New Recruit!

Hello blog lovers.

Tuesday evening and its bloomin raining!  I do hate that, especially during the darker, colder nights!  I get so chilled between group 0 and group 1.  I think last time I got too chilled I hurt muscles trying to run.  So this evening I thought I would do the sensible thing and only do group 0. 

We had a new recruit join us today.  Stacey needed to get back her fitness after kicking cancer's arse! She had heard good things about PWR and thought that this would be the best club to help her find that running mojo and keep that fighting spirit inside!  Well she is talking about doing longer runs than her usual 5k's that she used to do!

DiscoRich had told her about our next beginners class starting in February but that was too far away for her to wait, so she turned up at group 0 ready to do battle!  There to help her on her way was JJ, who has also put her name down for her longest ever run in May, the Bupa 10k! Also there this evening was Wendi, Ariol, Vanessa and Georgia.  Vanessa and Georgia have just completed the beginners group and will be doing their first Parkrun this Saturday.  It's all great stuff this running malarkey!

I still haven't sorted out another winter route which will be ok for our hero's group so we did the Birchwood route. Get that long hill out of the way and then get our breathing sorted out on the long down hill ready for the undulations of Woodside, Great Thrift and Hazelmere!  

All up the hill we kept together, perfectly paced for everyone to cope with.  A short break just to catch our breath before we were on our way again, across the top, nice and flat, and turning right by the round about. On the downward road we started to stretch out a bit as our group started to enjoy that lovely relaxing slope down!  Stacey and Auriol were doing brilliantly, just keeping to their own pace, running along.  We got to the end of the road by the war memorial hall and took another break. 

When we were ready I said to the ladies "Run at your own pace, all the way to Cross ways, but don't go in" they were all listening, well, apart from Wendi she was chatting!  But I continued, "When you get their, if us at the back are not there with you, then do a loop back to meet us, so that we all enter the rec together, ready for warm down stretches"  I think Wendi heard me then, I think they all did as they gave me a big smile!  I am sure we won't be that far behind them, so it won't be too bad!

It was a great run, the rain came down towards the end of our session, and I just knew that I will chill down quite quickly waiting for group 1.  Still, I have tomorrow morning, with Tracy, before toddlers, and hopefully if the weather is not too bad tomorrow, I may just get out for a bike ride!

Geeky stats for today.

Getting Bims Back To Running.

Hello blog lovers

It's week seven (well 8 actually because we missed a week) but still week 7 training day.  9 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking!  Tracy couldn't make it today, so her time will be tomorrow! But I have dragged Bims out of her house, instead of laying in bed, dipping her toast in her tea while watching crappy Jerry Kyle, I persuaded her to come along.  I know that she can do this session, it's not as if she has been totally idle for the past 6 months, I think she did push a broom about, but this should shake out the cobwebs

ChattyWendi was there, totally eager to get going.  She had warmed up on the way to the park today, so I suggested that we start off with a run first, 9 minutes of running then do the 1 minute walking.  It really is a perfect day for running and there are quite a few people out and about doing their daily constitutionals.  A little community happening right there in the park, all keeping fit, or keeping their dogs fit!

That first 9 minutes seemed to go by so quickly, and we all kept pace together, keeping up with ChattyWendi keeping us focused on our running while we listen to her.  I don't know how she does it, when I first started to run I could barely breath let along talk, even now when I run along in group 1, I can just about join in a conversation, and that's only because of the scheduled catchup stops!  But somehow ChattyWendi can do it, she keeps a constant pace.  I think it's her way of controlling her breathing.  She even says that when she is on her own, she goes fast, doesn't talk and then burns out to quickly!

I looked at Bims and she is doing well, at least, there is no pained look on her face!  The badminton has been keeping her fitness up, although jogging is a different type of fitness!  Bims has plans of entering Tough Mudder! So I think the training for that should start......well, last week! I think a weekly dose of core training, and stuff like that would also be advisable!

