The Tortoise And The Hare!

Some of the PWR's

Hello blog lovers!

I'm not so sure about todays title really, it should have been Mad Dogs And Englishmen!, but I had this title in mind for quite some time! Well ever since Big Son accepted my challenge to a race over a 10k hilly course!  My son hasn't done an awful lot of training, well not that I have seen. The only training he has done is to abuse the rest days! Sleeping, eating, and playing playstation games!

Big Son!

The event was the Orpington Runners 10k annual  race, and this is my first time entering it. It is also the first event of our PWR Grand Prix for 2013/14.  It was a lovely morning! The sun was up and bright and shining at 6 o'clock this morning!  Already it felt warm.  I couldn't sleep much after I woke up, and just laid quietly waiting for the alarm to go, or for the Dude to wake me up, my grandson! I had him over night, and to 'nobble' the opposition I had him sleeping with his uncle in his big bed, Dude is not one for sleeping by himself, he likes cuddles, and talking, and fidgeting, and generally keeping everyone else awake except himself!

At 6:45 the dude came into our bed, climbed up between me and the Old Boy and promptly fell asleep!  I laid there for the last 15 minutes and the alarm went off.  It's no good, time to get up, into the shower and get some porridge inside and a cuppa.

Eventually everyone else was awake and ready, except the Dude, he was still sleeping, I gently woke him up and then took him over to his great nanny, Nanny Jean Bean! Then me and Big Son made our way to Darrick Wood school, for the start of the event. 

The sun was really heating up the morning, it must be in the early 20's and it was only 8:30!  I just hope they can keep that water chilled half way around!  We got our numbers and timing chips and attached them to our shirts and shoes.  The other PWR's all made their way, and we set up the PWR flag!

9:25! Time to get to the start! I placed my self in the 1 finish start, alongside Big Son.  "See you by the car then" said Big Son with a smirk on his face.  He has been ribbing me all week about how he is going to totally thrash me in this race.  Bless him, he still hasn't quite grasped the idea of who is the 'actual' winner. Him because he will, probably, cross the finishing mats first, or me, because I have managed to get my son out of his pit, away from the computers and playstations, early on a Sunday morning, doing something more healthier?

9:30 and we're off! Big Son showed no mercy as he sped off around the field, I just smiled and plodded along.  This is going to be a very warm race indeed.  Experience has showed me that it's no good tearing off as fast as you can, even if it is not as hot as it is!  I looked at my Garmin, even then I was going slightly faster that I wanted to.  There were people behind, as long as I keep some of them behind me I will be happy. Coming in last, is not an option!

The route took us around the edge of the field and then off into the woods, where I was greeted with "Yeah Go Old Girl" and I realised this wasn't merely because I had my name on my shirt, but that she did know me, it was Ali from ORR, (from the time we got slightly miss-routed on a mob match day)  We then popped out on to a field . The sun was beating down, and there was no shade! Any other day we would be praying for days like this! to be sitting out in our gardens, maybe with a BBQ in mind for the afternoon, but running around in the sun, would not even enter our mind plus it is incredibly hard.  My mind went back to the marathon, (he he he, erm, did I tell you I did the marathon?) and how the sun was really warm them, but not as warm as it is now.  At least I only have 6 miles to do. 

We crossed over the A21, the police and marshals holding up the traffic for us.  I wonder if they will still be about for the return later! Then it was the first bit of the road section.   There is not a lot of road running in this 10k, its mainly fields and woods, which I love doing. Or should I say it's mainly fields! I am glad I put sun cream on today, and I even asked one of the other PWR ladies if I could use hers to reapply some more!  Running along the roads, looking at the drivers patiently waiting for us runners to pass by, all sweating and hot, and wondering "Why?" Again, the phrase Mad dogs and Englishmen, came to mind.

The road section went quickly and we were back into the fields.  I hadn't passed anybody, and nobody had passed me, I looked behind to see if I could still see some people, and I was pleased to say they were there, although closing in!  I picked up the pace  tiny tad, as much as I dare, and just put in a little bit more distance.

