Saturday - Formally Known As parkrun Day And Others!

Hello blog readers.

Well, unprecedented times the whole world is in!  A tiny, tiny virus is virtually bringing the world to her knees!  Our government have told us to have social distance from each other.  Which means no going to clubs, bars, pubs, restaurants, no gyms or running groups, no huge events (obviously) even going to church is discouraged!  Can you believe that!  Now more than ever we need to stand together and pray, but, we have to stay at home.  Of course exercise and walking dogs is allowed, staying stagnant in your homes is not going to be good for anyone!  So parkrun all over the world has been suspended until further notice, my club runs have been cancelled, our beginners course is now going virtual!  Not ideal, but some of our beginners really wanted to continue, so we are trying to put the plan up each week and encourage them through our Facebook page!

As for me and the other two angels we decided to go for a nice social distance run, in accordance with what Boris said.  Stay 2 meters apart!  Well, we do that anyway, it's how we came up with our 'Normans Angels' moniker!  Me and Naggy ran to SnappyH's house, she was already standing outside waiting for us, so we didn't even have to knock on her door, not that we would have done that anyway, we would have called her!  So all the angels together we ran towards Normans Park, where we hope that most runners would have done their run, leaving it fairly clear.  We didn't pass many people on the way to the park but once we got in there it was like 'busy as usual'!  I was quite surprised!  In hindsight I think we should have stood together (observing the 2m distance) and say, we are not running in there because there were far too many people!  They were walking, chatting, playing on the grass, walking dogs, teaching children to ride bikes!  There were other runners and cyclists too!  Well, we only did the one lap and then ran back to SnappyH's and dropped her off, then me and Naggy ran back to ours!

That was the last social distance running we did!  It seems incredible really!  So much more happened between then and now (Thursday 26th March). 

Tuesday 24th Club night 1st Enforced Solo Run

Our club had decided to stop all runs until further notice, but we are such a big community no one who is a member will every feel left out, alone, forgotten.....not nagged!  We won't stop running until Boris says!  What he had said on Monday however, because of us Brits not doing as we were asked to do, he has TOLD us to stay in!  It literally is like "Right you lot, I asked you to behave, and you didn't, so you are all grounded" Boris has told us exactly what we should have been doing since Friday.  Stay at home!  Only go outside for 1 bit of exercise, to get to work only if key worker, (more or less) shopping just once a week, looking after the vulnerable or collecting medicines! And that's it!  So I went running on my own on Tuesday!  We angels were going to meet up on the Monday, but of course, we were going to do as we were told to do.  

So I stuck on my app, some music and just went out.  It was pretty tough, emotionally!  Just looking at people, not that there were loads of them of course, just a few, but when I did, we made way for each other, making sure there were 2m's away from each other.  But I decided that I was going to smile at people as I gave them way to them on the pavement as well, there is still so much to smile about, like we are allowed out still.  We are healthy enough to go out, and the loo roll situation seems to have calmed down now that everyone has stockpiled shit loads in their houses!  A good few positives.

I smiled and I cried, I got around my route, not in an awesomely good time, I think those days are deffo behind me, but I did it and I felt good about it.  "That was a really awful run!" said no runner ever!  And it's true, you may think, "Oh that was so slow" but then on the other side of that is "At least I got out and did it" Flip that again and you get "Next time...."  So it's all good.  So I got back feeling better, decided I am not going to beat myself up, that can happen after we have kicked Corona Virus ass out!

2nd Enforced Solo run

My daughter in America had told me about this app that she uses, she has the peloton bike and everything, but she says that Peloton have offered the app for 90 days free and then if you really like it you can hand over your bank details then!  She said it's really good, very motivational.  So I downloaded it on my phone, sorry Jabra, you’re "Speed up to reach your target goal" in your robotic voice can just wait until all this is over!    I chose some chap who had a walk/run session on there; let's see if I can get my ass into shape before we all get let out again!  

It started off pretty good, the music was good (so no spotify is needed either!) And the chap that I chose is not cheesy at all!  He was like he was running beside me, willing me to do well!   I decided to stick with the same route, I just think it's better that way, no need to go 'off road' or somewhere different.  Stick to my local area, I know it's a 5k route so I can just work on getting fitter with that.

