ParKRun PB!

Hello blog readers!

I woke up this morning all nice and warm and cosy! I didn't want to get up! But there is something I have been after for three years now!  And laying in bed will not get me it!  I hadn't told anyone that I was going to be at ParkRun this morning, I thought I would leave it as a surprise!  Well, it's just added pressure on myself, because if I really wasn't up for it at least I could just turn over and go back to sleep!

I drove there nice and early just so that I can stay relaxed and have fun! I know there will be tons of PWR's at Normans Park today, it's our local!  Just as I was driving up the road into the park I saw Wendimoo and in true White Van Man style I yelled out "Hello darling!" to her!  Well that was one mate surprised I was there, and now to find the rest!

It wasn't that long, as I pulled up to parkmy car, sitting in the car a few spaces along was J.J. and Jan!  They were surprised to see me too!  We all walked over to the pavilion, pit stop for the loos and then we made our way to the start of the run.  I told the girls that I was going to push myself a bit today, see how I get on!  They were surprised, and I think pleased for me, whereas I was really thinking that they would probably catch me up on route because of going off to fast!

But the conversation on the way over to the start was "Be Positive" "Think positive!" Even when we think something negative then immediately think a positive thought after!  That was going through my mind when we were all waiting for the start!

After the preliminaries had been done, cheers for the 50's 100's and today was also someones 250th park run, we were on the mark.  Auriol had also joined us and she was surprised to see me there too!  Then we were off!  "See you at the finish Donna" I heard them say "Oh is she not running with us then?" said Auriol, but I didn't hear the reply from the other girls, I was too busy concentrating on the job in hand!

I knew I was going off too fast, I knew it, but I just wanted to break from the girls, just in case I was tempted to chat to them along the way.  Anyway, they would probably pass me by anyway! Oops, negative thought!  Positive thought...at least I got up to run this morning!

I tried to ignore the sick feeling in my stomach, that is just way to soon to start feeling that way!  I just need to get my breathing under control, then it will be fine.  It's probably me being too tense as well! And curry and beer!  But, if I puke then so be it! (I just hope I can keep everything where it should be!)

I was going at a steady pace, passing some people, getting passed! But mainly I was totally focused.  Keeping an eye on my Garmin, so that I don't keep up a ridiculous pace for too long, I made steady progress around the course.  I really felt as if I was running faster!  But when I think about it, my last few ParkRuns have been with beginners, or just encouraging people around!  This one is all me!

I seemed to be flying around the course, just following the line of people in front of me. I checked my Garmin, still going according to plan, I was feeling a out of breath, but I kept going.  My right shin was aching slightly, and my knee was niggling, but I feel sure that it's not as bad as it has been, so I think all is recovering well!

The first lap done!  I couldn't believe it, and I was still running pretty well!  That long stretch, with the slight downhill helped enormously!  So now the second lap to do.  I heard a voice behind me as I started along the tarmac path to the river, "Go on Donna!"  It was David, he had his pacer jacket on, and he was pacing 35 m/mi!  Well, if I can keep him behind me then at least I am in with a chance of at least getting in before 35 minutes!

I was beginning to tire a bit, but my enthusiasm seemed to be getting stronger.  "Even if it's just one second under" I thought to myself, "At least then I will know that I can still achieve PB's!" Of course that thought was immediately followed by "Well, Old Girl, you're out runnin and it ainit hurtin'"  It's good stuff that old positive thinking!  I should try to remember to do it all the time!

Now I am the other end of the park, Hook Farm road end.  David passes me!  I can't believe it, I was so wanting to get in before him.  I felt like I was just running out of steam, maybe I did push my self just a little too hard.  After all, that last PB was three years ago!  I am older now!  I'm fifty odd you know!

I carried on running behind David determined not to let him get too far ahead of me.  I was watching him as he ran along, you know, If David was wearing a hoody I would still recognise him from behind just watching him run!  He has his own unique style!  In fact there are a few of our members that have their own style of running, and you can tell them apart from just the way they run.

We passed the first  building on the long straight, I walked a bit to catch breath.  I saw them getting further in front of me, and then I said to my self, "Come on, there is no need to save any more energy, this is it"  I started to pick up the pace again, and started gaining on David!  "Just keep this pace going Old Girl" I thought.

