Hello blog readers.
I can't believe how long it's been since my last blog! I am imagining (I won't say I will be making!) my new years resolution! Put it this way, if I'm blogging then I've run! So, here's to loads more blogs for you all!.....hopefully!
So a lot happened between the last blog and now, of course I was leading group one on the Tuesdays, also my daughter came over from America to see me just in time for my birthday! We had a fabulous afternoon tea at a very special place called Sketch. It's the most quirkiest place that I have ever been too, let alone the most expensive place I have every been too! But I thoroughly enjoyed my champagne afternoon tea!
From that weekend, 26th November on, I caught a cold! It has gone on for ages, I missed a few club runs, #SecretLondonRuns Christmas Lights run, one that I was so looking forward to going to for quite a while! Pat had asked if I was going, I had said yes, so she put her name down. We were going to be traveling together! Both of us dressed up looking ridiculous! Two of us could get away with it! But it was a big fat no for me! Pat had to travel by herself, on the train. I had hoped she would meet some of the others on the train station! But she said she travelled alone! Dressed like a Christmas tree, complete with Lights! Oh I wished I was a fly on the wall at Pettswood Station! Bloody cold, I had time of work too, I was floored! It was that bad, I was testing every day with the lft's just in case it turned out to be the dread 'rona! Fortunately it wasn't, a PCR test assured me of that! But since I have been back running I have been really struggling. Coughing and spluttering my way around our 5k courses. I kept reassuring everyone that I was 'COVID' free! I am just left with this awful cough! It is getting better though.
So the high lights of all the runs that I have done since 10th November has to be....well it's the last two runs. The Woo Woo run and this mornings 'earlier than usual' Club run. Let me tell you about the Woo Woo run.
It's become a bit of a tradition now, the last Tuesday before the Christmas Big day is a Woo Woo run. I usually get a few defectors from other groups too, and this year was no different. RefMichael joined me, Nigel joined me (well he had actually had a sore foot but wanted to test it out!) Not only that his wife Auriol who was booked into another group also came and joined in with us! Our usual group was with us, J.J., CarolWithAnE, Dee, SweeperRob and his Mrs Karen! Our Mat was there too! We also had a newbie join us for their first ever run! What a run to join in, Collen from our latest Autumn beginners group joined our happy band of PWR's. Pat from the Spring beginners group joined in our woo woo run, as well as Marius, it was their first Woo woo run too, fortunately for me.....Pat chose to be designated driver, woo woo! Double woo woo time for me!
We met up at the usual place, usual time but we just looked a little different, a bit more colourful! Quite a few of us remembered to bring along some hydration too........well, a little something warming in a hip flask! I brought along my mate Jack Daniels! We then headed for the streets to do our woo woo run. Woo Woo here has two meanings, when you think about it. Firstly it started off on our very first run with the added luxury of hip flasks, the more we got into the run the more 'warming' we felt, the more appreciative of the Christmas Lights we became and we gave a 'Wooo' when we ran past and so the Woo Woo run was born.
St Georges Road in Petts Wood never disappoints and we actually did that road twice, we ran one way on the way out and then opposite direction when we ran back. They really do go all the way with their lights. It was even featured on this morning when they did the weather forecast from the street! Here is some pictures from that run.
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| Sugarbum fairy, captured by Kev Howarth photography |
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| The gang! |
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| A selfie with the gang |
Todays run was completely different. There were only two of us for a start, Tara, KevTwoBalls Mrs, was my running partner. She was on fire at parkrun last Saturday, smashing 25 seconds of her PB. And yet, she was running with me this morning! I am glad she did, otherwise I would have been by myself.....or encouraged to join group 2! I decided to do Tillingbourne Green, at least Tara can have a good workout as I am going to be a little slow....ok a lot slow! Probably not going to be sounding to healthy either. Running always make me cough anyway, but with the added, well established cough already in place. It was then that Tara said she was looking forward to a slower paced run anyway, as she went eyeballs out on Saturday.
We also had a slightly added pressure of the newly introduced group 0, the injured walkers group, saying to us "We are going to try and keep you in our sights, follow you on your route!" I had already told Viral that I was going to be doing a 3 mile route. Everybody started off together, and I mean everybody! Out of the gate, groups around 13 groups of runners exited. Some had just a few runners, others had at least 8-10 in there. I should have taken a photo. Another thing not to put on my non existing new years resolution list, take more photos!
The first road of course is flat, is Crossways, but we turn right and that's the hill! Half way up this hill I turned to see how far the walking group was behind us and I saw them! It was an incentive to try and put some more space between us! I think en-route I turned around a couple of more times and only saw them once more! I was so pleased! It's the little things isn't it!
Once we got around the green, Tara running up that steepest part of the hill, we ran up the short hill to the main road. A little walking break and then running along to the roundabout! We crossed over and ran down Petts Wood Road towards the park where we start from. There was still with no sign of Group 0! I was feeling pretty knackered by this time, I was coughing a bit, my chest felt a little tight! But I wanted to finish this run, I wanted also to make sure it was 3 miles! That meant running up to the memorial hall! More hills! The last one! Once we were at the top we turned right and made our way to the nice little down hill of Kingsway and then a left turn towards the park!
A lovely run, even if we were not the greatest of adverts for running, both of us were coughing! But a most enjoyable run.
So from the highlights of these last two months to the lows of these last couple of weeks. That is, both my daughters with Covid, one son in law with covid, two grandchildren with covid, two nieces with covid and one brother with covid! The rotten cherry on top is that my car broke down on Christmas day just as I was delivering the kids presents to them! COVID you can go do one!
Having no car will make things awkward for getting to club runs at 7 pm on Tuesdays! I may have to miss quite a few of them until I get myself a new car! I am absolutely gutted! There are a few things that could work at them moment that will allow me to get to club on time, but we shall just have to wait and see how it all works out with the first week going to work using public transport......or my bike! If I use my bike it can only mean that I will get fitter, silver linings! Also walking back home after work in the mornings means more steps for me! Think positive!
This is me in my cosy hoody, a
My new shoes, another present this Christmas!
Have a great new year every one! Look for the positive in everything next year! They are there...somewhere!