Solo Run, Mental Block, Busted!

Hello readers.

So now I am up to date with my blogging again!  I expect those of you who read my blogs will be quite fed up with my ramblings these last few days!  I must try and blog straight away and that way I won't get behind!

So I went running, on Monday, by myself!  It's been quite a while since I've done that! I am hoping that I have finally broken the mental block about solo running.  I got home from the first shift at work, and without thinking, without looking at what needed to be done in the house, without opening up my computer to see emails, I went up to get changed into my running gear.  Desperately trying to not procrastinate, just busy getting changed.  I managed to get myself out of the house, Garmin at the ready, music playing, Jabra ready to start nagging!

I was quite looking forward to this run, I used to love my solo running, regularly going out.  Sometimes my thoughts had me in tears, sometimes I talked myself into doing things......like marathons!  Did I ever tell you that I have run a marathon? Well, two actually, both in London, both took me 7 hours!!! But I did it!  It's amazing what you can talk yourself into while out running!  Who knows, you could come up with a plan that will save us from the Corona Virus!  My thoughts were not on anything like that this time, not that there was ever a time I thought about cures for viruses, or even doing another marathon, my thoughts were on, well me!  I was saying things like, "Well done Old Girl, you did what you said you were going to do"  I was  feeling pretty proud of myself right at that moment........then I opened the door of my house and went out!  "Really?  It's a bit cold"  were my next thoughts, even though the sun had been shining bright all morning!

Of course I went out, I started my music, my Garmin, kicked mojo ass to wake up and enjoy this moment!  I was going to do one of my usual routes, only about 3 miles, but just to get out there and do it knowing that I can and have done it on numerous occasions, should put me in good stead!  As always, that first mile is just about the hardest part of any run.  My breathing was all over the place, walking for absolutely no reason at all, moaning to myself that I should have just stayed in and did my work! But once I got into it I really started to enjoy it!  I know, sounds weird right?  I was enjoying the tunes in my ears, even Jabra wasn't nagging me, I now know it was because  I needed to re-set everything, for some reason, Jabra doesn't bring over your history and settings from phone to phone!  Shame!

I decided to not quite stick to the exact same way round the route, I turned, instead, down Holbrook Way. Usually I run straight pass this road and turn down Turpington Lane, but I wanted to do this little loop the opposite direction to how I normally do it.  Just because I am a crazy and impulsive fool! Once I had got to Green Way, which by the way seemed really quick, my mood picked up even more.  I think I was even smiling!  Can you imagine that readers, some crazy impulsive Old Girl grinning at you as she is running towards you!  Scary!  I must remember these moments.  These are the moments when you think to yourself, "I really love running"!  It's also then that you start to think you can run the world!  Probably why I decided that I could run a marathon! Which I have done by the way! Have I told you I ran a marathon before?

The long home stretch was so good, I really enjoyed myself as I ran back along Southborough Lane. "I wonder if people can see me"  I thought to myself.  I notice runners all the time when I am out driving my car and often smile to myself. Way back when I was a couch potato I am sure I went around with my head down, eyes looking at my boots and nothing else!  I love inspiring people to get out there and do running, exercise, cycling or anything really.  This week, one of my work colleagues told me that he has gone back to playing football, just because I go running on a Tuesday evening with my club!  That really made me smile!  Exercise does pick up your mood, I know sometimes you really don't want to be out there, the last thing you want is to be pulling on some skin tight run pants that feels way to small and going out in the cold, when all you want to do is to sit and eat chocolate in your pj's, but I am sure, 100%, that it can lift a mood!

I got back to my home feeling totally like a boss!  Yeah, did it!  Look at me with my sweaty face, I've done it!  I wished I took a picture! So he is a picture of a happy sloth instead

I wonder if running helps with brain cells and memory!?











Here's my geeky stats.

Spring 2020 Beginners!

Hello blog readers.

Can you believe that we are starting our spring beginners course already?  I know, it's crazy right!  But here we are, 2020 and we are doing it!  All three of us leaders are just so happy to be able to lead these newbie runners through their journey into the running world, it really is a privilege!  It's also a great boost for me and my running mojo too!  Knowing that I have to be doing what I am saying, not just paying lip service to it, will do my mojo no end of good.