The route now has us all running around in circles! I saw people coming in one direction as I was heading in the other direction. I could see people way off in front of me, slightly to my left, running one way, yet there were still more heading in a different way when I looked to my left behind me! I couldn't figure out how it all worked.  I will just have to really listen to the marshals, I don't want to be getting lost, or heading in the wrong direction, or taking short cuts!

Just then I heard my name being called enthusiastically again, and I saw Janet up ahead. There she was waving, with her camera ready to snap away, I hoped I was smiling! In this heat and sunshine it was probably squinty eyes and a grimace!  The route took a right turn to run around yet another field. We ran around there and then headed back up to the path we came down on.  See what I mean about it being round and round in circles. 

Big Son was nowhere to be seen, I presumed he was just breezing through this, wishing that he hadn't challenged his mother, because then he could still be sleeping!  I saw a couple of young ladies ahead of me, and both me and a chap that I had been 'pacing', both over took them.  That is the first time that I have done any over taking so far, apart from 'pacing man'. I passed by a marshal who called out after me "Go on Old Girl" He knew me! Facebook is indeed a very social site! So many Internet friends and even some of my blog readers where here marshaling! 

The water stop was a very welcome sight! I took a cup of water as the water marshall very kindly filled my water bottle for me, I then carried on. I was just about to go through the gate and I stopped for some reason just to check, when I head a voice from the water marshal, "Ooops, sorry not that way, around the field" I knew that, I knew that! I knew I had to go around the field, you can see all the cups leading that way, I just must be delirious from heat! Again, the phrase Mad dogs and Englishmen came to mind. I over took my pacing buddy on this bit of field, and decided that this chap is going to be my race.  He needs to stay behind me!

It was while running along this bit of field just up ahead I saw my son! He had his tee shirt off and was walking! "Ha, ha!" I thought to my self. I caught him up and chatted a while, I let him use my water to pour over his head.  For a moment it seemed as if was going to be quite happy to 'tag' along with me, until, that is, I reminded him that this is a race! "Well, ok, if you you're ok" and then he went off! But from then on wards, he was hardly ever out of my sight!  Now the title of todays blog comes in play.  No son, it is not going to be a total breeze to beat this Old Girl, this little old tortoise easily in a 10k race, especially when you have done no training whatsoever!

I had my 'pacing buddy' behind me. I think I can keep him behind me, as long as he don't speed up, and as long as there is no more hills to run up! But, I knew that there is a least one more hill to do! I heard them all talking about it before the race, it's at the last 1km!  Just when you need it! NOT!  We crossed over the road together, and then started on the second bit of road running.  The marshals were still all very enthusiastic, I was really pleased to see them all cheering us on. In this heat, just standing around can take it out of you!  One of the marshals on this bit of road recognised me, from my ramblings in my blogs! "I'm looking forward to your blog later" she called out to me.   This is where pacing buddy got in front of me!  I was dying with the heat! My bottle of water being poured over me as well as in me! I kept saying to myself, "It's not long to go now"

I caught up to him, and again we crossed over the main road, the A21. Just a little further now, but at least its through the woods, hopefully some shade. We did stay in the shade, running through the trees, it was just perfect.  But pacing buddy was still in front of me. Big Son was not in sight any more, but I know that I am not last as I did manage to pass those two young ladies at the water station.

This is where the 'little' hill is! And really it is a little hill, but after doing all those miles it feels like mount Everest! My pacing buddy seem to fly up it. "That's done it, that's my race finished!" I thought to myself. I kept plodding along, I took one more swig of my water and then handed the rest to the marshal, I wanted to be able to push that little bit harder once on the field. 

As I emerged from the woods I saw my racing pacing buddy ahead of me. If I pushed it, I could over take him, I could beat him to the finish! I ran and ran, I got a little bit faster, I was sweating, I was hot, and I wanted an ice cream! But there he was, I started to gain on him, and I was absolutely thrilled when I over took him on the field! Yes, blooming yes! I did it!  My Garmin told me it was in 1:20:14, the gun time was 1:20:40 but the chip time was spot on with my Garmin!

Oh and Big son he came in at 1:18:16! not quite the total annihilation that he had planned! But, seriously, who is the winner here?