We covered 2 laps of the park in the time of the session, we didn't go across the grass as it was way to muddy and slippy, but it was a very good session.  We got back to the car with only the 1 minute left of walking to do with maybe a few seconds left of the last run, but ChattyWendi will be continuing her run as she heads on home, and me and Bims, well, we will be doing one more lap of the park!  Tough Mudder, here she comes!

Geeky stats.

Last Beginners Session

Hello blog lovers.

Well what can I say!  The last session before the beginners do their first ever park run, a 5k route around Normans Park.  And an absolute huge congratulations to Hels and ZippySherry for getting nigh on most of the people that started  the course 8 weeks ago to this point!  There must be at least 30 people still here!

The weather wasn't too bad, a bit nippy, but then it is morning!  But at least its not raining.  I could tell there were a few people probably a bit weary of todays 14 minutes run and 3 minutes walk.  I think originally it was planned to only have a 1 minute walk!  But we are not brutes!  We like to help people to achieve what they thought was impossible but we also like to keep that bit of fun involved.  And it is fun, when you can chat away with people who are doing the same thing as you do, that is fun!

After our warm up drills and a lap around the green we split the large group into 3 groups!  With 6 leaders we had a leader and a sweeper for each group.  Of course I was sweeper in the group that I was put with and DiscoRich was leader.  We were going to do two laps which would cover about 2.5 miles.

The first group went out of the main gate and turned left and then left again.  The route was to go up Hazelmere, Great Thrift and Woodside, and then turn left onto Petts Wood Road, before turning left into Crossways again, and then repeat.  Our group was second out of the gate and we turned right to do the same route but in reverse, and then the third group came out and turned left.

I was quite pleased to be doing the opposite of the other two groups as then we have those nasty little hills along Woodside and Great Thrift going in our favour!  With the long part being our down hill! Although I should be promoting that 'Hills are fun, hills are our friends, hills are good!' But I think what I need to promote really is that running is fun, and although its great to run, what may have turned into your nemesis of a hill, and it's great to out run the person in front of you, what you should never do is out run the fun of running!

As our group was running down Woodside we met up with the first group and a big high five from Hels as we passed each other.  The group that I was in had a mixture of faster runners and slower runners, and we were creating a great coloured snake of runners as we kept up with our 14 minutes of running. They all did really well. And when the first of the 3 minutes of walking started we were already back on to Crossways!  The front of our group were walking back to us so that we could all start off again together for our second 14 minute jog sessions.

It was a perfect session, with all runners keeping the 14 minutes of jogging going!  I couldn't see anyone taking a walking break in those 14 minutes!  Now they truly are ready for the Park run.  Just as we were at the end of our second14 minutes of jogging the rain just started to come down.  Just to cool us down at the right moment!

I am really looking forward to Park Run on Saturday as the beginners do the run, some of them this is the furthest they have ever run!  It's going to be simply brilliant!

Geeky stats, not bad for beginners, eh?

...And Two On Thursdays!

Who's afraid of mud/!

Hello blog lovers.

What a beautiful morning it was!  A perfect running morning.  Of course I was going to go through the woods, I knew it would be a bit muddy, but what's a bit of mud between friends.  I met up with the other PWR's at Willet rec, DiscoRich and his group and me with mine!  The group 1'ers outnumbered the group 2-3's today!  There were six of us all together, all looking forward to a lovely run.

I heard DiscoRich saying he was going to Scadbury and that is where I was planning to be 'touching' on after we had ran about Petts Wood and Tong farm.  Going to Scadbury, of course means going up towards the Tigers Head!  Using that whole mantra thing  on the way up, and hopefully I sounding convincing, "I love hills, I love hills" with every step.  At first  I said it quietly, to my self in my head, but then I started to say it loudly.  I really needed it to sound convincing!  "Hills?" the girls said to me questionably.  I kind of smiled at them.  In fact I thought they were all running so well that if on the last bit of Botany Bay they got to the top and there were still of us (me)  behind, then they should turn around and come back down again to meet us (me) and then run back up!  I got a few looks and a few remarks about that suggestion!