That sick feeling started to come again, I tried to control my breathing, ignore the feeling altogether!  That's the way to deal with that, I have not time for puking, not yet anyway!  I passed him!  I couldn't believe it, and we still hadn't got to the play park! "Sprint finish Donna" David called out to me.  I would be happy just to finish at this pace"

I pushed along towards the park and I spotted another PWR just ahead of me.  It was Dave, he had done our beginners class just gone!  I ran up to him and inching my way, it seemed to take forever!  "Hi Dave" I said as I passed him.  Just the last bit to do now!

This last bit, this bit that runs up to the funnel!  That's all I have to do! I'm passing people now as they walk towards me, they have finished their run, with the funnel in my sights I try to pick up the pace a bit more, sprint finish, all the way in! Yes I did it!  I walked through towards the end to collect my token, remembering to hold out my hand palm up to collect it!

So according to my Garmin and my memory I thought I was at least equal to my fastest time!  I knew it was 33 something, and I really thought it was 33.57.  I know I have had faster 5k's on the track, but that is with me stopping the Garmin, taking that minute break and then running again!  The not knowing is going to drive me nuts until I get my results!

And this is it!

It maybe only a couple of seconds quicker
but records are broken by 100th's of a second!

Here's my geeky stats!

Where Has The Sun Gone!

Hello blog lovers.

Its Thursday and that means a nice run through the woods for me and some other group 1 members!  But what a difference in the weather!  Yesterday it was all sunshine, picture blue skies all over England, smiley faces and bare chested roofers, (I've been stuck in doors for 4 days! So I looked!)

I am having my roof done, and I was able to sit outside in the sunshine, all the debris and tiles and dust and noise (yes, bare chested workers may have been an incentive to get out, but I'm old now!), but today I was determined to get out out no matter what.  They will just have to wait for an hour, for their radio, and I am sure the cutting of the tiles could wait an hour too! (I think) But this is Britain, we get a lot of rain, and today it was raining. Just as it was forecast!

That's good, for me, not my roof, because the roofers can't work when it's raining.  So I don't feel too bad about depriving them from their music!  I turned up at the Rec and it was bloomin cold!  DiscoRich was there all set to take his bevy of lovelies out, and I was taking out my lovely ladies too, Sarah and Vanessa!

I told the we were going through the woods and it could be a bit sticky with a tiny hill  to run up  which will be fine!  It's my nemesis!  It's the hill that I just can't bloody conquer!  But I will, and in the mean time, while I am battling with my nemesis all the other runners with me get some descent workout as well!

We went in through Dog Poo ally and turned left. This bit of the woods has normally been very sticky and with the rain today I was expecting it to be the same, but actually it was ok.  I am not sure when the rain started so maybe it hadn't quite got to the floor yet!  I did notice, however, how green everything is looking!  Even on a grey wet day like this, the green of the leaves looks so vibrant.  The bluebells are coming up in little clusters all over and the fresh smell of clean air was just giddying!

This was going to be a very pleasurable run! Even with that little tiny hill to contend with!  I took the ladies past the bridge this time, we were not going to be running over any bridges today, or going out on the roads, it's all going to be woods today.  We started running down Botany Bay Lane towards the river "Oh this hill" they said! "No, not this one, we are going to run beside the river" I explained to the.

When we got to the end of that path there was no hiding that tiny little ever so slight incline! It's fine we can do this, after all we're athletes!  I let the other two ladies go first, I think I said something about them being fitter than me, which they gave me a look, "Ok, so you're younger than me" I said, "now go on, off you go! Just so that I can keep an eye on you" That was my excuse anyway!  And besides, I was going to try and run for as long as they were, if they stopped then I stopped!  Well, they did bloody brilliantly! None of us ran the whole way up, but we got pretty darn close to it, and of course we ran that last final bit from the last corner!

From here we ran along the top of the woods back to Botany Bay Lane and then UP to the bridle path.  "There are just a couple of more undulations" I said to them, but I don't think they were too bothered.  The woods are just so perfect to be in, so fresh!  And just listening to the birds in the trees, who needs music, not us!

The undulations got to us, we all walked up some of the last ones to do, but it didn't matter.  I was listening to what was being said, about running, for these ladies, is still a chore, and they are wondering when the love of running kicks in.  Well, I can remember that.  I still wonder when it gets easier! Of course that won't ever happen, because as it does get easier you push yourself harder anyway!

