Path Finder Does A Flip!

Hello Bloggers.

What a run it was this evening! 'Little Boy Lost' had made an appeal for some one to show him the way for next weeks 'Mob Match' between our club and our neighbouring club. So I persuaded Nagging Sister to to run in the evening rather than at 2 ish. Which she agreed. Crazy Fool was quite happy to run at 5.30 today. Also another surprise guest runner was Big Son! I persuaded him to come along for a run as well!

AT 4:50 Nagging Sister called me saying that she didn't want to go!! I just went into complete 'Nag Mode' and got her back on side, I quickly said see you at mine soon and put the phone down before she could say anything else. I know she will enjoy it once we get started.

So, introductions done, we walked out of the rec, "Come on, this is a run not a walk" I said. And with that we all started running, the same route that Crazy Fool and I did on Tuesday with our group one.

I warned Little Boy Lost that Nagging Sister would moan all the way round, well, she had so far with me, but as we were heading up the hill, there was still not a peep out of her! "She is not moaning yet" he say, but then Nagging Sister said "Wait till we get to the woods with all those insects, then I will start"

We soon reached the woods, and I had remembered what our group leader said on Tuesday "As long as you keep left, and the rail way lines on your left, you are not going to go wrong!" I was quite glad she said that, as I had said I knew the way!, I was the path finder today!

It was all going just splendidly. The land mark 'Dog Poo' ally turned exactly where I thought it should, which means I DIDN'T GET LOST and from here it was just plain sailing! Everyone knows this way, even Nagging Sister is getting to know this bit, in fact, even Crazy fool is getting to know this bit.

Big Son, however, has never been on this route, yet he was out in front, and having to ask which way to go. He thinks he is the path finder! After 'Dog Poo' ally it's fairly straight forward. Nagging Sister has been this way enough times now, her confidence grew, and boy did it show. Signs of the old Nagging sister showed themselves!

But, and this is a 'doozy' of a but, Little Boy Lost noticed how very uneven the path was, with all the tree roots and bricks and rocks and what not, and said "It's a bit of a trip hazard here" Two minutes later, just two minutes, I tripped up on said tree roots, did this brilliant tumble, worthy of any stunt Angelina Jolie would do in the Tomb Raider films, it was spectacular! After I dusted myself off, and told everyone that I was ok, (other words, giving them permission to pee themselves laughing) then we carried on with our run.

It was fairly uneventful from here. Little Boy Lost only once said, that he would have taken the wrong path (oops, sorry, a different path), which is up, up up that hill that Nagging sister don't like! (but still seems to run most of it)

So, to stop you all getting bored, Nagging sister came back, nagged me stupid when I slowed down, and she wanted to move, Little Boy Lost and Crazy Fool ran the whole of the route, you know the bit around the cricket pitch as well, (me and Nagging Sister just ran to the pavilion) and Big Son acquired a couple of blisters on his feet, both me and the Old Boy said it was probably his socks rubbing as they were all scrunched up under his feet!

So, geeky stats for all you readers

Prequel: The Mob Match

Hello Blog readers.

This evening was a very gentle run. We were familiarising ourselves with the route for next Tuesday, when we go head to head with another Runner group, Orpington Road Runners. We just need to be sure that there are many of us Wiley coyote's, so that we out number them!

The route is going to be a little further than our usual distance, but it is just so do able, and it's through our woods as well, just lovely. I am looking forward to it, and so is 'Crazy Fool' the new name for my mate, formally known as MIB.

We started running on the roads, heading for Orpington Road. From there we are going to nip into the woods and run along side the railway lines. When we came to the end of this bit and stopped to re-group I realised where we were! The rest of the way is going to even better because I knew where we were going. We had a bit of a pep talk about our next weeks run, the Mob match, and we were all raring to give them all a run for their money, on our turf!

