I Can't Wait For Spring!

 Hello blog readers.

nice and cosy in my 
warm fleece!

Are you fed up with the dark and frosty evening?  I sure am.  I am so ready for the warmer, lighter evenings.  I may even encourage my group 1 members to get to a Tuesday night run!

I went along to club run on Tuesday, ok, yes, I forgot to put my name down as leader and yes, I didn't mention it in our Whatsapp group that I would deffo be there!  Anyway, there was only 1 person who put their name down, and then when no one else was on my list, they swapped to group 2!  What was I to do!  I had two options, I could run along with group 2 as well, bring up the rear end, be a sweeper, or I could run by myself! Hmm decisions.  I thought I would test the waters as we ran out of the gate. If group 2 didn't pull away from me that much, then I would run with them, otherwise I would just do a loop, albeit a small loop, back to my car.  

We ran out of the gate, and turned right, as we were all running along I was busy chatting with Mary and Ruth, but I noticed that the group were pulling away already.  That made my mind up.  Next time, next time I will really, think about sticking with group 2!  Hopefully there won't be a next time, because all of group 1 will be turning up each week!

So I did a really short loop back to my car and went home!  It's so cold! I was by myself, it was dark and I didn't have any music with me!  So I really wasn't feeling particularly motivated to do any more than that!

So parkrun yesterday.  I went, I dragged my ass out of my nice warm bed and into the cold frosty morning to Norman Park!  I made sure I was early so that I could get a parking space, I didn't want any excuses that I could have used to not run! I even texted my group 1'ers to say I was there!  I had arranged to meet up with J.J. too, extra security for me to get out and run!  It wasn't raining Saturday morning so I really expected her to be there!  RefMike was there too, as well as loads of other PWR's too!  

We walked over to the start, we listened to the notices, we clapped the milestones and then we were off!  Me and Jayne were introduced to Shevonne or Shev, she was running along with us, chatting away.  She mentioned that she was carrying her white stick!  She said she can't see anything in the dark and limited vision in the day, but on parkrun days (she said she has done around 20 or so) she attaches herself to someone, running at her pace and just runs beside them!  As it happened she was slightly faster that me!  But Jayne and Shev waited for a few seconds for me to catch up at some points on the course. There was one point I was running by myself on the second lap, I was feeling blimmin tired, cold, fed up with being chuncky and slow. I said out loud "I feckin hate running".....just as HeadbandTim ran pass me! "No you don't Old Girl, you love it" he said as he ran by me!

Jayne and Shev were again running on the spot as I caught them up again. No amount of persuasion would make J.J. and Shev just carry on!  I did feel slightly bad for them, but hopefully, when we come to that last straight they will just take off and get their time in.  

I did finish, it wasn't pretty, but I did it!  And HeadBandTim is right of course, I don't hate running!  Love it may be a bit strong of a word though!  But I know I will continue to run for as long as this old girls body lets me!

First solo Run of 2023

 Hello blog readers.

Look at me!  Running solo and blogging about it!  But I'm not going to crow....too much.  Mojo and discipline is very weak at the moment!  The only thing that is really strong is my strength for leading group 1. So I am just going to write this very gently, try not to beat myself up and just be happy that I actually went out and ran.

I tried very hard to run on Saturday.....oops....parkrun day.  I was up in time, even though for some inexplicable reason my alarm was switched off (it must have been my couch potato head that switched it off).  I forced my self out of my nice warm bed and into my running gear.  I drove all the way to Normans park, knowing there were no group 1's going to be there.  As soon as I drove into the carpark a rather lovely chap was running along holding the 'Car Park Full' sign!  Darn it.  I will have to go and find a parking spot on the nearby streets.  I drove out of the car park and headed for the nearest street, the rain started to gently fall.  The first street there were no spaces, the second  street there were no spaces.  I was getting further and further away from the park.  I knew I wouldn't make it to the start in time.  

I decided to go home, park up outside my house and then just run.  By this time, my car was just so nice and toasty, the rain had really started to come down, washing away the last bit of resolve I had of running that morning.  Not to worry, I shall go later in the morning when it stops raining, I thought to my self!  Did that happen? Nope!  I had busied myself with, drinking tea, getting housework done in readiness for my son and daughter in law to come for Saturday roast!

I had promised Wendimoo that I was deffo going the next day (Sunday) come rain or shine, I will do it! So that's what I did.  All by myself.  Oh my goodness!  The conversations I was having with myself after I got home from church was just manic!  

"Come on Old Girl, you got this"

"It's raining though"

"But you promised, rain or shine remember?"