It's the love of running that surprised me most, "When did I actually love running?" Was it really at the very beginning, but because I couldn't run very well I thought I hated it!  Could it be then? I don't know, but what I did realise is that I was looking forward to going out running, I was looking forward to see if I can love running, I hated missing any days that I had planned to run!  My club buddies were becoming my firm friends!  It's only when you have an enforced day or week off that you realise "I actually love running"  It's like a total realisation of what I had been doing for the past few years (this was a couple of years ago I came to this point) I actually loved running!  Simples!

I hope Sarah and Vanessa and all the others that had started and finished the beginners course, would come to this point.  I think they will!  Then they will be making reasons why they need to go for a run rather than house work, or shopping!

I think the marathon has done something to my brain, because I am going all slushy lately.  But doing such a distance does make you think "Why?" And the people who run even further our Jerry for instance and Wendimoo's daughter Jaz, she does crazy things like two marathons a week apart!  They really have got the running love bug, bad!

I am sure my brain will settle down again, and 'just the facts' will come pouring out with less of the slushy over indulgence!

Geeky stats for today.

Group 0 And AGM

Hello blog lovers.

Its that time of year again, our AGM time, and as I was running group 0 at 7, I couldn't be running group 1 as well. But that was fine, after reading an article that our PhysioMike shared with us on facebook I discovered I was probably during way to much after the marathon anyway!

Conscious clear!  With just three of us to take on a route around the woods I was still wondering which way to go as we were running to the entrance to the woods.  The route changes each time from what I thought of at my house till I get to the rec.  Depending on who I have with me, what ability of running they are, etc etc.  And how many, of course, that will be running.

Yesterday though (yes, I am a day late in writing up!) there was only the three of us.  Me, Wendimoo and Kim!  Wendimoo has a slight injury to her foot so she is joining the hero group this evening.  Kim though, I know she has a determination, she really wants 'it'!  She wants that feel good factor after every run, she wants that, "I flipping done it" and she also wants "actually I love running" which for me, took ages!!

The route that I eventually decided on was straight up the middle path, I was planning on two ways, depending on time, and how everyone was coping, as to which way I was going to go after!  I did mention as we were running up, that I may take Botany Bay Lane down to the river and then up to the railway!  But when we got to the top, Kim looked quite strong, she did the hill really well, and I am sure she got further than last time!

As we were running along the top of the woods, I changed my mind about running down Botany Bay, I though we may run along a bit further and run down Goss hill instead. I felt that maybe Kim could handle just a little bit further to run. "Oh you're cruel" says Kim, but I knew she was joking!  We ran along heading Botany Bay and I checked my Garmin time and distance.  And again, I changed my mind.  "Nope, we are going down Botany Bay" I said.

If we carried on to Goss hill it would make it more like 3 miles, sometimes that is possible, but today, to keep things fun and not a chore, then we need to keep this run between 2 and 2 and half miles only! There is absolutely no good in trying to push out further and making a run miserable and hard, not when you can keep it doable and fun, with just a soup con of exertion with the hill at the beginning!

Botany Bay Lane done! We headed back now towards Dog Poo Ally, but I made sure that Kim was in the front of me and Wendi.  as up till now, she was either by our side or just behind us.  Group 0 is about what the last person can put into their run.  Without feeling pressurised keep up with those in front, without fear not being able to complete the run.  When you run in a group, its the group that keeps you going!  But sometimes, when you coming back from injury, or feel not quite ready for group 1, you can become intimidated by this.

Now our running club has never ever made me feel like that, nor has it ever made anyone feel like that. The only only people that make you feel like that is YOU!  I had noticed over the couple of beginners group that I had helped out with, that there was a few people who really loved the running with the group, but just wasn't confident enough to come along and join our club after!

I though this was a real shame, and so I said that I would come along at 7, before normal club runs to carry on with them until they were happier about joining group 1. And so group Zero to Hero was born! Anyway, Kim ran her run, at her pace all the way back to Dog Poo Ally with me and Wendimoo chatting all the way!

It was a great run, we we got back just as all the other groups were heading off out, just a half hour earlier because of the AGM.  Here is our geeky stats.