Well I almost knew where we where heading! Because as we started to head up to Botony Bay we turned left and ran along side the little brook there. This was going to be even easier than I first thought. I was keeping up with the main group so far, and so was Crazy Fool. He even noticed that I was able to hold a conversation with him as well!

We popped out of the woods and was on Goss hill ready to turn left into Barfield Road. Another little re-group here, and more pep talk. We started running again, and just as well we did because out of the woods popped group 3 (or was it 4) "Keep smiling ladies, and Crazy Fool, we can't be seen to be slacking" I said. They soon caught us up though, as we were running through the tunnel we heard "Come on keep it moving" from Mr.S a group 3 (4?)member. They so as easily over took us. They were getting some practice in on the Mob match route too.

Oh blimey. I forgot, I supposed to be keeping my blogs short. Well, as most of us pretty much knew the way home now, we kind of all done our own pacefrom here. The main body of the group seemed to have found stamina, or maybe they just got caught up with the faster group, me and Crazy Fool ran at our pace, and there was a couple of newbies who were running with the group leader, who was busy in her other role as back marker, or sweeper.

We kind of got slightly confused as we were running on the road towards our start point. We were to enter the ground at the other entrance. We saw the main body of our group ahead of us, so at least we did turn the right direction from Little Thrift, but then we got a little confused as to where Towncourt lane was. We trusted our instincts though and ended up in the right place.

We saw our group outside the pavilion and ran towards them. We stood around for a little while, chatting, like you do. And then I realised I hadn't turned off my Garmin! But still, 4 miles, not bad and I felt pretty good. I think Crazy Fool did too (By the way, his new name was his idea, it was written on his t-shirt above a picture of Mr.T)

Geeky stats, you can see it was a very nice leisurely run this evening.

Rocky MMXI

Hello blog readers.

Another lovely afternoon for a run through the woods. Nagging Sister is with me again this afternoon, and is looking forward to toady's run.

I told her that we are going to be doing the same route, but in the opposite direction, and with a little be extra woody bit. She looked a bit apprehensive, but I know that she can do it.

And blimey, was I right! What on earth had she been eating, must be plenty of pasta. She did ask "Is it a mile yet" just as we were about a quarter of a mile in, but I could tell she was joking. I think she must have over dosed on pasta between Thursday and today!

As the Garmin beeped its one mile alarm Nagging Sister was still running well. She did ask me to slow down a tad but still, she not doing too bad. The hill was next. I felt sure that she would complain a bit here, and slow down. I do hope so, I am looking forward to my turn to nag! All my running buddies, that I have been running with, have been faster and fitter than me! Maybe that is a good thing, to keep on my toes! But imagine my disappointment when old Nagging Sister attacked the hill and looked as if she is going to run the whole thing to the top! Well that would really cheese me off! I still struggle with hills! How can I nag her if she is running up hill while I am struggling to get there!

Once at the top of the hill, (she got there before me!) I could at least nag her for sitting down on the seat there! But the it was running on the flat, and I did speed up at bit, just so that she could say "Slow down!" I felt a little bit better then. And I also felt quite smug when I said we were running up hill, rather than the way she was heading, down hill to the little bridge over the stream!

Well, running through the woods is lovely, and I knew she would like it. Who wouldn't? The great down hill run, I made sure I ran the whole way, at least I think I did. Her pasta addiction (I'm sure that's what she been eating) has made her have go faster legs!

As we were heading for the three bridges she was in front of me! not only that, at one point she told me to "Come on move it!" Nagging Sister is making a break from 'Belly mould' that she has been hiding in!