DiscoRich was there, he is the first port of call for these newbies.  It's to him they send  their emails to ask about our course.  He introduced us to over thirty people!  There were a few PWR's there to help support and to run with all these nervous looking people!  I don't know what they have to be nervous about, I was feeling a total wreck again!  Will I remember everything, will I miss my Garmins tiny little vibration to let me know they have all done 1 minute of running?  Still, I would not miss this moment for all the toilet paper in Morrisons!  I think DiscoRich was very wise in having three leaders, we all help and support each other, we all have each others backs. So when, after all the the introductions were done, the I was in the middle of these people, staring at me.  I could feel them all thinking "Go on, make me a runner", I started waffling on about doing some of our silly drills that we do, when I should have been talking about the two lap walk first!  A quick reminder from the other two leaders brought me back on track and my confidence was back......for now!

The two lap walk around the rec is a brisk one, DiscoRich stepped in to tell them that it's not a stroll in the park it's a power walk!  We started our walk "That's it, brisk walk, like you are after the last pack of toilet rolls" I said.  I am guessing you have all seen whats happening with people and this silliness of stocking up loo roll and hand sanitiser/soaps!  Bloody ridiculous and totally selfish people!  As if that is going to keep the Corona Virus from getting them! Tut! Anyway, that is how they should be walking this bit, and then we do our silly skipping and jumping and what not, all before we start our running!

As I said to them, afterwards, we all have to make sure we are warmed up before we start any sort of exercise! We don't want any injuries suffered just because we didn't warm up at all.  The running started, we splashed our way through the muddy bits.  I am not sure about everyone else, but these days, having a bit of mud on my jog pants almost feels like a badge of honor!  'Look at me and my muddy pants!  Hard core, I've been out running!'  Ok not quite as good as a medal, but somehow you did feel quite proud of your muddiness!  I thought I had set up my Garmin correctly, but only after we started the first walking bit did I realise that I actually had to set to walk for 50 minutes and not 5!  So I was slightly off with my timings, panicked at one stage when I thought we should have been running, but we were only just into the second minute of walking!  I think I got away with it.......blame it on the football coach that was there!!  Ok, so I didn't get away with it.  First week hitches, it's good to get them all out of the way in one go!  The next 8 weeks or so will go so smooth you would think you were running with Barry White on silken roads.  (Feck knows where I come up with my analogies!) Of course we finished with our stretches, warm ups and cool downs are essential for us if we want an injury free running!

Cool Down Stretches

Look at our muddy shoes!
 Wear it with pride!

So that was my Saturday.  No more parkruns for the next couple of months, just watching in wonder as our newly signed up beginners start the running journey.

Double Trouble

Hello blog readers

I have two reports to share with you plus another one a bit late if I can get it written.  One from parkrun day formerly known as Saturday, also Tuesdays run, club run!

So the first one, parkrun day.  it was a special one!  Our CarolWithAnE has reached her second 'milestone' parkrun, her 100th!  Yup!  From those first tentative steps four years ago, with our Petts Wood Beginners course, CarolWithAnE and her lovely hubby RefMichael, came along to see what it was all about!  RefMichael was only there to support CarolWithAnE, but as you know he is still here with us running.  It's been an absolute joy watching CarolWithAnE grow in confidence with her running, even becoming one of our leaders!  You got no idea how I feel just having these two lovely people here with us!  Such pride!

It was an awfully wet morning!  It has been raining since about 08:00 1st January 2020, and not stopped since! It was tough getting out there, but it was CarolWithAnE's special milestone run, we all got out for RefMichaels wet milestone so of course we had to for hers too. CarolWithAnE, all doled up with balloon and sign was eagerly waiting for her name to be called by the Run Director and then we could give her a big cheer, which we would have done even without the shout out!  But as soon as the run began CarolWithAnE soon put some space between us!  I ran/walked the rest of the run with Shalini, who is now going to be expanding her family!  With that in mind all the time we both 'Jeffed' our way around.  We stuck to the 30/30 although sometimes we were chatting and missed a few 'vibrations' on my Garmin, so our running was longer in some places!  But just like the first time I tried the 'formula' we still had a good work out!

