I enjoyed my run, I am really pleased I went out, even though I was moaning like heck that I wanted to stay at home, under my blanket, drinking tea and eating chocolate!   I feel quite smug like really, if truth be known!  But oh my, the thought of sitting near a nice log burner or luxuriating in a bubble bath could have seriously damaged my running this evening!

"That run was a shit run" said no runner ever!  Just getting out, doing it and coming back smugly is what it's all about!

Oh just one other thing, I went out last Saturday as well, to parkrun, not my local one though, I haven't yet invested in a pair of running wellies yet! Apparantly there was a water feature again at Normans park.  I went along to Dartford parkrun, Naggy and her Tri mates were having a 'parkrun takeover' and they were doing the RD, volunteers, marshals, scanners, the lot!  So I thought I would join her and do soe parkrun tourism!  .......There was a hill!  We had to run up it TWICE!

So here's my geeky stats,  I had to trim it up a bit because I forgot to turn my Garmin off!

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Club Run

Hello blog readers.

Club run done!  First Tuesday night club run!  Loved it!  I just hope everyone else did!  It was 'Move Up Tuesday'  So, for some strange reason (and it seemed pretty reasonable when I thought about ages ago) because we don't have anyone that can join us from a lower group, I kind of put Group 1 through a slightly harder run, which usually means a couple of hills!  It was a well thought our reason, but now when I write it it looks like I am just torturing group 1,  just because I ate cake!  Actually it was biscuits at work, but still naughty!  So today it was the turn of Tillingbourne Green.  A favourite 'hated hill' for everyone!  I am sure when I bring group 1 here, those that have been before, they have a goal in mind.  Make it all the way round, make it up the long hill, just to finish quicker than last time.  But this evening there were some newbies that haven't run this hill!  I am sure they will love to hate this little hill too!

There were nine of us in our group and CarolWithAnE is back in the fold and Auriol, both have been off with injuries!  We have missed them both, CaroleWithAnE was trying to hide under her buff!  So pleased to have her back.  We just got to work on the rest of my crew now, J.J., Wendimoo, K,  SnappyH, Shalini,Tracy!  LittleJ will get back to the fold with her walking group!  We all need to kick some ass and get our booties out there!  Naggy came back to club, shes been out for a while, what with one thing and the other!  She didn't go into her usual group though, she did the sensible thing of dropping down a couple of groups, see how it fits, maybe then go on to the next group!

The first hill in my route today is Birchwood!  At least it was entirely straight into a hill, unlike group 2 today, who was also doing Tillingbourne Green today!  Ruth took her group straight up Wood Ride, no warm up there!  A nice little flat bit to recover and chat about the next upward flat bit!

I am trying to rush my blog, unlike my running these days, because I need to chronicle everything!  I know when I blog about my runs then I get more motivated, I can read back on them and realise that I am doing ok!  So  Tillingbourne ran it, walked it, but done it!  Some of us ran it all the way some like me walked/ran it!  But we were doing it!  That's all we got to say!  We were doing it!

I was really kind to them after the actual Green itself, because we only ran up Church Hill Wood once!  On some occasions we have actually ran up this cheeky little hill 3 times!  Just for fun! Crazy eh!  I feel sure that everyone will love me again as I only asked them to run up it just the once! Of course, there is no just ignoring the fact that I want us all to push just a tad harder this evening, so I asked them to just put a little bit more effort than they have already, 70% of what they have been doing so far, just to get to the top, it's only a short one!  They all did brilliantly!

The sweet bit was next, the hill going down!  All the way down Petts Wood road.  It's where you can think about your running form because you don't have to put too much effort in to the running itself, the gravity is pulling you down anyway.  So you can think about your breathing, how you are holding your head.  Are you shoulders back, keeping your chest open and clear to get those lungs expanding!  Can you bring your heels up just a bit more, let the gravity pull them back down again.  All the while you are thinking about that the cheeky little rundown hill is all over and done with!