We got to the last bridge and I said to Nagging Sister, "Come on then, run to the top" I stated to sing the Rocky theme music just as we were about to go up the steps. "Da dada da dada da da da, da dada da dada da da da" and I flew up the stairs with Nagging sister at my side. I got to the top and I did the whole 'Rocky dance' routine at the top. We tried to run across the top "ARRGGHHHH that hurt" I said, as the pain in my thighs kicked in! Nagging sister too was feeling it. But still, I took my opportunity to at least have a go at the whole nagging thing, (I know I am not going to be top dog much longer) just to see what its like on the dark side, "Ok, I want you to run the rest of the way non stop" So just as we set foot of the steps of the last bridge we both took a deep breath and ran the rest of the way. I could hear Nagging Sister behind me, I knew I had to get to the car before her, so for the last 100 yards or so it was a sprint finish from me. I just wished I had enough breath to have told Nagging Sister, she used to always say that to me!


Geeky stats from today's run,

The Red Running Shoes!

Hello Bloggers

What a wonderful morning it was this morning. The sun shining through my window, waking me up and reminding me that I had agreed to an early run, before church, with the Old Boy today. I was actually looking forward to it!

Do you remember the story of the Red Shoes, by Hans Christian Anderson, they just had to dance? Well the Old Boy has invested in some new running shoes,(they are red as well) and he was showing off like a kid a Christmas. As he was trying them on at home, he was pretending that they were 'running away' because these shoes were made for running! He was pretending that he had to control them! Tut so childish (So jealous me!!, I want new shoes) Let's just see if the new shoes work for him!

We were doing the (now) usual route. We parked the car at Tent Peg Lane. I was busy trying to find satellites for my Garmin as the Old Boy bounced about in his new shoes. I was still delicate from the whole weekend. It's been a grand weekend. Friday was my mates wedding reception, and of course I celebrated with her in the only style one should celebrate a union of two loving soles, and that is with plenty of alcohol and dancing!

Then on Saturday, it was getting up very late morning, shopping (to buy the new running shoes) and then me and the Old Boy had our own 'Tour de'Bromley' as we cycled out around our area, (visiting a couple of public houses) I think we must have cycled around 12 or 13 miles. I hadn't taken my Garmin and the Old Boys bike gizmo refused to work properly. But it didn't matter, we were just out having fun, in the wonderful summer evening air, we even ended it with a kebab, well I did anyway!

So, excuses out of the way, and don't forget, the Old Boys new shoes, I don't think I did too badly at today's run! The Old Boy did start off with me, but of course, his new shoes had a life of their own, and just stole him away, and left me looking at the little red cats on the backs of his shoes, which really got to me, as he said to me, when he put them on "Do you see these cats here, that is the last thing you will see when I start running"

As we were running past the hotel I thought I would just see how far the Old Boy was in front of me. I saw the Old Boy reach a the shadow of the trees on the road and then made a mental note of the time, then I checked the time as I reached that point. He was a whole minute in front of me! And we still hadn't reached the 1 mile mark! It must be the shoes.

So from that point onwards I was running my own run. I was presuming that the Old Boy wouldn't be waiting for me.(Or at least the red shoes wouldn't be waiting for me) He needed to run his own run, find out how far he can push himself. He has a watch on him and he started the timer to time himself. I will no doubt see him at the end, waiting and tapping his feet (trying to tame the shoes!) and pointing to his watch!

I tried very hard to stay focused and keep running. But this is me, still bloomin lazy, so still did some walking sections, especially up those hills. I tried to think of anything else rather than the running, I tried not to think about the wonderful down hill sections that I let the hills just drag me along. I tried not to think about those railway bridges that I have to cross, or the muddy puddles, dogs and their owners, flying insects attacking my face! I really did. And for most of it I managed to do so. I thought about the lovely morning, how it was going to be a lovely sunny day today, I thought about church and what will be spoken about and what songs we will sing. I thought about the holidays, the two weekends we will be having next month.

Before long I was heading for the last bridge! I was then thinking about pushing myself to go as fast as my fat little engines will take me! Visualising the Old Boy at the end. And there he was. "Come on, you're doing well, go on!"

I dug as deep as I could and ran as fast as I was able. I stopped my Garmin as soon as I got to the Old Boy.! "Well done" he said to me. Yep I think so, after the boozy weekend I have had, I am not too unhappy with this run!