We just love this house, right
in the middle of Botany Bay

I tried to keep the ladies in the woods for as long as possible.  I think it's a lot better for us, the fresh air, no car fumes, and the miles just don't even notice.  Pavements are for when it is absolutely necessary, when the woods really are totally impassable!  So when we popped out of our bit of Scadbury park, Dawn, Denise and Michelle started to run towards the road, so I called them back so that we could continue using the last bit of 'leafy path'. Ok, so it was only just a few yards more, but it's our few yards, just a tiny bit more of pollution free running!

Running along Chislehurst road is inevitable but as soon as I saw the opening into the woods on the other side of the road we crossed over and then finished our run down.  The ladies had a great run, we were all running pretty well and mainly all kept together well.  I am feeling really positive about my running at the mo, and I am hoping that I shall get fitter and then I can start putting an extra mile or two a week into my long runs on Sundays.  That half marathon is only a few months away now!  And who knows, they could be other races or activities that are in the pipeline!

Geeky stats

Track Session

Hels and PhysioMike have a timed session planned today.  'So Lets Go Running' crew were also joining us as well, as part of their monthly track sessions.  There was also a film crew at the track, so  there were quite a few people about.  They were filming Dina Asher_Smith, a local girl, world junior 100m  champion!  And she does run like the wind!  But in our group there were about 35, a very big group.  

After the warm up drills, which also included, first off, a run on the grass which we had to climb the bank, as Dina and her entourage were still busy on the track.  Climbing up there was a challenge!  It was a bit slippy!  I didn't fancy trying to come down it, so I ran all the way around and as it neared the last 100m it sloped down, so I decided to not run back the same way and to just walk up past the changing rooms, I should be ready for the rest of the warm up drills.

The session today sounded, well, it sounded easy!  I thought I would just breeze the first bit at least!  The session was run hard for 20 sec, then stop, or walk for 10, then run hard for 90 seconds and the rest for 10 seconds and then run for 4 minutes with a 4 minute break before doing it all again!

The 20 second blast I thought would be easy as I just flew off the line, thinking "I shall be at least half way round"  Yeah right! Just half way through that first 20 seconds I was wondering when Hels would be blowing her whistle for the stop!  It's quite hard running to run hard you know!  And it's something that my body isn't used to.  My mind is, in my mind I fly around easily 5k's 10k's even thinking I could do marathons in 5 hours!  But then again in my mind I also think I sound like Whitney Houston when I belt out "I Will Always Love You!"

On the last rep (we did three by the way) I was chatting to one of SLGR members, Mel.  She thought I had some gizmo or new fandangled step counter attached to me, but I had to tell her "Actually, it's my shoe,  I have ran them to death" I am sure it's the death cry of my shoes!, it's just this annoying 'click, click, click" every time I land on my right foot.  I won't tell you what one of my group 0 ladies thought the noise was!

I was really pleased to hear the whistle blow to start the last 4 mins of hard running.  I have tried my hardest, but I know I could have done better!  I know I could have ran just that little bit harder!  Next time, you'll see, I shall try just that little bit more!  And that's the way I shall keep on with my track sessions.  Really work as hard as I can, and then try to work even harder the next week!

A truly brill running day today.  Another rest day tomorrow, and I my next running will be Saturday with the beginners group, their last session before ParkRun!

Geeky stats.

Two On Tuesdays!

Hello blog lovers.

I love club nights, have I told you that before? Giving back to a great club by encouraging runners back into the fold,  getting the newbies to realise that Group 1 is just as do-able as Group 0 or just being there for the those that just need that little bit more TLC to get back on form!

Group 0

We had a quite a few in our Zero to Hero group today, there were 8 of us.  I think that is the largest number of runners for group 0 yet!  JJ came along today, it's always great to run with JJ, we are doing the BUPA 10k next May, it will be her longest ever run!  So we got some training to do there girlfriend.  I shall have to organise some Sunday runs so that  we can train together.