Group 1 looked really pleased with them self, they know now that they were on the road where the entrance to the park is!  But we were not going down there.....yet.  There was still just one more hill to get up.  I had to get the miles in, 3 miles minimum, we had to do it!  We had to run all the up to the memorial hall, and then run down Kings way to Crossways!  All done!

A bloody lovely first Tuesday night club run of the year, a little bit of a challenge for all of us!  A few extra calories eaten up, a few bigger smiles after the run!

Here's a picture of me.......just because I am trying to remember to take more pictures too!

And of course Geeky stats

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Knockholt Train Run - 2020

Hello blog readers.

after I got home!

Here we are in 2020, the first of the years train runs!  And still not done this run during the summer months with my pals!  I will have to try real hard this year to get it organised!  I know some of my other friends would love to do this, maybe at a slightly later time, retire to the pub for celebratory drinks!  Anyway  that will the then, now is now!

I drove on up to Petts Wood Station to meet up with the other PWR's, maybe around 50 of us, all waiting to board the train to take us to Knockholt and beyond!  Well, on to Sevenoaks for those running 14 or more miles!  For us doing 6 miles we get off at Knockholt!  We all pile on the train I forgot to get a picture of us all on the train but LouLou took this one of just us lot,

Knockholt and Sevenoaks crew

The train doesn't take to long to get to our destination, the Knockholt crew got off which included me of course,  got off here around half of the group, the rest continued on to Sevenoaks.  We had about 6 groups represented here, with a group leader for 5 groups.  It does mean that some of the groups will have to merge!  I was down for leader of group 1, but there were only about 3 in group 1, so we merged with group 2 anyway, just as well because I am sure I would have gone way 'off piste' and ended up the wrong side of the wrong hill, either that or it would have been a really boring run right alongside the A21!  I knew most of the route, it's just a couple of twiddly bits that I would have gone wrong I think!

So we started our run, on quite a beautiful morning actually.  Some years we have done this is snow and ice!  Global warming maybe? Or just the natural order of things? Who knows, but it feels good not to be slip sliding about in ice!  I must remember to take mental notes of where to go, which paths I need!  I think I if do it once then I should remember.  With each road I mentally said right or left, I was right on all occasions.  I think I will be able to do this route again, with me leading....with someone else who has also done this one before as well! 

I was just glad that I could keep up with Group 2, or it could be that IllustriousLeader who was leading Group 2, was taking it nice and sedate!  Anyway, it's a lovely social run, it's what it's all about, run for fun, run with mates, run just because!  Matthew was going to be running along with me if there were more than just three of us.  He is absolutely a shining example of how and why we have so many groups in our run club.  Lost mojo, way back in the year saw Matthew ready to throw in towel, give up, go work on that 'ass grove' on the sofa again.  But by just dropping down a few groups, helping out at beginners and 'voila' mojo back, fun was back and realization of why we started, or kept up with, running!  We had a right laugh on todays run, it's how it should be.  Running for fun, running just for the sake of running!

I took a picture of us around half way home, this is us.

Not as much mud as I thought there was going to be, just as as well, because I decided to use my 'new old' shoes.  I am still rather attached to this pair, I wasn't quite sure whether to hand them down to be my 'muddy' run shoes.  so now at least I can have second thoughts about my brooks!  Oh did I not tel you, I went shopping yesterday and brought myself some new running stuff.  New shoes, Nikes, plus I bought a new running belt, a Flipbelt, Zipper!  Oh my goodness, what a game changer this is.  I didn't even know I was wearing it, and it had my phone, in its holder, in there, plus my train ticket and my key, which was attached to a key chain (elestatic actually) but my key was securely attached!  And when I ran, I seriously forgot I was wearing it!  I went to grab my phone from my usual place where I used to keep it when I ran, promptly panicked that it wasn't there and then remembered about my belt!  Love it!

Did I tell you about those hills on this route?  Well, they are there! One of them in the first half of the run is the best one.  When I say best one, for me there is no best hills, but this one does have the lovely little animals at the top of it!  Goats, funny little creatures, feisty little creatures.  Especially this little brown one.

butter wouldn't melt, look at that face!