Did the Old Boys new shoes 'work?' Well, he did his run in about 34 minutes! So I'm guessing yes!

Geeky Stats

The Worm Has Turned!

Hello blog lovers.

Well today I am smiling. I was out running again today, the same route as the previous ones lately, only this time I was running with Nagging Sister. Do you all remember her, from way back when I was this Old couch potato, and she turned into Nagging Sister!

When I told her about the route today, through the woods and things, she said "There are no hills, is there Old girl" "NO! I said, thankfully I was on the end of my phone and she couldn't see me crossing my fingers! "It is so much better than running around Normans park three times" I said to her. But I think she likes to know the ending. "The woods are lovely to run through, so much more interesting" I said truthfully!

She arrived at my house and went upstairs to get changed. I wanted her to drive to the start point, just so that she didn't get an inkling of where we were heading, because then she might realise that the are just a couple of small hills! I sat in her car,.... and it swallowed me up! what on earth she been doing in her car. I tried to adjust the backrest and raise the seat. It was like something out of 'Keystone cops' scenarios! I was falling all over the place, ending up almost laid flat out! Of course Nagging sister was in fits of laughter and couldn't quite tell me which levers I should be pulling or pushing.

So after the bendy work out in her car we arrived at 'Dog Poo' ally. The it dawned on her! "Oh this is where we used to ride our bikes" she said, "There are hills in there!" I just smiled and said "You won't even notice them, you will be just enjoying the run" and avoiding all the muddy puddles I thought to myself! with a little grin. My sister is like me, she doesn't like the whole nature thing, mud and spiders and buzzing insects flying in her face!

I could hear her behind me (Yes that's right she is behind me) screaming and 'arrgghing' as the little creatures flew at her. And even the prickles that were growing over the path she was moaning at just like......well like me!! It felt good. Just remembering how she used to drag my ass around Normans Park, and push me to just make just one lap, and now here I was dragging her ass through nature at its best!

It wasn't until we got to the the path just beside the railway line that I had realised I hadn't started my Garmin, I had it all ready, it showed my heart rate monitor, and then it asked if we were indoors or not, but I had forgotten to push the start! So you will see the Geeky stats start from the railway lines, it is only about .44 of a mile in, but Nagging Sister is thinking that we had done a mile already!

Our first hill came, and we more or less managed to run up it. I think we both did stop for a very quick breather, and then caught our breaths at the top of the hill. "Do you remember this, when we were cycling around these woods" I asked her "Yes I do" she said. And again back then it was her dragging my backside and telling me to keep up with her. I must be fitter than I was back then, rather than Nagging Sister just being less fitter than she was. I know its a combination of both, but still feels so good, and is keeping a smile on my face.

We were heading down, down, down the steep hill. The hill that we took our bikes on back in 2008. The field now occupied by cows rather than the bored looking sheep. The cows just looking at us strangely, as if to say 'Hey, slow down, chill out, whats the rush" as they munch their way through the grass.

I could hear Naggy sister again 'Arrgghhhing and ooouuucchhing' behind me as we run down the hill, I just smiled away enjoying the hill do all the work. We were soon on to the road part of the run though. And again Nagging Sister remembered how I used to complain like anything trying to get up there after our riding session. "This used to be hard to ride up" she said "Is it still going to be hard to run up?" I just nodded, and smiled. We attacked the hill as best we could, but we did both walk again. Then on to Jubilee Park.

Running through here, on the tarmac path, no weeds or stinging nettles to negotiate through and she still complaining! I can't see the end, its never ending, where is the end" She says, I just laughed, because that used to be me, not that long ago as well! But back in 2008 trying to get around Normans Park just once, it was like an impossibility back then, and Nagging Sister yelling at me to "Move it woman!"

