Club Run

 Hello blog readers.

Look at this, another blog, one that it is not too far from the other blog!  Wow..!  I almost didn't make it if truth be known.  It was club night last night, the second one since this second lockdown eased up.  I missed the first one, there was no dragging my ass out, and it was on a Wednesday!  The first time in PWR history, we had a club run on a Wednesday, such as the need for normality to start!  But still, that didn't get my ass back last week.  

This week I had one of the other leaders down to take the lead but she, unfortunately was unwell.  So I bit the bullet, didn't ask any of the other leaders to take it and decided that I will just have to get my shit together and get out there and do it.  So I did!  After work I came back and didn't even take a quick sit on my chair, I just knew if I cosied on down then I wouldn't move. I made myself a quick cuppa (caffeine has got to help, right?)  and sat on the end of the sofa.  It felt totally wrong, that wasn't my place and to make matters worse my son was sitting in my chair, no doubt making his own arse-dent in my cushions! 

Well as you've probably guessed, I did get out, I had to park on another road though and had to run back to the recreation ground where we meet.  I was already puffing out my backside what was I going to be like on the run?  My group was the last one there! Sorry guys, but I knew the route we were taking, it was my favourite route, mainly because it's the flattest one around, but just to make it interesting, we were going to be doing it in the opposite direction.  It's amazing just how different a route can feel if you change just that one thing.  All those little psychological miles stones will not be in the right place!  

After I caught my breath we started out, just five of us, so just one off from a full house for our COVID safe group, we ran towards Tudor way.  A least Kingsway's little bump won't kill me off before we have really started.  Beaumont road is that long road that we usually have at the end of our run, having it at the beginning felt kinda nice!  That road just sometimes gets to me, stretching out before you, with that bend just further up, you think you have reached the end of it and then realise there is still more to run!  Well, Beaumont, this time I got you! Well, that was what was going on in my head!  I really thought I had it sussed, just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  I didn't manage to run all of it!  It was blimmin cold out there, it was just zapping energy right out of me (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!) 

I promised myself that I would check out all the lights that we passed, just for seeing how a 'Woo Woo' run would go, but I was so puffed out, glasses were steaming up that I actually couldn't remember to take note, not that I could have seen them anyway!  I flipping hate being cold, give me warm and toastie any day!

Once we were finished with Beaumont, psychologically it felt like we were nearly done! Weird, right? All that was going through my mind was 'Blimey, not far now!"  So really, it is good to do your usualy loop route going in the opposite direction. 

One of the  things I love about our group 1 runners is we are the same, we all struggle to run fast or far. If we see someone struggling the encouragement that goes out to that individual is just amazing!  Guess who the 'individual' was last night, yup, me!  I was totally struggling, but from the group there was 'Just to the lamppost, we got this' and 'Look we are nearly at the end of the road, might as well just finish"  With just those thoughts going through my mind I made it to the next lamppost, in fact, I made it even further going an extra lamppost or two!  I got to the end of the road before taking a cheeky walking break!  Yeah, group 1'er's are a special group indeed!  

It was a great run, blimmin cold, blimmin hard, but a great run.  You never hear a runner saying 'I wish I never done that' What you might hear them say is "Shit run, but so glad I got out".  What does that tell you eh!  It's like one of those oxymoron type of sentence, 'I had a shit run, so glad I got out and done!  When we meeting up next'.  I think runners are all oxymoronic anyway, especially when then put run and fun together!

So my Geeky stats are here

Day 4,662

 Hello blog readers.

I had thought that this year my tormentors had all gone underground, but it appears not.  Since the beginning of March I have slowly started to remember where I had come from, although the brainwashing has left its mark when I continued to exercise on line, for my tormentors to see until the end of lockdown 1.  It seems there is no escape.  I am starting to have visions again, the couch seems a familiar and comfortable place to be, as if it is the only place to be.  Flash backs are coming from deep within the recesses of my mind.  Could it really be 10 years ago that I joined the 'PWR' Chapter of 'The Running Community'  Where has that time gone? 

Lockdown has seriously thrown a spanner in the works of 'The Running Community'.  My head hurts! What happened to me?  How have I gotten this far into running!  I loved being a couch potato.......didn't I?  I am remembering, yes, it's coming back now!  Watching the t.v.! It's the only way to live!  How I  miss the conversations over who Phil Mitchel is beating up and who else Ken Barlow has slept with. How I  miss the endless conversations over who is the father of Michelle's baby, blending with the cacophony that was a Friday night at the pub.  It did  happen, didn't it?  I did enjoy those things, didn't I?