Geeky stats

The Mighty Moosh!

Hello Blog lovers!

It's Thursday, and I am really enjoying my new Thursday sessions with the PWR's.   I feel sure they are working, I can 'plank' till the leader says "And rest" (just about), but today was particularly good fun as I and the rest of the very brave souls, who ventured out this evening, was introduced to something completely different!  Well by the way Emma showed her stuff then I think she has done a few sessions with Adele before!

We started off with some gentle jogging to warm up, 2 laps of the rec. Then once back it was straight into drills and then some more running!  And boy did Adele make us run today! Oh, by the Adele is taking the session today, she does personal training as well, I believe, but in another guise, she trains knockout stars! Anyway, the running was pretty good, hard work of course, but that's why we are here!

The rec was divided into 4 and our task today was to run 80% for the first quarter, then the second quarter just a slow jog, then 80% for the next......and then run for 100%. No slow jog, no walking, but 100% to the finish. We had a little rest after, for about 30 seconds and then Adele said, "Ok, lets go again!" and she had a smile on her face!

I sucked in a load of air, and followed after the rest of the team! There was about 8 of us doing the session today, I think the wet stuff falling gently from the sky put a few of the others off!  We did that fast running one more time! I was sweating, but I think I gave as much as I could have done.  Then the new exercise. Boxercise! Something I have never tried before, and I think 99% of todays team hasn't either.  But what great fun it was.  I think the last time I put on a pair of boxing gloves was when my brothers were about 11 years old, and for Christmas one of them had a punch ball as a gift!  My goodness that was like 40 odd years ago!!! How scary is that!?

After a few rounds with gloves and pads, (did I say what total fun it was), and a cool down jog around the rec, the session continued with the core training, planks and this kind of 'legs up and lift  your butt of the ground with tummy thing', and then this V abs thingy!, I think I did about 2 of those! All done on the mats that Adele kindly bought along as well.    She is a tough session Leader! And I just loved it!  I think the rest of the team did as well! Including Nanny McPhee Michele and SingStarJo who showed up for their first Thursday session, at least I think it was SingstarJo's first.

What more can I say? Is the Thursdays working, yup I believe they are! What's for next Thursday? Rest days now, till the Orpington 10k on Sunday.

A Lap Of Honour!

Hello blog lovers.

I am needing to get a few miles running in this week because of the race and the family challenge I have this weekend coming.  The Orpington 10k, which I am running with my son.  My training has consisted of running.....obviously, cycling, resting when necessary and getting myself mentally prepared for the race.

My son, on the other hand, has prepared by, obviously, resting.  A growing lad of his age needs so much sleep, eating pot noodles, playing computer games, occasionally venturing outside of the house and thinking about when his next pot noodle will be ready.

My route today, is our usual summer route, (as it's become), so it looks like I am going to have to make friends with Goss Hill.  I don't want to be defeated by this hill anymore!  But it is hot (I write this as I delve in to the Old Girls book of excuses) and I am feeling a tad tired.  Needless to say I didn't manage to get up in in one, I did it in two.  But the Old Boy said to me that we are not going to stop at the top for a breather, we are going to continue, continue through to the gates at the other end.

I thought to myself, "Old Girl, you gotta give it a go" with that in mind once I got to the top, I turned left straight away and carried on running.  Something I have never done before! But I carried on, I carried on till the gates at the end, then I carried on up the path/road to the bridle path and I carried even further. In fact all the way up the first little hill, and then up some of the next bigger hill!.  I didn't quite manage to run all the way.  But I was pleased with my effort to that point.

Once at the top of this hill I ran non stop, with maybe just one slight walking bit, all the way to the little river, the Kidbrook.  A good run today, I was pleased with what I had done.  I don't think it is any quicker than what I have done before, even though the fact I probably have done more running on this particular time!  I feel as if I should have taken my trophy on this run, like a lap of honour for all the races I had to enter to gain the points to win the trophy! But I think that is going slightly over the top!

So geeky stats for you :-)

A Mid Summers Dream!

Hello Blog lovers.

As promised yesterday, my blog for yesterdays running.