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AGM

There was a bit of shuffling of the pack in our committee this year, with some leaving posts, taking up posts and swapping posts!  But it's always good to see just how well our club is growing! 

After our meeting of course it's always good to chill with our buddies after at the local, One Inn The Wood which does seem to have become our unofficial club house!  But it was while here that I asked some of the ladies why they ran?!  The answers came back, to keep fit, to lose weight, to stay fit! Because I can!  Because I can, because its fun, because it's me time!  That's where were need to be with our running, well, especially people who like me started out running really late in life, coming from a non existent exercise regime to just running 5k's regularly, that is where we need to be!  

I will never be a contender in a race, not unless its a good for age category and I become the only 100 year lady running a club Grand Prix event! I run because I can, because I like it.....no....because I love it!  No matter what I am feeling at the time, it could be a totally shit run, but doing it still makes me feels so darn good than if I didn't do it!  But I also know, that if I don't go out, then ...so what! I won't beat myself up, because I know I will go out again next time!  That you can bet on!

Anyway, enough gushing!  That is what I was feeling yesterday.  And I am pleased that I went out with group 0!  It was just the right distance and pace for how I was feeling, even though I didn't realise it at the time!

Slow Down!

Hello blog lovers

This mornings run still took place, even though some of the schools have closed down and being used for polling stations, its the general election today!  But it seems that I am not needed to look after kids, so I can get out for my usual run with the ladies!

Charlene wanted to come along, as a bit of cross training for her cycling!  She does the whole crazy riding through the trails and woods, up and down hills etc!  This will be her first run with me, and I was planning on doing a hill myself!  But she is young, and fairly fit anyway, so I was guessing she should be alright!

Also with us was Denise and Viv, so the four of us set off together.  DiscoRich had a couple of ladies with him who wanted to do the faster run, so he went off on his way and we followed after.  We were going in through Dog Poo ally and then turning left.  It had been raining last night and I expected the paths to be a little sticky!  I was right!  I have another chance to get Viv's shoes dirty!

Mind you, she had told that she has her 'middle' pair on today, not the good pair, not there onese that have been confinded to the decorators attire, but the middle pair.  I think she don't trust me!  Charlene was doing well, she was chatting, I think even WendiMoo will be totally impressed with how much she can talk!  But I was having to reel her in abit.

She has never been running before, and now she was running out with us.  I am not the faster runner, and this is not track, so we were running, most of the time, around 12 min mi,  but taking it very gently through the sticky bits.  I slipped a couple of times.  I wasn't taking things particularly 'dainty'
as I don't have the marathon to think about anymore, so I can almost go gung ho through the middle but just skirted around the edges!  If I didn't have my bike with me I would have just gone though the middle, but I didn't want to slip off from my pedals later!

We were running the same routes that Charlene does on her bike with her pals!  So she knows all the pitfalls and lumps and bumps of the paths.  It's different trying to ride up hills to trying to run up hills.  Different set of muscles, different strenght needed, so it's going to be interesting to see how she does on Goss hill!

So after going over all the bridges we went through Jubilee Park, and then Charlene had a brilliant idea that she would pick up her mates pooch and take it for the rest of the run!  So now we had another lady with us!  She was a sweet dog called Bear, and stayed with the rest of the 'pack' as we continued our run.

The next bit of the run is that hill, Goss Hill, my nemesis!  I have still got to get up this bloomin hill in one go! I watch as Denise and Viv went up, I gave Charlene some tips on hills, using arms as pendulums etc, and then we sent.  The quardruped just breezed up there looking totally bored, while I followed everyone up the hill.!  I couldn't make it this time! Next time I will.  It seemed as if everyone else made it to the top in one go!  I'm the odd one out!

I checked on the time and distance and decided that we should be making our way back now, so we headed along the top of the woods to the middle path and then ran all the down!  We came out of the woods and ran along to the rec.  Finished our run in 1 hour and 1 minute!  DiscoRich had beaten us back to the rec!  But still, it was a great run, and the weather was just gorgeous, and I think Viv's shoes were still almost sparkling clean!

Geeky Stats!

Sunday Solo Run

Hello blog lovers.

Well what a gorgeous day it is!  So much better than yesterday!  I was dying to get out and see how I would do on a bit of a longer run, done under my own steam!  I wasn't too confident!  I have got a bit relaxed since the marathon.  I love that I can chuck that in my blogs!