We were nearing the finish funnel and this young lady started to talk to us. I wish I could remember her name, her name was Caroline.  She is a cancer survivor and is doing her best to keep fit. She also does podcasts as well to try and encourage other cancer patients to run, Out Run Cancer, as she says!  She had asked about what me and Shalini were doing, the whole 'Jeffing' thing, because she said that she was trying to keep up with us and we were walking as well! She asked if I would have a quick interview for her podcast, I said yes of course, I also asked her to come back to the pavilion for some cake and a chat with our CarolWithAnE!  The best bit of that run was when we got back to the finish line!  To be precise back into the pavilion! Most of us were back, CarolWithAnE was waiting there with her sister and niece, and this beautiful cake that her niece had made.  There were other cakes there to, and Auriols date bar!  I think I must have put on the calories that I lost doing that run!

Club run

So, club run.  It was also our prayer meet up week too, I am sure we were all quietly praying for the rain to stop now!  But fortunately it wasn't raining that evening, although it was still quite damp out! 

I was leader, it was also move up Tuesday week!  I always like to have a little challenge for us in Group 1 just to feel like we have moved up!  But also, Shalini was with us and her growing bump, so I decided to do the hill training, and then Shalini can opt to do as much as she feels!  So Kevington road it was!

There was only four of us running in group 1 but we all kept together really well, in fact sometimes I was leading from the back!  I am deffo going to have to try and kick start my fat arse to do more running!  The days are lighter, yes wetter, but I am not made of sugar!  What I need is someone to literally drag my ass out during the day, just for a 3 miler, just to keep the fat burning going, just to keep my fitness level going up and up! It's not hard is it!??

Anyway, we did it, we all did pretty well!  We even ran up the little hill three times as our 'lets put some extra effort into moveup Tuesday' week!  

Here's our geeky stats.

Club Run!

Hello blog readers.

Yesterday it was club run!  I went, as you can probably guess! But if it wasn't for the fact that CarolWithAnE was leading, for the first time in simply ages, I probably would have stayed under my blanket!  But, like all runs....I am so glad I went out!  Seriously, what is not to like?  The freezing cold?  Yes, I will give you that. The tiredness!  Yes, of course, everyone is tired, yes, you can have that too.  The damp, the rain, the wind!  Ok, so there is plenty not to like, but it still does not compare to that feeling of "Feck yes, I did it!" 

It's true, isn't it?  There is no such thing as bad run!  They might be hard, they might be cut short, you may even hate every second of it until you turn off your Garmin!  But as soon as you have, that's when the thoughts of "Yeah, done it!"  So, running yesterday, it was good.  Just me and Auriol were there supporting Carole for the usual group 1 culprits.  But there were still group 1'ers to chat to!  WendyLC was there, she is working her way back from injury.  Group 1 is great place to start on your recovery!

CarolWithAnE had a great route sorted out, not too hilly, just that first one in the beginning!  A blimmin shocker!  But it's no more that what we do to our beginners after they have at least done 6 or 7 weeks of our course! Wood Rise, I think that's what it's called, right opposite the rec!  But after that cheeky hill everything seemed ok!  I was at the back though, in the pretence of sweeper!  I really do need to up my game, that half marathon is getting closer!  We even did the infamous Cardiac Hill, fortunately we were running down it!  So much nicer!

It was great fun......I can say that now of course....I really do love running, but I do know that my running has suffered since working with this company!  I am not an early bird, I don't like it, i much prefer to be sleeping!  But I am determined......well, in my mind I am determined, just need to get my feet to be as well, Next week!  The days are getting lighter, I am sure my mood gets lighter too!  Get home from work, go for a run, go back to work!  That is going to be my patter.....hopefully!  Fingers crossed!  Get it out there so people can nag me to do it!!!

It's Been Tough!

Hello blog readers.

Well, it's been a while hasn't it readers!  The last time I ran was on the 4th Feb, well, before last Saturday that is! It wasa club run, because I was leader!  It was also the first time some of us got together for a prayer meeting before our run!  How cool is that!  Just a few of us at the moment praying in particular for runners, for our club members, for our leaders and all the little groups that go out during the week other than on Tuesday evenings!  Like the 'run and talk' run, on a Friday morning.  Mind you, if I tried to join that particular group run I wouldn't be doing too much talking as there are not any group 1'ers there at the mo!  But it's good to pray, so readers, if you have anything you need praying about, just let me know!  One other thing, my club run  on the 4th didn't show up on my Garmin because I forgot to charge my watch!  So annoying when that happens!