I still haven't sorted out a couple more group 0 routes yet, so I chose the more challenging and slightly longer route of Petts Wood High street.  Wendi was back with us in group 0, she deffo has found her mojo.  This route is going to be good to do.  I can't wait to see her face when she gets up this hill and the next one, then run along till we get to the memorial hall for our scheduled stop.

The last time I ran this route with her she was really beating herself up, in fact so bad I almost called the police on her for GBH!  I know she won't mind me saying this, but she was in tears when we got to the hall, and she was so disappointed that she just couldn't run all the way!  The fact that she had been out of the running for a while didn't do much to console her!

But this evening, well, this evening it's different.  I took her way back to the beginning, to build up her stamina from the group up all over again, I banned her from coming to group 0! And just took her and Tracy out on Monday mornings.  And it all paid off.  She was leading the way up the hills, beating her self, but in a playful manner.  It was a different Wendi when we got the memorial hall this time, big smiles, no aches, ran all the way, nice a easy, well, actually she stormed up there, (which if she wants to build stamina is probably not a good thing, as she needs to learn to pace herself, even on hills)

Auriol is doing really well, keeping up with the group, we were all a nice tight group this evening.  Such a pleasure to run along with these ladies this evening.  A real feel good run.  Of course the youngsters were in the front, where they should be, and they are doing really well.  Two of them are going to do ParkRun in a couple of weeks, Clare and Keeley.  They are looking forward to it, in fact Clare said she was excited!  Now that's what running does for you!

Vanessa and Georgia are looking good!  They have one more beginners session to do before they do the park run the following week!  It's going to be great!  All in all a fabulous run, I was having a blast.  These ladies think that I am here helping them, but it's like the other way round, they are helping me keep my love of running going, just watching people get fitter and begin to love the running!

Group 1

Illustrious Leader was leading today.  "A flatish route" she said in her briefing "With a hill at the end" I think she had taken some lessons from SingstarJo who took us on her Non-flat 'flat' route!  But I was feeling good, I am sure I can cope with I.L.'s flat route.  She did mention the route in her briefing, but I never know the names of the roads, so I couldn't quite figure out which hill at the end she was talking about.  Still, I am sure it will be do-able!

The first part of the run was flat, all down hill, slightly, to St Johns road, then some little ups as we ran up St Johns. In fact, I think the next road had an 'up' as well but they are just slopes (aren't they) and I think the next road had a hill somewhere on it as well.  And then the road that took up to the little ally way, well, that had a huge hill on it as well! But we are still far from the end.  I started to realise then which 'hill' at the end our Illustrious Leader briefed us about!  Cardiac Hill!

I love hills, I love hills, I love hills!  Does this stuff actually work?  But hills are our friends, they help build muscle and stamina and all that stuff that helps us keep fit! And besides Petts Wood is a hilly place!  But I kept up with everybody, almost, I was at the back and I did walk up some of Cardiac hill! But I kept thinking "Well Old Girl, you did do Group 0" I think of excuses now rather than beat myself up!  I think I should try to adopt that philosophy all the time!

But after Cardiac Hill, with the little break at the top while we waiting for the super fit group 1'ers to do the loop, I ran really well all the way back to the rec.  I tried not to think about how good I was feeling right then, or how good my running was, just in case it put me off, or worse, I fall over my own ego!  But I did allow myself a smile.  I was still at the back of the pack, but I wasn't feeling annoyed or tired.  I was feeling kind of good!  

A fabulous run today! Even with that hill at the end.  I think we should rename it to the "Hill we dare not utter then name" hill. But its all good for us, that I am certain about!  Rest day tomorrow and looking forward to running on Thursday, with some great company, first in the morning and then Track in the evening!

Geeky stats

Monday Madness!

Hello blog lovers.

This morning I woke up to a dismal day!  The sky was grey and the rain came down.  But, training is training. Unlike the wicked witch of Oz, we do not melt in the rain!  So after the school run I got my things together and the went to collect Tracy.  We were not going to be doing the usual Monday morning route today, we were going to the park!