After church I got changed in my VLM Finishers tee-shirt and jog pants and set of.  I had no route in mind, I had a distance, between 4 and 5 miles, but where I would run I didn't know.  I set off up Farringdon and ran past my church, get the first hill out of the way!

My legs still feel somewhat heavy!  Although I have done a couple of runs since the marathon, I thought by name the tired feeling would be gone by now.  But I pushed through up the hill, my music helping me to stay focused.  I wasn't going to go through the woods as I want to do more running than I would walking.  Picking over the muddy puddles and tree roots does slow me down a bit.  Ok, I know I'm slow anyway, but you know what I mean!

I had come down heavy on my foot, (stepping off a chair!) on Thursday afternoon, and it was complaining somewhat for a couple of days, I was a bit worried that it wasn't going to heal, but come yesterday I had forgotten I had done that.  The only thing that was hurting with regards to my feet was my right foot, but the top of my foot!  I found that most strange.  It felt as if it was bruised, as though someone had stepped on it.  I then remembered about the whole stepping off the chair but it wasn't that as it was my other foot that hurt then!

Of course being an avid runner now, an athlete, as it says on my UKA cards, I ignored it, I also ignored the niggling that was coming in my left knee and the slight moanings of acheness in my right shin!  "Ok, Old girl" I said to my self, "You can't expect to run 26.2 miles, at your age, and not get a couple of complaints"  Because that is all it was.  It's just my body saying "Please don't take me out for more that a mile run"

It was quite refreshing not knowing where I was going to go, I just turned corners, ran up roads, (walked some!) and just sang along with my tunes.  I kept an eye on my Garmin to make sure that didn't over do the distance (as if that would happen at this particularly point) but I also wanted to run more than a group 1 distance!  If I'm to get back to normal then I need to be able to run group 0 and then group 1 after!

I went through Petts Wood and then up to the 'Off License' and turned left.  This only means that I am going to do Cardiac Hill!  It's no good just going through the other side of Petts Wood as that wouldn't give me the miles I need.  I smiled. I could do this!  When I last did this on a Sunday I was training (of sorts) and yet here I am just plodding along for fun, which is exactly how it should be.  Running for running sake!  Just because I can!

It really was just a nice run, not particularly fast, I think I am going to have to build that back up again!  Track sessions, and when the core and speed sessions start up again will be a must!  Those times will be to push myself as hard as I can! No excuses, dig deep, push, push and push!  All other days are most certainly just fun!

So my geeky stats,

Club run - Group 0

Hello blog lovers

Only group 0 today. I think I may have to explain, let me explain.....oh why won't you let me explain!!? So 28 years ago and 1 day ago, my Middle Daughter was born! Of course we celebrated, with lunch, which turned into a little bit longer!

So this morning I was a little rough, and probably just as well I only went on a short ride as well!  But you would have thought by this evening I would be feeling a little better, but I wasn't.  So can only assume that I am actually not feeling very well! 

I decided to do just group 0.  Our beginners had graduated, and I wasn't sure if there would be any of them coming along, and also to see if any of the other regulars were going to be here.  As it's move up Tuesday they may all will try and go with group 1.

I had bought along with me, Amy, big sons girlfriend.  She had just got back from the gym.  I just mentioned that I was going out for a run and would she like to come along for just a couple of miles.  She jumped at the chance.  I didn't tell her that we would be going through the woods, she had bought her trainers only today!  It will be a proper christening of the shoes, not just some sort of sprinkling in the gym!

We drove to the rec, to see who else would turn up.  Auriol was the only other one.  I had planned to do just a short route today, my legs were complaining a bit, and of courseread my explanation up above, I wasn't going to go too crazy anyway.  In through Dog Poo Ally, turn right and up to the top.  Amy kept up well.  She is built like a racing snake, I really thought that she was totally going fly through this route.

You get these images in your mind, obviously all through media, which is totally wrong.  Just because you are slightly pudgy (like me) doesn't mean that I am totally unfit. And just because someone is built like a racing snake (like Amy) doesn't mean that she could run a 3.45 min mile!  Fitness is totally different to body size.  Amy was looking forward to a break at the top of the hill.  with just half a mile done.  