Well, I guess it was running!  It was our annual Mid Summers Day club run.  And it is quite a popular one too.  Club members and our newbies were all invited to take part.  It's where we amalgamate our groups together to create just three groups, which run at the slowest pace of the newly formed groups, then we run to a spot in Chislehurst. There, outside one our runners home, is a table set with water, squash....and beer!

We were to have two such stops before eventually all running back towards where we started but taking a slight detour to PhysioMikes garden.  He has opened up his garden for any of the PWR's who have went along to this event, to enjoy Pimms and of course, what us PWR's are also famous for, cake!  We have a good number of bakers among us, who regularly supply superb cakes at our club 'do's'.  Another very good reason for joining the best club in the area!

We had some of our beginners group with us, who were a bit anxious about the distance, but we assured them that we run for about 1.5 miles then rest up for at least 10 mins to drink beer.....I mean to rehydrate, before going on to the next hydration station in Scadbury Park.  I think we settled their reservations about todays run.

We were heading to the woods so that we can run up Botony Bay towards our first stop near Chislehurst common.  We went through 'Dog poo' ally and turned left. This is where we had our first stumble-ee!  But us PWR's are made of firm stuff, she just picked herself up, dusted herself off and then carried on going.  The water stop was a welcome relief! It was quite a warm and muggy evening, I was sweating.....glowing profusely! After a beer it was on to the next hydration station.

On out way though, through the woods, the trees were getting annoyed at us! We all had beer, wine and Pimms on our mind was ignoring the gorgeous scenery we were running through, and all of a sudden at tree jumped up, tripped up my sister-in-law, laid her flat and put this huge bump and bruise on her leg!  It came up so quick and so big (the bump that is) if it had been on the head, it could have looked like one of those cartoons, where you can see the bump grow from the head!  She felt as if she could go on to the next stop, but after a word or two, and a few moments for the pain and throbbing to kick in, she decided, actually, it would be better to walk the rest of the way to PhysioMikes house, cutting out the second water stop, and receiving first aid treatment, i.e. ice for the bruise and ice in the Pimms!

I walked with her and her friend Angela to the garden.  Even as we were about a half mile from our final destination, some of the faster runners flew by us.  We have some pretty fast runners in our club!  It does make you proud.

That wasn't the end of our evening. Oh no.  The other reason for all traipsing over Mikes superb garden is that we are having an awards evening.  Trophies for all the races we have been doing through out the year, club runs, an the Grand Prix.  That particular event is open for everyone as we all compete with the people in our own groups. It's all very friendly rivalry, and it does make us all want to do our best!  And guess what folks, guess who came first in group one, guess who took the first place trophy! you give in? Well, look at this.

Yup it was little ol' me! My first ever trophy. Not only that but it is a first place first trophy!  I am in my element!  In my dreams I have only ever won first place in anything, and now that dream has become a reality!

No geeky stats but I will try and 'pinch' some pictures of the prize giving, as soon as I find out where they are hiding them :-)

Division 7 PWR Grand Prix. 1st place

A Friday Quickie! - Sort Of!

Hello blog lovers,

I had almost completely forgot that I had done a little bit of exercise yesterday! Incredible isn't it!  I must be getting so blase' (is that how you spell the French word?) about it all. But it really was a 'blink and you miss it' kind of run.

Of course, I don't mean it was a speedy run, although it should have been, it was that it was just a very short run.  A run to the garage to pick up the Old Boys car which had just had some repairs and MOT done on it.

The job didn't take that long! I thought the car would be there all day, but there I was, going to pick it up at around 10;30 ish!  It was a pretty warm morning, and I was pleased that I hadn't actually had my breakfast yet, I had a lazy lay down on the Old Boys sofa after I got back from dropping him off!

I thought I would run the shortest route to the garage to get there as quick as I could so as to get the car out of their way.  I arrived at the garage, looking hot and sweaty, and out of breath! But I think I was pleased with my 'rest day' run.

The mechanics seemed amazed that I had ran all the way, ok  it only was only a one and quarter mile away! But he said he couldn't have even run the quarter!  Of course I championed us runners and the benefits of running! Lets see what happens!