He wasn't taking any nonsense from any one and just wanted to butt you, after he had a little sniff that was!  There was this other little goat to, and in the field opposite were some more with the pals the geese.

The next hill was too long after this one. Straight up a field!  Now this is the one that I thought would be a tad muddy, but it wasn't that bad!  And then there was Old Hill, the one through the woods.  That took us to the next bit of field we had to go in.  I took a picture of us here, or at list at the top of it!  Here, this is us

All in all though, it was a fabulous run, I really enjoyed it, just being with running buddies is fabulous.  Our run ended in Petts Wood, at Costas.  I haven't been in Costas as much as I used to, when I was working with Kirsty.  I thought about her as I went it, I wondered who would be our barista., would it be someone who I knew.  I was, and she remembered how I took my coffee!  That made me smile!  We also met Matthews dad too, he met us at Costas,  I don't think I have persuaded him to come running though, not with the moanings going on as we all tried to get up from our chairs and moan about our aches a pains!   Honest, running is good for you!  Really!!

Failed parkrun!

Hello blog readers

It's parkrun day and I didn't make it in time!  I left at the usual time, if not just slightly earlier, but the problem was, nearly 900 people had left even earlier than me and were on their way too!  I drove straight into the road that that takes us to through the gates to the car park and promptly turned around and came out again!  There were cars lining up to try and park, there was no way I was going to get parked.  So on to the streets I must go!

I managed to do a quick turn around before I got into the car park, a cheeky little u-turn at the top of the road but there were people still trying to come into the park.  When I got to the main road again I could tell the next driver that there were no parking spaces, before then it was too late and they would need to do what I had done.  On the nearest streets I looked for parking, Nothing! Time was running out, I was getting annoyed!  I said to myself "If there's no parking by nine then I'm going home"  Well, guess what!?  No parking.  I had texted the girls that I won't be parkrunning today, I am going to solo run!  Something I've not done in a while!  So that's the way it had to be!

You remember I said that I had 'spotify' issues, it wouldn't play with only 4g.....well it was still the same!  I sat in my car on my street feeling blimmin angry!  Angry at myself for being late, I should have realised that it's January and everybody will be wanted to get 'back' to running, just like the gyms will be full this time of the year!  And angry because Spotify was still having issues!  I was going to have to run music-less! It was going to be a tough run!  I had already convinced myself to do a shorter route "Well you are going to be running tomorrow for about 10k" the lazy couch potato was saying on my left shoulder" "Just do the old route" the mocking fit, slimmer Moosh figure, was saying on my right shoulder!  I know......both my 'inner voices' either keep routed to my chair or mock me when I go running!  But I listen more to mocking voice more often! 

So yes, I did run.....I did run/walk solo for the first time in ages!  It wasn't pretty, I really beat myself up on the run, but then that voice saying, it's fine you go tomorrow to get through!  And it will be tough tomorrow!  My legs are killing me now!  I think that is from the double set of exercises I did on Friday!  Talk about aching!  If feels like that very first time I started running, when I wasn't sure what I was doing, no warm up lap/mile or any sort of stretching afterwards, that's the sort of ache I am feeling now!  I am sure doing just a couple of miles is fine for today! 

So that was it, less than two miles on one of my old routes that I used to do when I use to do lots of my solo running!  But it's something, I ran.  I ran angry, I walked angry, but by the time I finished my very shortened route, I felt better.  I was so tempted to go straight into my house after I come back from Normans park, so at least I did something, plus what I did do got rid of my anger!  Job done I say!

So geeky stats!? Hmm, yeah, I will share it, why not,  all runs are good, not matter how slow or distance!  So here they are!

Work Out - Jabra's Back!

Hello blog readers.

The usual lumpy picture!

I was planning on running, but when I looked out this morning, the time I decided to go, it was raining!  Hmmm, I should have gone, I know, but instead I decided to take a look at my work out regimes on Jabra again.  I did it last year, on the pretence that I would continue it through out the year!  Well, trying each time is so much better than just talking about it and not even starting!