"Just one bridge to cross over" I said to her then the rest of the way on the road to the car. "Or you can do three bridges" She kind of grumpled to me that bridges was not even in her thoughts for next year let alone now! But after we did the first bridge and we ended up on the road, she was desperately looking for her car. "We got to run up this road first" I told her, "Or you could run this way and do the other two bridges and then pop out of 'Dog Poo' ally again. This time she said "Yeah, why no, in for a penny in for a pound" And we head on through to the next bridge, which she promptly fell up!

We ran back down the other bit of path to the tunnel and back to the car. I made a mental note of the distance between the place I started my Garmin to the car, and it was .44 of a mile, so all in all we ran for just over 3 miles, in about 40 odd minutes.

Geeky stats, but remember, I only started my Garmin after we had ran .44 of a mile in

Snake Bites and Tigers!

Hello blog lovers.

Its Wednesday, its raining, and me and the Old Boy are out running tonight! I am quite getting used to the whole rain thing, with me out in it with no umbrella! I look at it as I can't possible look any worse than I do after a good run.

Our start point today is Tent Peg lane! Yes, you guessed it, we are going to do that hill again! The Old Boy is an old Sergeant major P.T. instructor from a previous life. But I guess its doing me, at least, some good. But I already start to give my excuses, I am tired, my toes keep cramping, I lost my lungs yesterday! Well, the lungs I can find tonight as we are doing exactly more or less the same route.

"The first mile is going to be a 10 min mile pace" says the Old Boy. Do what?, who does he think I am, Speedy Gonzales on amphetamines! He will just have to be satisfied with 11.30 min mile pace, the pace that my running club go at. I was feeling tired, two small children and a toddler group session tends to do that to me, I am getting old you know!

We set off through the park, I heard the Old Boy complain about the tiny little hill, saying how he hates these little ones, but we have only just set off. Maybe his idea of a 10 min mile is a pipe dream now, but I soon realised he was joking about the small pimple that we just ran up.

I was keeping an eye on my Garmin, I looked at it and it said 11.25 min pace. I knew I just couldn't manage to do a 10 min pace. We were soon at Barfield road. I know this is about a mile into our run, I was waiting to hear the 'Bleep bleep' of my Garmin to tell me that we had done a mile. It came just as I went under the bridge, and the Old boy had turned left, out of sight. 10.18 mins! Well there you go Old Boy there is your 10 min mile. But I was trying desperately to keep all my 'offal' in my body, and trying to get my breathing under control.

Up the dreaded hill. The Old Boy was waiting for me at the little bridge. He wasn't going to let me run behind him on this hill. He was there every painful, lung busting, breathless step up the hill, "Keep going, on stopping! Come on push those legs, use those big engines!" Hard work, let me tell you that! At some point on this hill I just stopped dead cried out "urgggghhh" and bent over, trying to regain my breath. "Whats up, a snake bite ya, did a tiger jump out" Said the Old Boy sympathetically, "What you stopped for?" Obviously I couldn't answer him. But as soon as I regain my composure it was back to jogging.

At the top of the hill, I did manage to have a small breather, and I noticed that the other guy, that went before us up the hill, also had a breather here. I didn't feel that bad then

The other small, less steep hill I managed to stay behind the Old Boy, because I knew I would be walking just a bit of this. My legs just don't seem to be able to run up hills. I am sure they will, one day. I must remind myself that I have never run any distance before 2010, and I am old now. Things will take longer to get fitter.

The downhill sections I really do try to 'use' the hill to keep me going. My legs are starting to complain now, the whole mental thing happening in my head about stopping, and walking is really playing on my mind, and I know I have those three bridges to conquer as well. Oh well just get on with it, not far now.

The Old Boy was relentless in his nagging, I used to think Naggy Neighbour was bad! (By the way, just had tea with her and told her this, and now she has threaten to up the anti with her nagging too!) "You're running up every set of steps" Well let me tell you, he pushed me up the second set of steps!

From the last bridge steps I made sure I ran the whole way to the finish, but the Old Boy wanted everything I had left from the last 200 hundred yards to the car! I tried, I really did.