Geeky stats

No Lazyitus Today!

Hello blog lovers.

Thursday, and it's training day, I had lazyitus last Thursday but I am well over that now.  And I am looking forward to this evenings activities.  I am not sure who is taking the leaders 'hats' today, the anticipation of finding out that is just as much fun as the doing of the sessions!

 

I arrived at the park on my bike. I had collected my Giant from my sisters house only about an hour before hand.  It felt great to be out on the bike, so I thought why pollute the atmosphere with fumes and gasses (sorry, not quite sure what the scientific name is for the emissions from cars) I just know that it's not necessary. When the sun is bright and the day is warm, why start up my car to drive just a mile or so to the rec?  There was just one other person there when I got there, I was there early for a change! I chained up my bike, grabbed my drink and wandered over to the benches.

There were soon quite a few others turning up, including two ladies from PhysioMikes beginners class!  "Come along, its fun, we just do some running and exercises in the rec" was what our Illustrious leader had said to them!  It was I.L. and Sue who will be leading todays session.  Sue was the first to start the warm ups and the drills.  Then after that she had us running the three flag relay thingy again.  The flags seem to be set at a shorter distance that what Disco Rich had them a couple of weeks ago, but I found that was even harder, because the 'No.1's'  ( Sue had given half of us no.1 and half no.2) had to run to the first flag, then run back and the 'No.2's' had to run to the first flag, but of course they had got back before you had even had a chance to catch your breath.  But it was all still great fun.

After that it was the core training!  I.L. leader set out 5 stations, and we have five activities to do at each station.  Burpees, ab crunches, squats, planks and push ups!  I.L. asked me to demonstrate the ab crunch!  I you can remember from my other blogs, the only way I can describe what I look like when I am doing these is like a tortoise that has been flipped over, and is trying to get back on her feet!

But I think I gave it a pretty good shot!  The newbies Tracey and Sally seemed to be enjoying the whole experience.  Judging by the giggling going on!  And that is how these training sessions are.  They are hard work, we do sweat a lot, and do puff and groan (and maybe even fart....) and we do have a laugh! These sessions are kept fun, but they also work! I am sure they do! After all, on my first core training session, I couldn't even manage one half asses attempt at a sit up, and as for those burpees, they were just a burp to far for me!  But today, I think I managed to do at least 2 or 3  of them how they should be done!

All in all a great session.  At notice ladies and gentlemen, no one got a mention of who was the windy one or who was practising their 'poo face' while doing the squats!

Pettswood,The Place To Run!

Hello blog lovers.

Today is club run, as all my regular readers know, and our group 1 ranks have swelled slightly with the welcoming of the graduates from the beginners class.  And also our Illustrious Leader is taking them further into the woods than they have been before!  So all in all, a great evening is planned!

Sister-in-law Jackie is there, her friend couldn't make it this time, and some of the other beginners were all looking a bit apprehensive, but we assured them that no one will get lost, or left behind!  Our route is going through 'Poo Ally' and then instead of going left we are going straight up, into the heart of the woods.  It is a bit of an incline, but it is a very do-able incline for the beginners, and me!  I kept thinking that I had done Goss hill, which is a bit steeper than what we are doing now.  I am hoping that the lovely woods, and the trees and the peace and quiet will be a beautiful distraction to the beginners as they run up the hills.  Once at the top it will be all down hill, apart from the little incline just before the back of the school, which I am sure they will all manage to do.

The group was really keeping together quite well, with just one of our beginners at the back, but PhysioMike was with her, keeping her motivated and encouraging her along the way. I stayed with my sister-in-law as she kept running along.  She didn't think she would be able to do a group 1 run, but she managed to keep up with the main group.

A great introduction to the Pettswood runners club, and I believe they will all enjoy being part of the club, one of the best running clubs around.....or am I just a tad biased?! And a brilliant route for all of us to realise just how gorgeous our doorstep is, He has blessed us with such a fantastic place to live!

No geeky stats today, as I loaned my Garmin to Hitchy, who is now a group leader herself, and she lead group 3 today, taking in Summer Hill!! See what can happen when you start running with the Pettswood Runners.