This time though, I had a good look at my Jabra, looking at the settings, looking at the other buttons that was there. I saw that I could change the work outs, add an exercise, take one out.  Well, I don't have a kettle ball or pull up bar or......well anything that is gym related.  So I tailored one of the workouts minus the kettle ball and the pull up and added some butt kickers and back extenstions instead. also up the reps too. Ok so I only added one extra rep!   I will add extra reps each time!  Oh, the burpees, I cut that down to 5.....and then just danced my way through them! So blimmin hard!

I did get a sweat on though, as you can see from my picture at the top!  Calories burned, well, not too many, but as I look at it, usually on a Friday I don't do any extra exercise anyway.  I can do this, it's day three of this RED January thing, not that I have signed up for the tee-shirt or anything, but I am going to stick with it.  I did it last year, I can do it this year!  It's parkrun tomorrow, so that should be good, seems like only a few days ago since the last one! Oh, yeah, it was!  So Bring it on!  Some geeky stats for you, from Jabra and Garmin!

After my workout!

Oh, also, an hour or so after this, I went for a walk with my daughter, grandsons and the dogs!  Another extra bit of exercise! Like a boss!

Geeky stats

Bike or Exercise? - Where do I write this?!

Hello blog readers.

What a sight! 

I am on my way to getting bike ready for the spring and summer!  My bike has been way to long neglected and it is too beautiful bike to be sitting in my shed!  So to help me on my way of getting bike fit, I went over to Naggy's house!  I got dressed up in my cycling gear, grabbed a towel, (I remembered what it was like on the other machie!) and made my way over to Naggys house. What?..... eh.....Well. Yes, I actually got my cycling gear on.  Even though I am not going out onto the actual road, sitting on her bike is going to hurt!  I will need my padding!  so as I had my cycling shorts on I might as well put on my cycling top! Anyway, back to it,  Naggy has this cool new machine, better than the other one, which I used about twice before I lost interest!  This one actually connects to the internet and gives you the feel of a 'ride'.  First of you can see the route, also the tension on the gear thingy tightens so it hurts when you go up an incline! Plus, the real cool thing is that the front of the bike lifts up, so you also get the sense of going up!  I am hoping all of that will help get my saddle ass back, plus remember how to change gear, how to clip in and out, how to be confident on the roads again and well everything cycling related!  But that will all happenI know that, just not straight away. And deffo not while it's dark and cold outside!  This cool new machine is the training that both Naggy and I need t help with the mojo, help her in her quest of craziness. Naggy has put herself in to this crazy race, something about a half iron man!  I know,  just crazy!  Not sure which is worse really, running around the Isle of Wight or this ironman thing! Me, I am just thinking half marathon, with a few nice pleasure rides of an evening and weekend as a way of keeping sane, cross training and social!

Anyway, Naggy chose a nice easy ride for me, riding around Windsor Park.   I know, cool eh.  She had it all set up on her Ipad, you can actually watch where you are riding, there are even people you have to steer around.....well, no I didn't have to actually steer the bike, but on the screen the guy who filmed it all was steering around the people!  I did get a sweat on!  It felt hard on the legs!  I was glad I was only doing about 9 miles, I just hope I at least get it done within the hour!  I forgot to start my Garmin, I had it set up for indoor cycling, I am not sure if that means satelites will follow me around a track or if indeed it will just record my heartrate, but I shall check it out when I up load my geeky stats. 

I thought I would write my blog here, in my running blog, I shall keep my cycling blog only for road riding blogs, I a sure I said that about the other indoor cycling attempt!  Yeah, I think that's the way it should be, I am deffo not going to writing another blog,  I shall get totally confused!

So enjoy, this is my geeky stats, both from my Garmin and from Naggys new app thing!, Oh and a picture of Naggy having her turn on the bike,  I didn't leave her house until she was well under way!

Naggy doing her thing!

My stats

New Years parkrun!