Wendi lives up the end of the road so she was going to meet us at Normans park.  I thought it would be good to show Tracy exactly what we are aiming for.  Show her the route, get a feel for running in the park.  But the weather was deffo against us!  Me and Wendi synchronised our watches and we started on our run, from the carpark end we went through a the gap in the fence to run walk on the grass.  It was very soft, very slippery, even just for walking on.  Our Two minutes finished while we were still on the grass and we started running.  That's when I decided that it was best to stick to the tarmac for the whole way round.  At least we know that we will cover the 2 miles that we have been doing!

Tracy said that she had been doing her 6 minutes of running and 2 of walking on the tread mill at the health club she goes to.  I am not a fan of the old dread mills, and as Tracy will find out, she will know why!  The first 8 minutes of running done and both ladies were doing brilliantly.  The first run is always the hardest bit, your lungs suddenly wake up and say "Whoa, blimey is it that time already" and then they try to get the oxygen into your blood stream and get rid of all that bad air, as well as have their 'morning stretch'  I guess it's a bit like getting teenagers out of bed, while getting the toddlers dressed ready for nursery school and making the babies bottles for the day, all while trying to get yourself a cup of tea, breakfast and get the dinner ready for later!

But once it's all settled down, the lungs work perfectly, you're under control, your breathing rhythmically and enjoying the run! Can't say much about the 'house wife' scenario I used as a comparison!  I was never organised!  The second 8 minutes started and both the ladies were looking good, Wendi chatting away keeping the pace going Tracy with a true concentration on her face, wanting to keep going for the whole 8 minutes.  I must learn to count properly because I told Tracy that we had 30 seconds left when in fact it was 2 minutes and 30 seconds left.  As you can guess, maths was not my strong subject either!

The rain continued to come down, not heavy but enough to make 'noises' on our rain coats, and best of all to keep us nice and cool.  The last 8 minutes started, I thought this would get us back to the carpark, just perfectly timed! But that last 8 minutue stretch Tracy was struggling, especially when I did the whole calculation thing wrong again!  "I'm running to the tree and then I'm stopping" she said with that determined look on her face. I knew that would mean she wouldn't be completing the 8 minutes of running, and I knew she would be disappointed with herself, so I just encouraged her to keep going, Wendi encouraged her to keep going and between the two of us Tracy made it passed the tree she had chosen to stop at and kept going.  Even with the last 15 seconds we encouraged to to just put a bit of speed on, there was no need to save any energy for another 8 minutes of running.  And she did it, she found that last bit of energy for a short sprint!

Geeky stats for you.



Then there was my run.  I wanted to do some extra miles, I need to start building up the distance again.  After dropping of Tracy I drove back to my place and parked my care.  Still dripping wet from the rain  I sat for a few seconds watching the rain 'fill' in the windscreen with more raindrops that the wipers had wiped away.  I looked at my wet running cap on the chair and then looked out and up to the sky.  "Well Old Girl" I said to myself, "It's either going in and getting breakfast, and then maybe you will get it together to go running again later, or just get your fat, wet, lazy arse out now and be done with it"

I turned on my Garmin, saved the the first run and it seemed the satellites how found me straight away.  "I should go now, before I go in, I'm all ready wet, so just flippin go now" I said to myself.  And so I did.  I started up to Petts Woods again, in the rain, thinking to myself, "this is total madness!" I mean, who else goes out, again, in the rain for fun, after being out in the rain, for fun already!  Only runners!

I chose my route, it was going to be up Hollingworth down Shepperton then into Petts Wood to run along past the Daylight Inn and then back down Southborough   I started off ok, I had stiffened up slightly from getting from Normans Park to here, so I had to loosen up all over again. I was also feeling a little bit chilled, but the harder I work the warmer I will get.

I only wanted to do another 5k, and I think the route I had planned would get me the extra 3 miles I wanted to do today.  Getting up the hill on Hollingsworth, although still blooming tough, I found I can do it without puffing out my backside like I used to do.  Now that's when you know you are getting fitter!  I know I have to build up my stamina again, my energy over distance.  And I am hoping that the track sessions will help build up speed for me, as long as I make sure I put in the effort of course.  Those track sessions right there, they are going to be my 'beatings', Not from Hels and PhysioMike who do the sessions, they have nothing but praise, but the beatings will have to come from me!