I feel weak and confused. My tormentors made contact during the week to 'meet by the boxing club'!  Was that a gentle reminder to be there.....or else?  With the fear of 'Boxing Club' hanging over me I left this morning to meet two of my tormentors.  It was Pat and Paul, two of my oldest friends, and my pastor!  I remember now. I encouraged them to start running!  So deep within 'The running community' I had become, I was one of the chief encouragers.....and am still encouraging......am I?!  In fact, I am so involved in 'The PWR Chapter of Running Community' I am actually a leader!! How far have I become involved with the runners, is there anyway back to Couch Potatoism?!  I was the one who encouraged.....and lead Pat and Paul to become involved with the ' The Running Community'. Every Saturday morning, they were there learning, training, doing their homework to run 5k.....until second lockdown came.  Could it be that 'Lockdown is a cover for Couch Potatoism to regain some of their followers?   Will I again become a lover of Couch?

My tormentors were smiling as I pretended that I ran from home, I didn't want to raise suspicions that I thinking again of 'Couch', I know if I ever to mention Couch then I should add '2 5k' on the end of it. I can remember that much of my days of being a solo runner, how I slipped back to 'couch' after I attempted to do 'Couch 2 5K'  without the support of 'PWR Chaptor' It's a great disguise. My tormentors didn't waste anytime in getting me moving again, oh how I long to be tucked up under my duvet.  But my two tormentors were to strong for me.  They have remembered everything that I and the other leaders had shown them, the skipping, the high knees, even the side star jumps as they raised their heart rates and warmed their muscles.  I was behind them, walking, but ready to react with a skip if they turned around and looked at me.

The running started, all the tracking devices were switched on, just so 'The Running Community' can keep an eye on me.  There is no escape, Garmin, Jabra, Strava!   I was all ready exhausted, but I daren't take a walk, my tormentors were too close to me.  I will bide my time.  I realised that Pat has become one of the 'Top runners' known as 'Adrenalin Junkies!'  She is non stop running.  Occasionally she throws a comment my way "Just one foot in front of the other".  Where have I heard that before!  My mind is beginning to get weak again.  Why have I never been issued with 'Adrenalin'  Do they just hand that out to beginners to hook them in'?  I don't remember having it when I first went on a run.  All I can remember was the pain, the look of despair on my face, the look of pity of those that I passed by!

I was grateful that we had a lot of rain for the last couple of days 'It's too wet to go on the grass" PastorPaul had said.  Thank heavens for small mercies.  Maybe my tormentors would make their way to the end.  But no, they went in the opposite direction, back they way we had come, and then along the narrow path towards......what was that place called.....oh yes.....turn around lamppost! Surely now Pat the Adrenalin will run back.  But she didn't.  Still smiling at me, we ran along the fences of the school.  She informed that 'this bit she sprints on'.  In my frazzled tired mind I thought I would give her space! I realised I was wrong in that assumption, as she intended to run to the end, to the road, before turning back for the little sprinty section.

Both PastorPaul and AdrenalinPat were in front of me, I could take a couple of walking breaks. As soon as they got to the end and they turned back, if I planned it carefully I could just turn around when they came back to me again.  I soon realised that was a mistake though, as we approached the 'sprint' bit.  "Sprint!" my tormentor shouted, I saw PastorPaul take off, she then turned on me "Sprint!"  The brainwashing must have kicked in again as I sprinted to the end of the path.  Jabra was talking in my ear as it said I was running at 8. something minute mileing!  I can't believe I ran that fast.  Surely know 'The Running Community' will allow me some of that Adrenaline!  But no, nothing, I just felt sick!

My tormentors were in front of me, I guess they felt safe for that to happen as they only way to go now was home.  I followed them, is the famous elusive mojo ready to show itself!  I wasn't sure!  I feel I am being lead back to the 'Running Community'  Already I am looking forward to next Saturday!  It's too late for me! 

There was a glimmer of hope for my tormentors and me, as they discussed breakfast while we started out stretching.  "A spoons breakfast, a full english"  I remember this!  It's a favourite meal of the original 'Couch Potatoes' It is usually enjoyed after a heavy drinking session and a curry the night before!  So keen were they to get to spoons before the deadline of 11:00 that we discontinued the stretching, opting instead to walk fast to the car!

My tormentor took a picture of our breakfast, was it because it stirred memories deep within her mind!?