"Yes but it's cold and wet"

"Oh look, it's stopped, get your arse out there now!"

"Flippin eck, ok lets get this done"  "I will just get the..."

"No, that can wait! GET OUT THERE NOW!"

"Ok, Ok, I'm on this, I got this, 40 mins running, then get stuff done"

Does anyone else have manic conversations with themselves....no?....Just me?  Hmm, it worked anyway, because before I knew it, I was out there with my Garmin at the ready, waiting for the Satellites to connect to me.  I still have my watch set for 30/30 Jeffing.  Ok, I can do this. No pressure, just running, get the Christmas and New Year binging out, I knew I would feel better.

Even as I was running along to one of my usual routes, I was thinking about all the short cuts, mainly because the sky looked like it was about to drop the wet stuff again.  I managed to pass them until I got to Turpington Lane.  Turn down there then on to Greenway and then back home.  Somewhere between Green way and Southborough lane I had convinced myself that turning right at the Harvester will give me my 3 miles for the day.  Usually I went all the way up Southborough Lane and turned right at the first Oxhawth.  Not today.  I was patting myself of the back that I had actually got out and ran, I didn't turn down the short cuts before Turpington, I was a winner!  Yes!

When I got home and back inside my house I looked at my geeky stats.  Not quite 3 miles! Was I disappointed?  No.  I had done sometime.  I did something by myself. I went running. I felt good! Do I deserve a pat on the back? Yes I blimmin do!  

Here's to the next solo run!  Thursday, I think. It will have to be after work!  But.....I can do it!  It's only 40 minutes right?

Oh by the way, Garmin is now showing me that I am at the same fitness age as I actually am! Yup, pat on the back for that, but tons of room for improvement!

New shoes with birthday tags, a quote from
Paula Radcliffe,
"Never set limits, go after your dreams, don't be
afraid to push the boundaries.  And laugh a lot - it's
good for you!"

Brand New Year!

 Hello blog readers.

Well, it's been a while!  It seems I have written that on the last few blogs!  Blimmin Covid, blimmin lockdown, blimmin chunky bits on my body, blimmin lost mojo! I am not going to write all that utter rubbish about a brand new year, brand new me!  Everyone knows that is rubbish, I am getting older, not newer! And I am going to be just as tough on myself...mentally that is, as I normally am..  I might try to not beat myself up to much....but like I said, I am still me!  Just need to find the discipline!

Anyway, I'm here.  I have been running (please refer to all other blogs, I used that exact same line, I'm sure!) I haven't just sat on my arse....well, not all the time!  Running with the PWR's is a great discipline for me, it means that I have to get out there!  I am the leader!  But other days it's been hard to get out.  Solo running is kinda well, buried deep into my boots! My headspace is just not full of running.  It's full of eating, sitting on my arse, watching crappy reels on Facebook or Insta!  My brain seems to only want to concentrate on 30 seconds of anything and then ready for the next!

Anyway, enough feeling sorry for myself.  It can't go on, and it' shouldn't go on!  We....I can't keep blaming everything on Covid and the lockdown. I can't blame some of it on work though.....during term time only of course!

So what's been happening.....hmmm. Well, I turned 60!  That was a huge mile stone!  I started running while I was just under 50 and I am still running!  So year, there you go Old Girl, a huge pat on the back!  I am still here!  It may not be planning marathons any more.....did I tell you I have done 2 marathons?...Oh ok....Just getting out and still doing something is just ok for me right now.

What a motley crew! 

We had our Woo Woo run last month!  That was great fun.  Group 2 came and joined us, RefMichael joined us too...he never misses it! And of course there has been plenty of club runs happening.  Our beginners course ended in September, we had a number of graduates that completed our course and some have joined us at PWR.

Yesterday I was at PWR again, leading.....from the back.....sometimes in the middle and believe it or not occasionally at the front! Woo hoo, get me! I was in my new gear too!  My PWR friends all clubbed together and presented me with a gift voucher for Up and Running, quite a sizable chunk too! No...not talking about me now....anyway I went shopping with the Old Boy, he was driving thankfully, and I bought, new shoes, 361, new running pants, new socks and a new running jacket (one that fits me..!) I had to put it all to good use,  so I did the easy route yesterday, just to get everyone warmed up, lulled into a false sense of security.... ooh maybe shouldn't have type that particular thought! But I really want to make a difference this year.  In my head at the moment I feel stronger.... I was going to enter races, but right now, I don't want to put that pressure on my very delicate resolve.  Just getting out little and often....that's the way to do it.  Lets just get back to running for running sake!