Hello blog readers

Me, Auriol, SnappyH, CarolWithAnE
Naggy with Benji and LouLou

Well, I did it, I got out on New Years Day, I know I said 'maybe' for the New Years Eve run but the duvet had me held prisoner until 11 at least!  I knew there were going to be a good few of my buddies running today, they are just as crazy as me!  Also for the first time in absolute ages, Team Angels were all together!  Hopefully this is our year.......nope, more positive..... this is our year!  I know....I sound like everyone else does, but I know that some people who have said that, yet were still in bed this morning while we were all out running! Not me though, I got up, went out....over to Naggy's house, collected her and Benji and then on to Normans Park!

But that's the thing, I was out running and I fecking loved it!  Don't get me wrong, it was still pretty hard, it always is!  I remember when I first started out running, that's only because I have blogged everything since I started way back in 2008, I used to think that as you got fitter this running malarkey would get easier....faster...., she says laughing out loud!  But the only thing that is has got, is continually. (is that the right word)  I have continued to run, every week, unless I've been on holiday, and then on the odd occasion I have taken my running shoes!

This is a new decade, and I have just realised I have been running for more than a decade, something that pre 2008 I never even thought about, let alone be possible!  Yet here I am, still at it, still running!  I think I will always continue to run, because I have my running family, PWR, Group 1, The Angels! Also there is no better community than the running community!  Oh look at me getting all smooshy, I guess what you all want is to know how I did!

Well, I was there!  And so were 728 other people, possibly some with hangovers!  I can remember the first time I attempted a new years day run, I ended up puking in Petts Wood High street! I don't think I have attempted another one, but I will have to go back and check my records!  But after having a drink free NYE I was feeling pretty good, ready for this, and feeling extremely smug for being there!  That is until I heard that there were a few PWR's there doing a 'doubler', they had already done one parkrun and were now doing this one!  Well, Bromley parkrun were running at 10:00 am this morning!  Most civilised, so a great opportunity to do a doubler!  I of course didn't, as I told Adam when he had asked if I were doing my second!

We were doing the run in Widdershins, that should help with the whole psychological stumbling block too!  The crowd moved, I started Jabra.....no music though, blimmin Spotify let me down, just kept on buffering! Grrr, either that or it was my phone net work, EE! But jabra nagged me, "Speed up to reach your target pace" she said in her blimmin matter of fact voice! Well I knew that, I was still trying to get through the crowd!  Seven hundred people is a lot of people to try and run through.......ok so I know I would never have run through that many people, way to fast some of them!  But there was some that I managed to overtake!

The first lap was ok, mainly because SnappyH, after her headband 'poinged' off her head just ran beside me.  After we almost completed the first lap she realised that actually, we could both listen to her music. she had it playing through the phone speakers. Now we could both run to the beat.  I like running to music, it just helps to take your mind off.

The second lap, well, it kind of went really quickly in my mind, anyway, so much so I had to ask if we were on the last lap!  This Widdershins stuff really threw me!  I just couldn't figured it out, how many times I had to run pass the park!  It was SnappyH that told me we were on the homeward stretch now, just got to head for the funnel!  About 3 quarters of the park to do and it's all done!  Not bad! SnappyH kept me going, she is normally way in front of me, Naggy and Benji were probably finished we parted company before we got to the first corner!  But the end is near, just the last corners to do and it was all done!

Going through the woody bit we were discussing a sprint finish!  "I don't think I have a sprint finish in me" I said to SnappyH "No, me either" she said!  She lies!  Because when we were almost to the funnels she grabbed my hand we we ran in together.  I think she spotted KevTwoBalls just by the funnel entrance poised with his phone ready to capture our finish!  I guess we really needed to look good!  But he did capture this, both of us airborne!  You have to look carefully at mine, but both feet are deffo off the ground!

A fab run, also it's one of the fastest parkruns I've done in a while! So I'm pleased with that! All together a lovely morning, with some amazing friends! 

Geeky stats, oh and by the way, I didn't start my Garmin straight away, two busy starting Jabra and trying to find music!



Finish photo Kev Howard Photography, other photo I think is from