Anyway, I digress.  If you can read between the lines then I was feeling a little disappointed with my solo run!  Which is why half way round I started to think about the track sessions and how I am going to have to really train hard and put in tons of effort, unlike my solo run today!  But as Sherry said on Sunday, "At least you're out here, doing it"  Yes, at least I am out here doing it, and I am running faster than any one sat in the houses dunking the digestives in the hot sugary tea while watching Jeremy Kyle!

When I got back from my run I looked at my watch and realised I was a tad short of my three miles!  I realised then that I usually go do to the Harvester and go through the park! Darn it!  But I did a little extra bit when I had to run around to the shop to get my poorly son some lucozade and soothers!

So geeky stats for my solo run,

Couch (Jacket) Potato Can Run!

Hello blog lovers.

Having not run since Tuesdays club runs I was desperate to get back out, but those old couch potato thoughts and feelings are never too far behind. I should have gone out on Thursday, to track, but just wasn't feeling too good.  Friday I had planned to go out just after the last of the kids had been picked up, but then I had to go see my mother in law and things didn't get underway for the whole running thing!

Saturday was a no go, little dude was staying with nanny and grandad, so we had plans for him to keep him amused and wear him out so we would get a full nights sleep with out the usual visit in the middle of the night from him!  It's amazing how these little people can take up, it seems, the whole of a kingsize bed! By the way, our strategy worked!

So fully refreshed from a lovely day out yesterday, pleasant, unbroken nights sleep and great time at church I was planning a longish run! At least 10k. but as usual my plans don't usually work out so well.  To cut a boring story totally in half, I decided to at least run 5k today and then maybe try and do a longish one tomorrow!

I noticed on Facebook that ZippySherry was wanting to run 10k and I said that I was planning that but now am doing just 5k.  We decided to meet on route and do 5k together.  Our meeting point was at top Oxhawth at 18:15 give or take a few seconds!  I arrived there just about 18:16, ZippySherry was already there.

We said hi and then we headed along my usual 5k route, up to Turpington Lane, Green Lane and then back up Magpie Hall Lane.  I knew it was going to be blooming hard!  I felt like I was carrying a sack of potatoes in my tummy.  Let me explain (give excuses) as to why I postponed my run by a couple an extra hour, (I originally planned for 5 ish).  The Old Boy is off to York today, just for one night, he has some course that he has to do, so we had dinner about 4 ish.

Here's where the whole potato comes in, we had jacket potato for dinner, with cheese, beans and coleslaw!  Most delicious but not the best thing to eat before you go for a run! not unless there is at least half day between eating and running!  Just running up to Oxhawth Crescent I could feeling the 'heavy' dinner in my tummy, it was going to be a case of run it off or puke it up!

It's good to have company to run with, and running with Sherry bought back the memory of my first ever half marathon (and only half marathon!) last year in 2013.  The Tonbridge Wells Half, it was a hilly one.  But the first 6 miles was the best of it, as it seemed as if was mainly down hill!  ZippySherry stayed with me for all of the 6 miles, chatting with me, and amazingly she kept me running the whole way, non stop.  And running along besides her today I felt very comfortable, well, of course, apart from my huge totally stuffed stomach!

I had a mild stitch, but I expected that, but the feeling of chucking up was the thing I was worried about! It's not a good look, and besides it would be such a waste of a delicious meal!  Fortunately, well maybe not for Sherry, just a few 'burps' was all that was necessary to alleviate the nauseousness!  Just as well we are out in the fresh air, because I also had a few chopped onions sprinkled with my cheese topping!

Sherry came all the way down to Almond way, and by the time she turned around and went back to her place that should put her at about 10k, mine of course was just a few feet over the 5k, a lovely run indeed, and I shall look forward to some more running along with Sherry and Jo on a Sunday, hopefully during daylight hours next time as i get my Paddock Wood Half Marathon training truly underway!

Geeky stats.