What else did I do since the last blog, hmm?  Oh yes, yesterday, parkrun at Bexley, Danson Park.  That is a lovely one, I do like that particular venue. Naggy and SnappyH was with me and of course SnappyH was snapping away,  look at these great pictures, and a one from Loulou too!

I have been finding it tough to get motivated during these dark horrid nights, the wind and rain just seem relentless.  Work takes it out of me, especially this last week!  It was the first time I've done a Holiday Club for work!  Oh my goodness, a baptism of fire I should say!  But I loved it, loved the challenge, even though I moaned like anything!  A bit like me with my running/cycling actually!  I am sure when the lighter mornings and evenings are here it will 'feel' a lot better!

So now, I'm up to date with todays running exploits!  A slightly less shorter route than those in marathon training...ok so about 8 miles shorter distance than those doing the training!  We  haf fun though.  Naggy and SnappyH had 'shied' off this morning, mumbling things about doing training for a silly half iron man thingy and SnappyH having prosecco and cake because of celebrating a birthday!  I don't know eh! Excuses!  Some of our other group 1'ers are working, or not quite up to speed for a 10k, it's been such a long while since we've all ran together.

It was the second of our clubs train runs this year.  Where we get a train out and then run back.  It's all for these marathoners that are doing their training, but we come along and join in the fun doing a

I told Tracy that I would be around to collect her about 7;30 this morning!  She had no chance of not going, she couldn't come up an excuse quick enough, well apart from "I shall see what the weather is like"!  Nah, nah, nah!  Ironman, prosecco birthdays and injuries I will accepet....just!  I should have nagged Auriol to come though, Nigel, her hubby, had told me I should have nagged her too, but I thought she had a niggle in her knee! Next time I will nag!

Our train destination this time is Swanley, or, the Llama One!  I love the llamas, I think I would love to own a llama! Of course I took a picture of them, I show it to you a bit further down the blog!  There we all were, Swanley lot plus the Wrotham ad Borough Green lot at St Mary Cray station!  Here, I took this of us all, well, there were a couple in the um, comfort break room!

It is only one stop to Swanley, I think the people on the train already were very pleased about that, not that we were noisy, but all in bright neon colours, it's probably not what you want to see first think in the morning!  The longer distance runners stayed on to go further, we all disembarked at Swanley. There were several groups leaving from here, I of course was in group 1 with Illustrious Leader, I was sweep!  It was just as well, I would probably get lost if I was in the lead!

The weather was kind to us, a bit windy in places, but no rain, even though it was still damp in the air.  I put on my rain jacket just in case, I knew I would be warm though, I had a couple of layers underneath that!  We watched as the the faster groups left and we followed after them, keeping them in our sites for a short while.

We remembered our run last year from Swanley, that was such a lovely weekend, but it was also very special, Gill and Mickey had told us that they had got engaged!  We took a photo of them just by the church that was in the villiage, such a sweet picture.  They were married last year too! So nice!  This year, though, now all the courting has been done and he's got his bride,  he's running with the faster runners and Gill is running with us, still, I had to capture her, a year on!  You never know, next time he will be running a marathon and going with the longer distance runners!

This route is a challenging route, with the uphills that seem to go on for ever!  I always forget these, and I assured Tracy that it wasn't actually going up, it was all in her imagination.  I don't know why she believed me, she has done this train run before!  I think running just let's you forget the bad bits and remember the good bits, the bits where you are at the end, the bits when you realise you have achieved a running goal, an amazing goal, or just beat your pb!  That's the bits us runners remember!  Silly uphill flats we will forget until we run them again!

We came to the llamas!  I told you I would get you a picture, and here it is, well, two actually. They were not close to the  fence but I zoomed in as much as I could!

We also passed these two little beauties I couldn't resist calling them over, and they did move to the fence!  Look how cute they are!

There were still some more undulations and then we could see the buildings!  No more fields, not more running on the road because now there was pavement to run on.  Just on the verge before it all became concrete I saw these growing on the verge, a little bit of colour, a little bit of freshness before boring tarmac started and cars and lorries spluttered their fumes in the air.

