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!!