I knew with practise and training she will fly up there, what with the gym that she belongs to, she keeps it up and she could quite easily be breaking records!   We ran along the side of the woods, parallel to Chislehurst road and then took the path that takes us to the middle of the woods.  I wasn't going to go down this one, I wanted to go down the next one.  Usually I get a bit lost around there.  I can run the route in the opposite direction but going in an anti-clockwise direction and I get a little confused.

I managed to run along the path with the wooden bridge, but then I wasn't quite sure which path to take.  It doesn't matter, you can't really get lost in these woods. You may end up doubling back on yourself though!  But we did, but then we weren't on the path that I wanted.  It was a lot more interesting actually, with having to cross a particularly boggy bit of ground which had logs laid down on it to be able to get over it!

It was interesting, I was having a blast, I love checking out new routes, but usually it's in the daytime and not during the evening!  I don't think the other two ladies were worried!  We soon popped out on to the bottom of the middle path, just by Dog Poo ally.

A very nice easy run!  I am hoping by next week I will be totally recovered, totally detoxed and totally focused on getting fitter and fitter!

Here is the geeky stats.

PettsWood Runners Spring Class of 2015

Hello blog lovers

I'm a bit late writing up my blog, but I have just been chilling mainly!  So yesterday, Saturday the 2nd May, saw our PWR graduates complete their assignment.  They only had one assignment during this course, and that is to complete a 5k course.

When they started about 9 weeks ago, there were a few of them that had never even contemplated running 5k before.  There were some that had done some running but life, kids, food, couch got in the way.  I can identify the with the couches!  That was me!....and the life...and the kids....and the food come to that!

I know how difficult it is to stick to something which, at the time you are doing it, you just hate it. It's just too hard, to much time, the regularity of it seems to be just impossible to keep.  Ok, so we all go to work, it is an absolute necessity, we need money to live.  But this whole running lark, well that is different.  Who wants to go out running in the cold, the rain, the snow, the sun and heat....just for fun!? For fun?  Because that is where you need to be.  You need to be running for running sake, for fun, for shits and giggles!

You can run to keep fit....big deal, you get fit, you think your done, you stop, you get unfit!  You can run to do a particular race, to raise money for a cause.  Well, that's where I started, tt's almost where I ended it too.  Once I had done the race I almost went back to couch potato land.  You can run because someone challenged you.  The determination that got you through to getting that gong and showing off your prise to your challenger is short lived, the medal goes in the bottom drawer, and then noone wants to hear your stories.

Where you need to be and what you need to do is to grab hold of that "I actually like this, I am going to run because I can" thought!  That is what is going to keep you running after you have done a course, that is what is going to get you through the "oh mum/dad can you do.......?" and then you say "yeah, when I get back from my run!"  I know there are a few of our graduates that have found that sweet spot, the ones that will have already by now signed up to be a PWR.

There will be some that have signed up just because they need the motivation of an organisation to keep them motivated, I hope when they come along to our Tuesday night sessions they will then find that sweet spot.  Because it is only then that you will come back week after week, month after month!  Running is fun, it needs to stay that way.  From the speedies of our Group 8s to our Group 0's, it has to remain fun!

The thing that I was most impressed with on Saturday, was running along with Tanya.  She has stuck with the course, she has worked extremely hard, she has worried each week about being at the back of the group, yet she has continued to turn up every week, (I think she may have missed one session) and she was there, yesterday, to beat her demon.  I know what it's like being at the back, you really feel like you should quit, give up, go home.  But in PWR we don't like you going around thinking that.  We want all our beginners to get to ParkRun and beyond!

Tanya stuck with it, even with an ache in her hip, she stuck with it!  Now that makes you feel good!  I hope she soon finds the sweet spot.  I hope that somewhere on that ParkRun she has found the love of running, because she can!  Well done Tanya.

I think I have gone on long enough.  We have had such a great success with our beginners course, and I am proud of CoachHels and ZippySherry for getting at least 25 of the original 50 beginners to a timed ParkRun 5k Run.

Well done all who came along, and a huge pat on the back for all the PWR's that came along and supported each week.!

CoachHels, demonstating
arm positions
(how to and not to postion
while running)

Here are some pictures of Spring Beginners 2015, curtesy of Sherry.

The graduates and PWR's

Briefing

It's a bit chilly!

Warm up!