The quirkiest site we see on this run is the garage with all the gnomes on top.  Now, either the owner of the gnomes had laid them all down or the wind had knocked them over, but most of them on their side!

We had a last bit of greenery before we ran through the Nugent Center.  The park is a little bit of a green oasis, look, I captured them all and me and Tracy in the last bit of the park!

It was a great run, with some great company! Oh, yes, almost forgot, that last little killer hill that takes up to the train station that we left from, the station that I parked my car outside!  There was no getting away with no running up this one!  "Sigh"

Here is my geeky stats!

Sunday Run!

Hello bloggers

Back on track with my blogging!  It's Sunday and me and Naggy went for a run!  We had to!  We didn't do parkrun yesterday!  I was feeling in the need of a duvet morning!  I so needed it! So to make up for it.........well actually, it's a blimmin necessary thing, So I decided to run this afternoon.  I bumped into Naggy and told her that I was going to go for a run!  Well, it turns out that she could join me so we made plans to go at 3.30.

We normally would have taken the car and drove to Normans park and go round and round the park.  But today we decided to just run from our green, just over 3 and half miles, it turns out, but it had to be done.

I had my music ready, Garmin poised to record my route and Naggy and Benji, ready to set the pace!  We turned on all our gadgets and then started our run.  At first, as we were getting warmed up we were not that far apart and could probably hold a conversation (if I could answer her that is)  I ran to keep up with Naggy, I know she was not running as fast as she usually did, but I was still struggling!  I was pleased with Benji had to stop for his 'comfort break'  "Just run your pace" she said, "We will always catch up to you, and you will catch up to us with the many poo and wee stops" She said!  I was quite pleased with that.  I got into my own stride after that and relaxed a bit! 

Naggy stopped at various places on our route, Benji obviously didn't need that many poo and wee stops that I could catch them up and over take them!  Our route was through the park near us, the tractor park, as the kids call it, then we ran out the other side of the park and then along the road until the A21!  A lovely road!  Oh my goodness, when I was training for the marathon I ran this road quite a lot!  Have I told you that I ran a marathon, two in fact, the Virgin London Marathon.....oh I have, ok!  So anyway we ran to the A21 and turned right (thankfully!) and ran towards Crown Lane.  Our route is only going to be just over a parkrun, so it will be straight down Southborough and then  through our local park!

All the way, Naggy in front just running so easy or so it seems, Benji looking like he was just out for an afternoon Sunday stroll....oh hang on...he was!  And me, struggling to keep up but actually enjoying myself! Weirdly! 

So, another boring blog, but so blimming pleased I have another entry in my blog diary!  For twelve years I have been blogging!  Some have been amusing, some have been tear jerkers, some have been completely off the wall!  But most of them..... no, no,  all of them have been with me saying or intimating "I am so glad I did that!"  Thanks  Naggy for coming with me!

Geeky stats

Club Run - Leading

Hello blog readers

It's a bit late I know!  But it's here!.......ok no rolling your eyes!  Club run, me leading, it's the only guaranteed way of getting me out there while I am tired, it's dark, it's cold and my two other Angels were not coming!  Neither we some of my other running buddies, Shalini was particularly quiet!!  But CarolWithAnE was there, so good to have her back in club again, Auriol was there and Tracy was there too, only because I picked her up!  I thin she would have not gone either.  I'm telling you, group 1's mojos have all gone into hibernation!  But I am sure if there is a least one of us running each time it gives us all a boost and encouragement to try and get out next time!

So, me leading this week and next week, I decided to do a nice gentle route, with just the one hill, up Kingsway.  Well, when I say one hill, the other little ones aren't really hills, the are more bumpy flat bits.  We started off real slow, to try and warm up!  I don't think I ever warmed up!  My legs were just so cold.  I didn't take off any layers as I was running around.

There were seven of us in group 1, I am sure they were expecting me to take them on a hilly route but not this week!  Next time I will be taking them on a bit of a hilly one!  Hills are our friends!  So I keep telling myself!  I am sure they are good for us!  Having booked on to the Paddock wood half marathon there needs to be some good running and that includes hills! 

We had a fab time anyway!  As you can see, I am a little late in delivering this blog! This blimmin work stuff don't half knacker you out!  So I shall just sign off this one and start my other one in a minute! 

Geeky stats

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