I had not expectations of myself to keep up with everything that Oliver Lee (that's the chaps name on Peloton) but I would try my best, and blow me down, if he didn't just say that to me as I was thinking it!  This chap must know me or something!  There are some other great sessions to follow but I like this one because it was 45 mins long, I thought I would get through the route before the time was up! 

Oliver started talking again, "Come on team, we got this!"  I thought, "Yeah, I can do this!"  It's like having Naggy neighbour running right by your side!  He was telling us how much effort to put into our warm up walk, then a jog.  Then then the running sections started.  One minute of running and one minute of walking.  And again, he was giving us how much effort we should be putting into it! All the way around the route.  He built up the running, from 1 minute, to 90 seconds, to 2 minutes then to 3.  I couldn't keep up the whole way; I tried to put as much effort in as I could.  I did beat myself up a bit for not running when I should have done!

The last sections were 45 second and 30 second speed running!  I almost tore out my earphones!  But I smiled instead!  "Don't worry about it Old Girl" I thought to myself "You got this, it's all at your pace" The session finished before I turned down my road!  "Next time I will get better" I thought!

Saturday formally known as parkrun day #3 Enforced solo run

I had set up the beginner’s session the day before on our Facebook page, with a promise that I will show some stretches.  So I had to go out and do a run before those stretches.  Again, with the Turpington Lane route and with Oliver chatting away in my ears I set off to my own headspace, solo exercise, thankful to be out run.  I know its coming, the total lock down, because people are not adhering to the rules.  I have to think to myself, "Am I sticking with the rules" I know Boris said that we can have 1 piece of exercise outside, but is it absolutely necessary for me, the chubster, slow as a tortoise in treacle, runner.  I could take one of those classes that is on my app and do it it indoors! But would I actually do it!?  Or would I just pretend to do it!  I know when I am out running, I do run, I walk too, but mainly run.  I run away from my home, which means of course I have to run back to my home!  So I get my exercise!  I think I have just answered my own question there.  I do need to get out, especially while we can, I must just stick to the rules.  Well, it's not an if I am going to spend the entire day out there running a marathon, is it! 

Ollie Lee jabbering away in my ear......oh and jabra.....I like to keep that app up to date with what I am doing, I didn't realise that I could have that one running as well as peloton, but it did!  I chose the same instructor because it's a 45 minutes’ walk/run program and I like that.  And besides, I have a pb to sort out!  I wanted to get nearer to my home before he's finished!

It felt a bit chillier than it had been, but I knew I would warm up, still with the short sleeves and my parkrun '100' tee on. I felt a tad strong....or was it just me thinking that, any hoo, I decided either was perfectly acceptable!  Same route, same chap, same thoughts "This is bloody tough"  I think I have lost some of my fitness, mainly because I know I haven't been pushing myself, I am just plodding on!  As it's only me now, I gotta try and push harder!

Coming down Farringdon Avenue with only the 45 second and 30 second speed sections, I just put in the extra effort.  The first time I 'ran' with Oliver I didn't, I just did my own thing, but this time I did it.......and I got nearer to my home before it was all over!  Bonus! Yes! Did it! Woo hoo.  I stopped Garmin, I stopped Peloton and I stopped Jabra "Your fitness level has dropped" WTF!!! I decided Jabra didn't know what she was talking about and just about had a jealous hissy fit because I was listening to Ollie!

I got back and did my stretches, I also got the Old Boy to take some pictures for me so that I could show the beginners, that should have been on their week 4 of their program.  He didn't photograph all the stretches as he got bored!  But this one here is my favourite!  Because we are all Warriors if we continue to obey the rules!  Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save lives!

So that is up to date......sort of!  I just got one more piece to write, but I am going to do that in a separate post, you'll see what!

Geeky stats can be found on my Garmin or strava sites, Next time I shall remember to screen shot and put them up here!

Thank you all for continuing to read my blurbs!  I know I do get something out of writing it all down and going back over what I have done over the years!  But this month, the year 2020 I am sure will be engraved on everyone’s minds for ever!  Stay safe blog readers!