I looked at the Garmin, it said 43 mins, "that's quicker that last time" I was quite pleased with that, until I just checked the geeky stats. I was in fact a minute slower! The Old Boy is not pleased!

Geek stats

Club Run, And That Hill Again!

Hello Blog readers.

Yes we did that hill again, but our leader of group 1 today was very kind on us and took us in the opposite direction that we did last week. I was quite looking forward to That Hill now.

But first of all, pick up MIB. As I knock on the door he answered it, and I was greeted with a "All ready" spoken to me with a mouthful of chips! I can't believe he was eating, maybe he just pinched a couple from someones plate! But then he did tell me he had actually shared half a portion! He is so going to regret that soon.

So, after the club talk, all the group leaders told us of our routes and off we went. It was a lovely evening for running, not too warm, and its not raining! Which is what kept me on my backside last night! I was looking forward to a good run today. I have had a few lazy days, ....... ok 4 lazy days to be exact! So I should do very well tonight, or very bad.

MIB informed me that he wasn't really feeling up to it either, but never did he think "I am no going to go tonight" It seems like the running bug has started to affect him now.

So, the run! It was good! The paths were not too muddy, and by now, I know exactly where we are going. It seems I am becoming a native of these woods. I am no longer just a street raker, I can go through the woods and know exactly where we are going to end up, (well on this particular run that is)

We had a couple of newbies in our group 1 today, and interestingly, one was at the back, and the other was at the front (the one at the front said she had never done any running before!) I comforted myself by saying "She is young, and built like a racing snake!, so of course she is going to be at the front"

Running along by the railway we had to stand against the fence to let some cyclists through, which gave me a very quick breather, then it was down hill for a tad before the uphill to Botony Bay. I managed to run to the top of this hill, with just one very short walk before I got to the top. The instead of turning right, we headed left towards that lovely down hill section,. I am already smiling thinking about it. Just before we got there though, it was the cyclists turn to wait for us to run past them, as they were coming along the path the we were heading down!

MIB was doing his own thing, he no longer needs to hold my hand. Ok, so he is faster than me as well! I will just have to push myself harder. But right now, I am happy that I am not right at the back, but I know I need to be pushing myself, getting better, fitter and faster.

At the bottom of the hill now, a lovely, 'let the hill do all the work' section, and then heading up the hill to Blackbrook lane! The its just on the flat through Jubilee park, over the bridge and head on back to the pavilion. As we were heading to Jubilee that the group leader gave me some good advice. And I know I will listen to this advice and act on it, it's about my footwear. I have this over pronounced thing going on, (or was it under pronounced) its where my feet actually turn inwards, and this could give me knee problems later on. I am always telling the Old boy and I told MIB about the importance of proper running shoes, so this is how I know I am going to take Coaches advice.

My shoes are virtually worn out anyway, so I will soon be going to get a 'Gait analysis' done, and then I can buy the best type of running shoe. And you never know, it may help me run faster, coach said so!

For the last bit after the park, it was on the roads, and I really tried to push a little harder. From Blackbrook lane the group were told to run at what ever pace they wanted. It was fairly straight forward last bit of run to the pavilion, so the group was a bit spread out. I still wasn't last, but I know by now, I should be well in among the pack. So I pushed harder and tried to catch up to the group. I had as much chance as finding rocking horse poop in the woods than catch up to them, but it gave me a focus to run for.

I rocked up (did you notice that little pun there too) to the the group and said "We need to go....... I dropped my lungs somewhere back there!" After I regained my composure, Coach said to me "Show me your shoe and I will show you what I mean" Well, anybody who knows me knows that I hate feet!, so taking my shoe off off in front of everyone, after just running for three miles was not something I usually do. But we are all runners here, I thought, everybody talks about feet and shoes, and hard skin, and yucky things like that.

Anyway, a great run, MIB got back a few minutes before me. I reckon in a few weeks he will be joining the big boys group.

So Geeky stats,